What Makes Good Teams Great?

We asked. You Spoke.

"For me, the foundation of a great FIRST team is the general team management and logistics. Good team communication is vital to any great FIRST team and that all starts with logistics and management. Great FIRST teams also make sure that they listen openly to a variety of opinions and use make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to share their ideas on the team. Finally, being a great FIRST team does not mean that you have the best robot on the field at every competition. Great FIRST teams make sure that their students are proficient in a variety of hands on aspects, such as machining, that can help them in their careers in the future. The interpersonal skills they gain through outreach are also a valuable skill that members of a great FIRST team take with them as they venture into their futures beyond the team. In essence, a good FIRST team determines their success by the success of their robot on the field while a great FIRST team looks beyond that and finds their greatness in effective communication, inclusive collaboration, and extensive hands on learning."

"For me, the good do things very well but have several flaws such as not cleaning up the tools at the end of the night. The great can accomplish it all and still be function in the world around them."

"A great FIRST team may have great communication and whatnot, but it should not forget its primary goal. The primary goal of FIRST is to inspire students to have careers in STEM fields and to give them life skills that will help them regardless of their career choice. As much as it feels good for the team to be successful in, say, the 2015 game, it will not matter much in ten years or so. What really matters is how FIRST shows students passions in careers that they may not have discovered otherwise. FIRST gives students the opportunity to be in a real engineering environment: one that involves communication and problem solving instead of grades and tests. Participating in this environment helps students develop skills that will greatly assist them when they graduate high school. A great FIRST team cares about the people, not the robot. The team's success is a result of its true goal of building people."