TEAMI

Because “we see the world not as it but as we are or are conditioned to be” and “most evidence come from outside of ourselves”, TEAMI was developed as a lens for the truth.

Each phase of the TEAMI model for growing must be used again and again to become habits. We don’t change our mind, we change our behavior and, maybe, our second nature.

TARGET THE NEED – Why start with the need? Unless I know it, how can I decide whether to submit to it? Unless I submit, how can I bend myself to meet it? If needs aren’t met, how will I be better? Unless I get better, how can I help the world get better? Targeting the need avoids being shallow so “begin with the end in mind.” “Before we jump to the how, we need to lay a foundation by articulating the need before erecting the superstructure.” This can be difficult so put time into seeing needs over wants.

EQUIP FOR SUCCESS – “To furnish or provide with whatever is needed for use for any undertaking” includes physical, mental, spiritual and relational tools.  I equip myself by finding and learning to use the simplest tools I expect will work. I don’t fear missteps, as they’re only failures if I don’t learn from them. To really know TEAMI, don’t ask others how to meet the needs now. We’ll get to learn from and with others later.

ACT TO ACHIEVE – A robot is mechanical, but I can’t be. I must act effectively, efficiently and knowledgeably at this level by doing now and being intentional and insightful later. “Only combat experience can make a soldier.”

MARK WHERE YOU ARE – Like milestones, X marks the spot where I am today. I spend time here to know the effects of my actions; enough to truly see them. ‘Measure’ can work for physical things but not for what’s inside us that are always ‘in process’; just a point in our journey. Here I focus on seeing ‘what happened and why’, not ‘what happens next’.

IDENTIFY WHERE NEXT – Now that I know where I am, is the targeted need still the right direction, yes or no? Few things are as wasteful as working hard without knowing it’s in the wrong direction, so I often raise my viewpoint above the weeds to higher levels. I use the answers, yes or no, to decide whether to continue in this direction (order), to change (disorder) or to stop on this.

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