Whenever there is a new presidential appointee, the immediate reaction of impartial observers is: "Perfect choice yan. Magaling na ‘team player’ yan."

The same congenial remark is quoted when a new executive is hired or promoted in private business.

What is teamwork? Why is it being encouraged once again in government, business, sports and even in advocacy ventures?

Teamwork is, "Harmony. Cooperation. Synchronized effort," writes Jerry Useem in Fortune magazine of June l2, entitled Teamwork!

"It’s difficult, but it can be learned. What’s the best way to do so? Watch great teams very closely — and then join one of your own," urges Useem.

Why is teamwork losing its cohesiveness these days? One reason is specialization where an individual and his organization rely too much on the person’s field of expertise. In a number of instances, he dominates the undertaking alone and his minions are subordinated by their ignorance of the leader’s specialized competence.

Another reason is autonomy. The manager of a team is given a full blanket authority in all aspects of a project or mission. He basks on his new executive independence, and looks at the undertaking as his sovereign domain.

Instead, Useem goes for a teamwork practice, as if it has become a lost art in society or in governance.

The writer says teamwork is an individual skill. "Becoming skilled at doing more with others may be the single most important thing you can do," stresses Useem quoting book author Christopher Avery. This done, one increases his value — regardless of his level of authority.

Another article in the same Fortune issue which has Secrets of Greatness as theme, says teamwork "comes in all shapes and sizes." Even organized crime syndicates — the Mob — do their thing as a team.

Mobsters pay particular attention to succession crisis, disruptive competitors and a fast-changing business environment.

Recalling the past, the fortnightly business journal says most U.S. presidents of previous decades picked supporters to be in their Cabinet, except Abraham Lincoln.

When Lincoln won he appointed his rivals in the election to join him in the newly formed government. "These three rivals are the strongest men in the country. I have no right to deprive it of their services."

In another theme-article, it illustrates that managing a team is best exemplified in a real circus — the Cirque du Soleil, today’s world-famous acrobatic troupes.

Guy Laliberte, its founder and majority owner, admits he has to juggle the demands of creative and financial types among the 40 nationalities represented by Cirque’s 3,000 employees.

Obviously, Laliberte’s management is teamwork. This is like walking on a tightrope made easy because of his respect for the needs of his employees which now spread into l3 troupes traveling to 100 cities in four continents.

So, Useem expounds that nothing works effectively like teamwork — be it in sports, business, government and, as we have seen, even in circus.

CASUAL COMMENTS. Is there a coin shortage? This should not happen, according to the Central Bank. First, there is R11 billion, the amount of coins, in circulation. Something like R138.00 per Filipino.

But why the complaints from housewives and businessmen?

People keep coins at home or office. They don’t bring them outside because they are "heavy in the pocket" to carry day in and day out, CB says. So, some wise guys collected them and were about to smuggle the coins out of the country when caught at the customs bureau, July 11.

My proposal — to lighten everyone’s pocket and keep those loose change from being melted into token coins in juke boxes, entrance fare in commuter trains, games consoles and other entertainment venues — is this:

Why not for CB to print paper bills in the denominations of R1.00, R.50, R.25 and R.05, like what it did in the 1950s and 1960s?

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The Quezon City Seniors Cooperative organized by City Hall recently is met with skepticism by the elderly. They claim that by the time the entity declares dividends, most of them would six feet underground.

What they want are material benefits and privileges right now, while they are still alive to enjoy the senior perks. And they don’t mean just birthday cakes and free pass to the movies.

Would those be too much for the country’s "richest city" to grant to residents who may no longer be around anymore when the cooperative declares dividends?

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Many newspaper readers have noticed the news photo where new LP members were inducted into the party in Cavite recently. Only l7 raised their hands, while the rest were there, probably, for the free packed lunches that were distributed after the ceremonies.