What is the Definition of Teamwork?

I define teamwork as the actions of individuals, brought together for a common purpose or goal, which subordinate the needs of the individual to the needs of the group. In essence, each person on the team puts aside his or her individual needs to work towards the larger group objective. The interactions among the members and the work they complete is called teamwork.

Teamwork is not only limited to working together but it collectively means to achieve whatever is planned, by helping each other. Teamwork is the spirit to care for others in your group help them, support them, and then win together.  Teamwork is a fuel that allows common people to attain and achieve uncommon results.

The above definition was taken from Answers.com and it pretty much spells out what has made us successful in the past and the kind of teamwork that we need, in order to keep finding those "forever homes." 

Almost all of the volunteers knock themselves out trying to help the organization run smoothly. Yet, as with any organization there are those few who seem to want to butt heads at every turn.  Do we do everything right?  Of course not!  We are a work in progress and hopefully as time passes, we will do even better.  We learn from our mistakes just as everyone does.

Financially, we operate within a budget.  We have to.  We have a mortgage payment to meet every month, utilities to pay, food and medications to buy as well as monthly spays and neuters.  Then, there is the occasional dog that comes in injured and costs way more than the average dog does.  These things must be paid.  We try to explain to people that there are the "gotta haves" and the "nice to haves".  The "gotta haves" must take priority.  The "nice to haves" will come in time.  Our budget was stretched to the limit this past year due to expenses incurred for construction.  These are one-time expenses that won't be repeated in subsequent years.  However, this past year, we have needed to keep an eye on our funds and try to stay within the budget as best we could.

What I am asking you to do is this, before you simply criticize what we do wrong, look at what we have done right and see where your complaints rank in the overall scheme of things.  Negativity brings only destruction.  It is the positive attitude of almost all our volunteers that has brought us to where we are today.  And it is that kind of attitude that will keep our group moving in the right direction.