HUGH SELBY breaks the daily fare of gloomy news with tales of survival, of success and happiness. “And within those stories there is often the foundation of teamwork,” he says.

Much of our daily news fare is about humans behaving badly.

Be that the slaughter of the innocents, depraved preying upon children, upturning world economics, scamming millions from NSW Transport construction projects, or running the ACT economy into an ever deeper red. 

But there is good news – tales of survival, of success and happiness. And within those stories there is often the foundation of teamwork.

As a change from the daily dismal fare, let’s explore some inspiring examples of teamwork, recalling events that are too easily forgotten in the deluge of human-caused misery.

It is essential for any musical group, and in ballet, too – such as the Royal Ballet collaboration of choreographer Frederick Ashton and principal dancer Margot Fonteyn.

The survival of both the lost and the rescue teams depends upon it. Recall the specialist cave divers, including Richard Harris and Craig Challen, who rescued the boy soccer team and their coach in the Tham Luang caves; the successful search, in early January, by 300 people for bush walker Hadi Nazari in the Kosciuszko National Parks; this month’s successful search in a very different terrain in WA for missing overseas tourist, Carolina Wilga; and, the every year courage of our rural fire services.

In team sport there’s the teamwork to resist and surmount the challenges, and the teamwork that sets up one or more stars to shine. That’s teamwork that is encouraged and developed with the help of legendary coaches, such as Ange Postecoglou. 

Some surgery is especially demanding, such as for appendiceal cancer. The appendix has become cancerous, then bursts, spilling cancerous cells throughout the abdomen. These have to be removed.

Not so long ago it took 11 hours, that’s 11 hours of concentration by the surgeon, and teamwork among all those coming and going in the operating theatre – that’s both physically and mentally exhausting.

Every so often we hear about research and creative teams: for example, the years of melanoma treatment research by 2024 Australians of the year, Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer.

Political teams that are etched in popular history include: Paul Keating and Bob Hawke – we know how that ended; US President Woodrow Wilson’s eminence grise Colonel Edward House, who liked to work behind the scenes; and, most importantly, our wartime greats, John Curtin and Bill Chifley, described in these words by Mark Thomas in the Sydney Morning Herald: 

“The amity between Curtin and Chifley might appear unlikely: lonely, stranded, recovering alcoholic (John) meets dour train driver (Ben) to play bridge. Nonetheless, that friendship – then the trust and mutual dependence that underpinned it – sustained Australia through many of our worst days.”

Working together can lift everyone’s performance beyond what they could achieve on their own, as illustrated in the following examples of complementary skills:

Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin; the 16-year collaboration of composer Rogers and lyricist-dramatist Hammerstein (here’s a revealing insight into how and why that worked); the dramatist Gilbert and composer Sullivan who created funny, relevant comic operas that sent up the politics and society of their times; and, more recently Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sarah Brightman.

It’s gratifying to be able to give some examples among writers. Just this week Michael Briody has reviewed the latest book, Chalk and Cheese: A Fabrication of long time duo, Ross Fitzgerald (who writes for CityNews) and Ian McFadyden. Briody describes this book as, “a comic novel with serious intent… a rare gem”. 

Let’s not forget the CityNews team of Jon Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed bringing us the spending facts that the government would rather we did not know. 

What are the underlying values that sustain these teams, to succeed to a degree that seems impossible if any member was going solo? One way or another there has to be recognition that each member of the team has a skill or skills that the others need. We can call that mutual support. As well there has to be trust and reciprocal loyalty.

Teams succumb to the usual human vices among one or more of their members of too much ambition, selfishness, greed, a desire to break free and be independent, misconduct, or exhaustion (the entity grows beyond the capacity of one or more members). When any of those appear the team is riven. 

The teamwork between humans and their animals, especially horses and dogs is legendary: Banjo Paterson’s 1890 poem, The Man from Snowy River with its description of horse and rider; Gundagai’s Dog on the Tuckerbox; and, the World War I Gallipoli story of Simpson and his donkey (all five of them, before he was killed), are all well known. So, too, are the recent ABC series on muster dogs. Season 1 had two million “consolidated viewers” per episode. 

Ordinary people, and animals, behaving together in extraordinary ways. Frederick McCubbin captured the essence of otherwise unremarked teamwork in his 1904 triptych “The Pioneer”. He displayed the life of the archetypal Australian team, meeting challenges with hope and achievement before death – Aussie battlers all.

Author Hugh Selby is a CityNews columnist, principally focused on legal affairs. His free podcasts on “Witness Essentials” and “Advocacy in court: preparation and performance” can be heard on the best known podcast sites.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mr Selby’s otherwise delightful column would be more complete had he listed Ricky Stuart as a “legendary coach” and the absence of Lennon and McCartney from his musical pairings is unforgivable! Can other readers add to the list of great teams and teamwork? Hit the comment button and name names.