There are four levels of connection that people can have, depending on the situation and the reason they have come together. They are:

1. Political
2. Intellectual
3. Emotional
4. Spiritual

When we come together for political reasons, we do so because we feel we should and because we are expected to.

You know what this looks like. Though don't want to, you go to a retirement party for somebody at work whom you barely know "for appearances sake."

When somebody is being "politically correct" we suspect they are not saying what they really think. Many of us play a lot of these 'political' games if we want to get ahead. Isn't the biggest aggravation at the office usually the 'politics' involved? I know you can attest to the truth of that observation.

None of this sounds very fulfilling or attractive, does it? It feels superficial at best and dishonest at worst.

We can go a little deeper and form a group you for intellectual reasons; that is it makes logical sense to come together.

For instance, if we can get group insurance, it will be cheaper than each of us getting an individual policy. If all of us lease our cars at the same time, we can save money. If we all walk downtown together it will be safer. If we move all the offices to the same building, we will have better communication. If the whole tour group wears yellow shirts, we are less likely to get lost.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of this, except that it doesn't involve being a team.

These examples have a depth equivalent to three strangers deciding to share a cab to the airport. They don't care if they connect on a deep level because they are just trying to save money and get to the airport on time. End of story.

And I am not suggesting that we are to turn every group we belong to into a team. Some of the more incidental groups should be left as groups. Otherwise it's like plugging too many appliances into the same wall outlet - you're going to blow an emotional fuse! Creating a team is a huge commitment, so choose where you want to make that commitment wisely. You have a limited amount of emotional energy to give out.

For example, as I write this I am part of a group known as Flight 167 going from New York to St. Louis. While I want the crew to work as a team, I am quite happy, on this particular occasion, to keep my group membership on a totally superficial level and have no inclination to explore deeper relationships with the other passengers. I just want to get there.

The tragedy is that some people spend their total and entire lives on this superficial plane, and consequently never experience the magic of a deeper kind of relationship.

While you can form a well functioning group based on political and intellectual connections, I do not believe you can form a team - certainly not in the fullest sense of the word.

So let's head to the deep end of the pool.

Let's talk about coming together emotionally.

You can almost feel the temperature change can't you? That's because now our hearts are involved. We actually care about each other - and that caring goes far beyond some kind of political or intellectual convenience. On this level we can legitimately use the label, "Team."

An emotional connection is a wondrous thing in and of itself. It unifies us and literally makes us feel part of each other.

You can be emotionally attached to a friend and, because of some circumstance, be separated from them for ten years. What happens when you meet after all that time? You pick up as if you had never been separated at all! The amazing thing is - you weren't separated, because you had an emotional connection that was greater than geography and time. What a wonderful experience!

Can our connection possibly go any deeper than that? Yes, it surely can!

We can form a spiritual union.

A spiritual connection is when you know you were meant to be part of a particular team. In this case the sense of belonging is so strong that you are convinced that being part of this team is, at least partially, a fulfillment of your destiny. You and the team are 'one'. You breathe as one, you perform as one, you meet challenges as one, and you celebrate victories as one.

Once you have experienced this kind of spiritual connection with others, every other level seems almost pointless.

Part 1

Part 3

Copyright © - Ian Percy. This article is an excerpt from "The 11 Commandments for an Enthusiastic Team: Collaborating With Purpose and Passion" by Ian Percy. This incredible book comes as a gift set and includes an audio CD of Ian giving this presentation live - all bound into an embossed sleeve. Contact your local bookstore or go to www.IanPercy.com where you can order it securely online.

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The 11 Commandments for an Enthusiastic Team - Ian Percy, CSP - Finally this inspirational message is available as a gift book and includes a 60 minute "live" audio CD of Ian presenting this famous program! Larry's Review: Incredible! The best I've read about creating team. Everyone who networks, collaborates, builds community, etc., should have this book and CD combo. Truly a masterpiece!

The 7 Secrets to a Life of Meaning - Ian D. Percy, CSP - Once again, Ian Percy has written a book filled with remarkable wisdom, insight and, of course, his trademark humor. This amazing book will help you discover, connect with, and manifest your real purpose on this earth. Build a life filled with passion and purpose! Larry's Review: - Ian Percy is one of my favorite "Top 10" speakers. His words are sprinkled with the flavor of passion; the ingredient that can inspire us to intergrate more spirituality into our personal lives and our relationships. Highly recommended.

Going Deep: Exploring Spirituality in Life and Leadership - Ian D. Percy, CSP - "Going Deep" is a powerful and penetrating book that reconnects readers to joy, meaning and spirituality in life and work. In particular it challenges leaders to understand that until they focus as much on "Why?" as they do on "How?" they will never release the full potential of their organization. Never before has a business book reached so deeply into the human soul - and with such humor. Larry's Review: - Every business leader should read this book! Powerful and compelling. It's about time the true secrets to success in business be revealed. Highly recommended.

•  If you would like to talk one-on-one with Larry James about relationship issues related to this article, you are invited to arrange for a private coaching session by telephone. Go to Networking Coaching for specific details.