By Dr. Basil Springer

“All of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8

I last wrote about teamwork in this column in July 2014 in “Camaraderie Fuels Teamwork” and in October 2019 in “Camaraderie Fuels Teamwork Revisited”. My reflection on those occasions revealed that teamwork is the key to success and that camaraderie fuels teamwork.

Five events in my life recently have inspired me to reflect on “teamwork in action” and its contribution to the vision of human, social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Firstly, at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) in Miami late last month, CHTA President Nicola Madden-Grieg, in her opening remarks, firmly established her vision of Caribbean tourism sustainability. In her closing remarks, she heralded the conference’s success and thanked her team for contributing to its widely acclaimed outcomes.

On the “Next Generation of Ownership” panel, I had the opportunity to discuss the 3M Shepherding Model (metamorphosis of ideas, management and money – specifically emphasizing a startup equity fund). Many teams have been involved in the many elements of this model under my guidance over the last 25 years.

I was delighted when Ryan Forde, CEO of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, praised my presentation for “connecting the dots between young entrepreneurs, the financial institutions, a creative idea and how it all must flow.”

Secondly, the 2023 CMEx Leadership Awards, hosted in Miami and powered by the Caribbean Media Exchange and Marketplace Excellence teams led by Bevan Springer, received an overwhelming response. This event was the sequel to similar awards events in 2013, 2014 and 2019. Such a positive response to this event has prompted CMEx management to conceptualize the next steps toward the vision of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. 

Thirdly, Bevan expertly shepherded the MPE and CMEx staff retreat and client meetings in Miami. The event was a fantastic opportunity for team members to meet, virtually and in person, some for the first time, and the synergies created from these interactions were truly spectacular. 

Fourthly, while in Miami, we received the sad news that our matriarch, Ms. Beryl Griselda Barrow, of the Barrow side of the late Chris, Hugh and Charles (my father) Springer clan quietly passed away.

A legendary figure in entrepreneurship, she exemplified the power of teamwork in partnership with her mother, the late Clyne Barrow (my godmother), and her first cousin, the late Sybil Barrow.

Her house was a focal point for her generation and the generations that survived her, which was evident (in person or by phone call) only four weeks ago when she celebrated her 93^rd birthday.

Lastly, the current England tour of the West Indies sneaked up on us with the West Indies’ record-breaking win in the first ODI on Sunday, December 3. West Indies captain Shai Hope led from the front with an unbeaten century and a remarkable victory against the odds. He could not do it alone but was able to motivate his team to deliver the goods.

The captain led from the front again on Wednesday, but could not repeat the first ODI result. On Saturday, the West Indies team won again, in a rain interrupted match, beating England for the first time in 25 years in an ODI series on our home soil.

These examples show that the future is in the hands of our leaders, who must in turn continue to motivate their teams to achieve positive, sustainable results.