Rescue of Trapped Boys in Thailand: International Teamwork at Its Best - Essay Sample

Introduction

In 2018, divers in northern Thailand rescued 12 boys and their football coach from inundated caves; more than two weeks after being trapped underground (Corcoran 2018). The rescue team had the challenge of extracting the group safely due to rising water and mud impeding access. Their rescue became a case of international collaboration and teamwork as the Thai government and various organizations and teams from all over the world joined forces to rescue the trapped group. The essay uses teamwork theories to explain the significance of teamwork in this type of scenario and the factors that made teamwork effective.

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Emergency response teams are categorized by a feeling of great insistence and huge levels of inter-reliance, working in settings that are continuously varying as new information reaches about requirements for victims and resources (Jobidon, Turcotte, Aube, Labrecque, Kelsey and Tremblay 2017). This instability and the need to adopt generate unbalanced task descriptions, springy job obligations and pursuit of numerous instantaneous, potentially contradictory purposes. The rescue team is likely to signify a varied set of viewpoints (civilian rescue team and army team). Two British rescuers joined the Thai rescue team to aid in the rescue.

Teamwork is universal in a multifaceted and active work environment like the one experienced in Thailand. The unpredictability, high-risk features and volatility of these circumstances force team to be very effectual and to adapt quickly and suitably to occurrences, whether expected or not (Majchrzak, Jarvenpaa and Hollingshead 2007). In the case scenario, the rescue effort was a meticulously synchronized policy comprising multiple teams, with the inclusion of dozens of the world's best divers and cave professions; some 10,000 helpers; people and institutions that brought in impels; and farmers who readily pumped out water flood and kill their crops (Perper 2018). The Thai administration contributed financing, medicinal, logistical and managerial support. The rescue event was also aired by more than 1,500 journalists who had visited the site (Xu 2018).

Based on the experiences from the rescue operation, teamwork is a very essential element. Teamwork ensures that there is higher quality output by capitalizing on the influences of the team members. Teamwork also ensures that the group gets things done thus improving implementation. It also ensures that there is a wider pool of ideas through interaction and collaboration. Additionally, tasks are completed at a quicker pace when it is undertaken by a team instead of an individual (Edmondson 2012). Collaboration between Thai rescuers and international rescuers ensured that the rescue efforts were undertaken at a faster rate.

International teamwork in the rescue operations was made effective by various factors. To facilitate effectiveness, international rescuers were given diplomatic immunity before they embarked on the rescue operations. This ensured that they were given security they needed in case anything went wrong during the rescue operation. International teamwork was made effective by the wealth of experience from various divers across the world. For instance, the Australian divers were given assurance that their families would be compensated in case they died in the line of duty. The British divers had trained on the cave terrain. The United States divers had adequate resources. Additionally, a sub-marine was provided to the rescue team by the Tesla Corporation owner (BBC 2018). Coordination was an influential part of the performance of the international team. Since divers and other rescue teams come from different parts of the world, a center of command should be established to ensure that efforts are coordinated (Faraj and Xiao 2006).

The first thing in the rescue operation was the deployment of its military forces including a team of Thai navy seals. After that, the Thai government indicated that it needed help from the international scope. Diving in the murder, narrow and current-filled waters in the flooded caves is an effort that requires effective teamwork. To their luck, there were two British divers who had spent decades in perfecting the art of navigating the caves. The diverse people involved in the Thai cave rescue-from the international divers to the engineers who were tasked with draining the water and the volunteers doing the laundry-were united by attributes that called them to help in the rescue (Anderson 2018). From the scenario, it is clear that team performance results from a process happening across stages and time. The teamwork theories suggest that teams adapt and change over time in response to the transforming nature of the work settings and demand as well as continuous improvement. In a rescue mission, teamwork is comprised of members with complex intellectual capability, honesty, and realization. Additionally, the teams are able to perform better in unpredictable changes.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it is clear from the scenario that teamwork was the key to the successful rescue operation. Emergency response requires a sense of urgency and reliance on various sectors. Teamwork represents diverse views which are integrated to ensure success. Teamwork is also a complex case that requires working in challenging environments. The Thai cave rescue case is a perfect example of how teamwork is essential for success. Every person involved in the rescue operations was enjoined in a team that ensured that the 12 boys and their coach trapped in the flooded caves came back alive.

References

Anderson .L. 2018. All 12 Boys And Their Soccer Coach Have Been Rescued From A Thai Cave - Here's What's Going On. Available at: http://digg.com/2018/thai-cave-soccer-team-explained (Accessed: 6/5/2019).

BBC. 2018. Thailand cave rescue: Boys found alive after nine days. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44688909 (Accessed 6/5/2019)

Corcoran, H. 2018. Lessons in Leadership and Teamwork from the Thai Cave Rescue. Available at: https://corcoranleadership.com/lessons-in-leadership-teamwork/ (Accessed: 6/5/2019)

Edmondson, A.C. 2012. Teamwork on the Fly. Available at: https://hbr.org/2012/04/teamwork-on-the-fly-2 (Accessed 6/5/2019).

Faraj, S. and Xiao, Y., 2006. Coordination in fast-response organizations. Management science, 52(8), pp.1155-1169.

Jobidon, M.E., Turcotte, I., Aube, C., Labrecque, A., Kelsey, S. and Tremblay, S., 2017. Role variability in self-organizing teams working in crisis management. Small group research, 48(1), pp.62-92.

Majchrzak, A., Jarvenpaa, S.L. and Hollingshead, A.B., 2007. Coordinating expertise among emergent groups responding to disasters. Organization Science, 18(1), pp.147-161.

Perper, R. 2018. International divers who helped the Thai cave rescue were given diplomatic immunity in case something went wrong. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.co.za/thai-cave-rescue-international-divers-given-diplomatic-immunity-2018-7 (Accessed: 6/5/2019).

Xu. H. 2018. The Thailand cave rescue points the way to a more unified global future. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/03/lets-harness-the-unity-of-the-thai-cave-rescue-to-achieve-global-goals (Accessed: 6/5/2019)