Importance of Teamwork in Thai Cave Rescue Mission

Running Head: PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT2
Table of Contents
PART 1 (Essay)..........................................................................................................................3
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
A. Justifying the importance of teamwork in this scenario........................................................3
B. Explaining what made international teamwork effective......................................................3
C. Discussing what role team learning played in the success of the rescue mission.................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
PART II (Reflection on Teamwork)..........................................................................................6
1. What did I learn from the teamwork experience in this course?............................................6
2. How would these lessons assist me in my current or future career?......................................6

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT3
PART 1 (Essay)
Introduction
In 2018, 12 boys of Thai soccer team with their coach got trapped in underground
caves. The importance of efficient teamwork is very much evident when it comes to the
successful rescue of the young footballers from the Thai cave, which can be deemed as a
miracle. Complex rescue missions from a place of massive danger to a place of adequate
safety can often bring out the better of one cohesive unit (Jobidon et al. 2017). The present
essay is going to demonstrate a justification to the importance of teamwork in this scenario
and explain what made the international teamwork effective with the help of theories.
Further, the essay will discuss in detail, the team learning played within the success of rescue
mission.
A. Justifying the importance of teamwork in this scenario
In the given scenario, it was important for the Thai navy seal to work together along
with the experts, engineers and people from the rescue service. Edmondson (2012) stated that
one person single-handedly could never do what was done and hence a strategy was
necessary along with adequate help. During this immensely complicated rescue operation
experts from all across the world were brought in along with rescue personnel from at least
two different continents came together to save this football team and their coach (bbc.com,
2018). They had to work as a cohesive unit in order to make this rescue mission success.
This scenario, however, follows characteristics of the crisis management within
teamwork (Jobidon et al. 2017). The government knew the right people to approach and do
the thing which was deemed impossible to do. This evidently shows the teamwork between
all the people involved with the rescue mission starting from the government to the on-field
divers and Thai navy seal who followed the right directions in order to save the young
footballers and their coach (gq.com, 2018).
B. Explaining what made international teamwork effective
Each of the units of any rescue mission including squads, engines, rescue, trucks and
other equipment are the basic functions of any rescue mission. Rescue operations get carried
out almost every single day across the world by rescue teams and fire departments of various
sizes who use their own set of strategy and tactics (Punnahitanond, 2018). A rescue mission
generally cannot be done alone, as there is a chance that a rescue mission will be influenced
by the efforts of other people.