70 Best Teamwork Quotes: Motivational, Inspirational & Funny

You can spend hours reading business books and browsing blogs about teamwork, but sometimes, teamwork quotes from history seem to say more than an entire book ever could. And since every team can use a little extra motivation once in a while, we set out to find the best teamwork quotes for you to share with your employees to get your team working at their best.

In this blog, you’ll find:

• Inspirational teamwork quotes
• Motivational teamwork quotes
• Funny teamwork quotes
• Uplifting teamwork quotes
• Appreciation teamwork quotes
• Leadership teamwork quotes

Don’t forget that, while employee motivation is key to success in the workplace, it’s not all you and your team need to succeed. You’ll also need project management software like ProjectManager. Our award-winning software offers teams the tools they need to plan, schedule and keep track of all their projects and strategies in real time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Project-list-light-mode-CTA.png

Tips to Manage Teams & Promote Teamwork

Before we look at the best teamwork quotes from history, let’s start with some key team management tips. In the video below, Jennifer Bridges, Professional Project Manager (PMP) explains how leaders can motivate their team members and help them better collaborate with each other.

Best 70 Teamwork Quotes

In the list below, we’ve included the best teamwork quotes along with a visual version of each quote so that you can easily drop your favorite teamwork quote into an email or Slack channel when your team needs that extra motivation. So, without further ado, here are 70 of the best inspirational quotes about teamwork.

Inspirational Teamwork Quotes

Inspirational teamwork quotes can help teams stay aligned, focused and committed to a shared goal. Whether you’re leading a project or building a collaborative culture, these quotes about teamwork and collaboration can spark fresh perspectives and reinforce the importance of working together.

1. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

Henry Ford built cars, but his most famous innovation was the factory assembly line, which took teamwork to a whole new level and revolutionized the automotive industry. Besides that, he’s got great team success quotes.

2. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Don’t tell Helen Keller that she had disabilities. She knew that a person is more than the sum of their parts.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-04-600x600.png

3. “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” – Napoleon Hill

Self-help author Napoleon Hill wrote a book called Think and Grow Rich. Those are two things we can all get behind.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-22-600x600.png

4. “None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard

Ken Blanchard is a management guru, best known for his 13-million-copy-selling tome The One Minute Manager. It takes even less time than that to read his insightful quote.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-12-600x600.png

5.“A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of themselves and their contribution to praise the skills of others.” – Norman Shidle

This is one of the best teamwork quotes, showing how trust and recognition strengthen teams. It’s perfect for inspiring collaboration and highlights the value of uplifting teamwork quotes.

6. “The best teamwork comes from people who are working independently toward one goal in unison.” – James Cash Penney

A strong addition to motivational quotes for teamwork, this quote reminds teams that alignment and shared focus drive success.

7. “No team works out teamwork.” – Dwyane Wade

This concise teamwork motivational quote emphasizes the effort required to build effective collaboration, making it ideal for team meetings.

8. “You are either supporting the vision or supporting division.” – Saji Ijiyemi

A powerful, uplifting team building teamwork quote, perfect for encouraging unity and shared goals.

9. “A successful team is a group of many hands and one mind.” – Bill Bethel

This quote reinforces collaboration and can be used as a best teamwork quote to inspire aligned efforts across teams.

10. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” – Steve Jobs

If anyone deserved to run a company named after the most famous symbol for knowledge, it was Steve Jobs. At Apple, he rallied teams to successes that continue to resonate today through excellent team management. There are many famous teamwork quotes that came from his motivational speeches at Apple.

11. “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” – Michael Jordan

What can’t Michael Jordan do? The basketball star has parlayed his post-sports career into a powerful empire, and his sneakers are pretty great, too. He’s also right about teamwork.

12. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” – John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell was a leadership visionary, but even from his perch on top, he could see the importance of teamwork.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-25-600x600.png

13. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is a man who has experienced teamwork in the athletic world. Like other sports legends, he’s remembered for his teamwork quotes. This phrase captures the importance of collaboration in any team, project or organization.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_3-600x600.png

14. “Success is best when it’s shared.” – Howard Schultz

This is one of the most impactful motivational quotes for teamwork, highlighting how shared success motivates teams and encourages collaboration.

15. “None of us can do it alone.” — Ray Kroc

A simple and effective teamwork motivational quote that emphasizes collective effort over individual work.

16. “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

A thoughtful addition to uplifting team building teamwork quotes, showing how collaboration enhances creativity and innovation.

17. “When you start out in a team, you have to get the teamwork going and then you get something back.” — Michael Schumacher

This motivational quote for teamwork emphasizes the importance of building early collaboration for long-term results.

18. “Collaboration allows us to know more than we are capable of knowing by ourselves.” — Paul Solarz

A strong uplifting team building teamwork quote that highlights how teamwork expands knowledge and drives collective success.

19. “You don’t get any medal for trying something, you get medals for results.” — Bill Parcells

This teamwork motivational quote encourages accountability and outcome-focused collaboration.

Motivational Teamwork Quotes

Motivational teamwork quotes for work energize teams and encourage shared effort. They’re ideal for project leaders and employees looking for inspiration to achieve collective goals.

20. “The nicest thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.” – Margaret Carty

You might have come across this quote by Margaret Carty. It’s a good one. Oddly, there’s little-to-no biographical information on her. It’s a mystery, and who doesn’t love a mystery?

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-14-600x600.png

21. “Many hands make light work.” – John Heywood

This classic is one of the best teamwork quotes for highlighting how collaboration eases workloads. It’s a perfect example of motivational team building, teamwork quotes that remind teams why shared effort matters.

22. “The nicest thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.” – Margaret Carty

A heartening appreciation teamwork quote, this emphasizes the support and trust that make teams successful. It’s ideal for reinforcing positive collaboration and boosting morale.

23. “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” – H.E. Luccock

This inspiring quote is a standout among motivational quotes for teamwork, showing that collective effort creates results no individual could achieve alone. It also works as an uplifting team building teamwork quote for encouraging unity and shared purpose.

24. “A single leaf working alone provides no shade.” – Chuck Page

This uplifting team building teamwork quote visually demonstrates the power of collaboration. It encourages teams to rely on one another for maximum impact.

25. “Together, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results.” – Becka Schoettle

A standout among best teamwork quotes, highlighting how cooperation leads to exceptional outcomes and inspires team confidence.

26. “It takes two flints to make a fire.” — Louisa May Alcott

This poetic teamwork motivational quote illustrates how collaboration creates momentum and sparks success.

27. “When we work together, we can accomplish far more than we ever could alone.” – Unknown

A classic motivational quote for teamwork, perfect for inspiring collective effort and reinforcing the value of unity.

28. “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” – Mattie Stepanek

This uplifting teamwork quote emphasizes the power of collaboration and shared purpose.

Uplifting Teamwork Quotes

Uplifting teamwork quotes can boost morale and encourage a positive team culture. These quotes remind teams that support, trust and cooperation are central to long-term success.

29. “To me, teamwork is a lot like being part of a family. It comes with obligations, entanglements, headaches, and quarrels. But the rewards are worth the cost.” – Pat Summit

While no family has the perfect relationship, the rewards often outweigh the hardships. Pat Summit sums it up beautifully in this teamwork quote.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Pat-Summit-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

30. “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” – Mattie Stepanek

American poet Mattie Stepanek understands the importance of teamwork. While you certainly have your own goals you want to achieve, doing so in a group setting requires leaning on others to find success, which is also true when executing projects.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mattie-Stepanek-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

31. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African proverb

There’s something to be said about relying on other people to get you to the finish line. Think of your teammates like your biggest cheerleaders and you’re all working toward a common goal.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/African-proverb-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

32. “Growth is never mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” – James Cash Penney

James Cash Penny, also known as J.C. Penny, understood that achieving goals was a process never left up to chance. It’s important to lean on those around you to help accomplish things that you couldn’t do alone.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/James-Cash-Penney-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

33. “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” – Vince Lombardi

American football coach Vince Lombardi didn’t stumble into his success. He knew that teamwork was one of the most effective ways to overcome any obstacles or bring any plan to fruition.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Vince-Lombardi-teamwork-quote-2-600x600.png

Leadership Teamwork Quotes

Leadership teamwork quotes highlight how strong leaders inspire collaboration, guide their teams and achieve shared goals. These quotes showcase the value of effective communication, trust and vision, making them perfect for motivating employees, managers and project teams to work together toward success.

34.“The best way to serve the individuals on the team is to see that the whole team wins.” – John C. Maxwell

Renowned American author, speaker and leadership expert has a good reminder for all of us. When working toward a goal, know that you will only be as successful as your team.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/John-C-Maxwell-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

35. “I’ve never scored a goal in my life without getting a pass from someone else.” – Abby Wambach

American soccer legend Abby Wambach knows that her success on the field can always be attributed to a teammate. The same can be said for off-field scenarios as well.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Abby-Wambach-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PM-101-eBook-banner-ad.jpg

 

36. “We may all have come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” -Martin Luther King Jr

Civil rights leader and advocate Martin Luther King Jr. had a way with words. His teamwork quote is a good reminder that despite any previous differences, we can all come together as one.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/MLK-Jr-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

37. “To build a strong team, you must see someone else’s strength as a complement to your weakness and not a threat to your position or authority.” -Christine Caine

American author and activist Christine Caine reminds us that skills, strengths and weaknesses can benefit one another in a team setting.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Christine-Caine-teamwork-quote-600x600.png

38. “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton is one of the most notorious intellectuals that the world has seen. Even a brilliant man like him knew the importance of teamwork. In this quote, Isaac Newton explains he didn’t achieve all his accomplishments by himself, but rather through teamwork and the work of those who came before him.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_1-600x600.png

39. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” – Steve Jobs

If anyone deserved to run a company named after the most famous symbol for knowledge, it was Steve Jobs. At Apple, he rallied teams to successes that continue to resonate today through excellent team management. There are many famous teamwork quotes that came from his motivational speeches at Apple.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-02-600x600.png

40. “It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” – Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin spent many years analyzing a wide variety of animal species to develop his famous evolution theory. During those years, he realized that teamwork and collaboration are not only inherent to humankind but are also important in the animal kingdom.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_2-600x600.png

 

Related: 10 Strategies to Motivate Your Team

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-07-600x600.png

41. “[Teamwork] is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie

Industrialist philanthropist Andrew Carnegie knew that if each team member gave their all, the collective effort would lead to success.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-03-600x600.png

42. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

Constructive criticism should be always welcome in any team. We must strive to help our teammates flourish, in any way we can. Because when one member of the team becomes great, then the team becomes great, as Mark Twain says.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_4-600x600.png

 

43. “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry Truman

Harry Truman, the 33rd president of the United States, surely knew a thing or two about leadership. This is a great teamwork quote from history because it shows the importance of selflessness when being part of any team.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_5-600x600.png

Achieving better results alongside your team often requires reflecting on what went well within your project. This helps you establish what went well and what can improve the next time. Take advantage of our free lessons learned template for guidance.

44. “There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.” – George Shinn

George Shinn, an American entrepreneur and owner of sports teams, knows that teamwork is key to achieving goals, whether those are personal goals, business objectives or the completion of a project.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_6-600x600.png

Funny Teamwork Quotes

Funny teamwork quotes for work help relieve stress while reminding teams of the importance of collaboration. Humor can boost engagement and strengthen relationships.

45. “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

This teamwork quote helps us understand the importance of letting others contribute with their talent. It’s important to let our teammates do their job and provide them with a collaborative environment where they feel welcome, as this teamwork helps us grow and makes our own ideas better.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_7-600x600.png

46. “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” – Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi is another sports legend who’s known for his famous teamwork quotes. He truly experienced the power of teamwork, as he expressed in this quote.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_8-600x600.png

47. “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team.” – Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, is an experienced entrepreneur who understands how teamwork helps organizations grow. This short teamwork quote sums up the power of working as a team.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes_9-600x600.png

48. “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is best known as the author of the children’s classic The Little Prince. He was also an enthusiastic aviator and knew that it was better to fly as a flock than to fly alone.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-01-600x600.png

49. “Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.” – Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill was a great leader for a number of reasons, and one that’s famous for his teamwork quotes. One of them is that he understood that teamwork wins the fight, and quotes like the one below show how good he was at motivating not only the troops but everyone into supporting the war effort.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-05-600x600.png

Our online tool helps teams collaborate on projects in real time with comments, status updates and file sharing—with immediate notifications in-app and through email when tasks are updated. We’re not saying that WWII could have ended sooner with our software, but we have squeezed greater efficiencies out of projects both big and small. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.

50. “It takes two flints to make a fire.” – Louisa May Alcott

Author Louisa May Alcott wrote the novel Little Women, which is as influential now as it was when first published in 1868 and knows that characters, like people, work best together.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-06-600x600.png

 

51. “If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it.” – Bear Bryant

Paul W. Bryant, commonly known as Bear Bryant, was the head coach of the University of Alabama football team for 25 years. During that time, they won six national championships and 13 conference championships. Now that’s teamwork!

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-08-600x600.png

52. “In union there is strength.” Aesop

You’ve read Aesop’s fables in school. Maybe you should go back and read the Greek storyteller again. There’s a lot of wisdom in those stories.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-09-600x600.png

53. “When he took time to help the man up the mountain, lo, he scaled it himself.” – Tibetan Proverb

A proverb is a simple saying that gains popularity over time. This Tibetan proverb is deceptively simple and offers a great lesson on teamwork.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-10-600x600.png

54. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Margaret Mead was a cultural anthropologist who spent her life studying the holistic view of human nature. So, who better to comment on the nature of teamwork than the icon herself?

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-11-600x600.png

55. “When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing.” – Bo Schembechler

Bo Schembechler was one of the most victorious college football coaches in history. So, it’s wise to listen when he’s offering advice on teamwork.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-13-1-600x600.png

 

56. “In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly.” – Mark Sanborn

Entrepreneur Mark Sanborn is a wealth of wisdom, and thankfully he likes to share the wealth.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-15-600x600.png

57. “Trust is knowing that when a team member does push you, they’re doing it because they care about the team.” – Patrick Lencioni

Management and teamwork expert Patrick Lencioni is best known for his bestselling book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, so he’s someone all teams should listen to.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-16-600x600.png

58. “I’m not the smartest fellow in the world, but I sure can pick smart colleagues.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

President Franklin D. Roosevelt got the United States through the Great Depression and the Second World War. He knew it wasn’t just what you can do, but what you and your team can accomplish.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-17-600x600.png

59. “You are either supporting the vision or supporting division.” – Saji Ijiyemi

Leadership pro and author Saji Ijiyemi knows that a leader is only as good as the team supporting them.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-18-600x600.png

60. “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” – Henry Ford

We’ve already mentioned Henry Ford on this list, and it turns out that he was full of knowledge about teamwork. This quote is a good reminder to keep your eyes on the prize.

/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Henry-Ford-teamwork-quote-2-600x600.png

61. “The ratio of We’s to I’s is the best indicator of the development of a team.” –Lewis B. Ergen

Fake news? Maybe. Lewis B. Ergen is another attributed quote whose author is elusive to the research department here at ProjectManager. But if this is a fake quote, the sentiment behind it isn’t.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-20-600x600.png

62. “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” – Kenyan Proverb

If Africa is the cradle of civilization, then there’s a lot we can learn as this Kenyan proverb proves.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-21-600x600.png

 

Appreciation Teamwork Quotes

Teamwork appreciation quotes are a meaningful way to recognize contributions and celebrate team success. Recognizing each role motivates employees and strengthens culture.

63. “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth

Baseball legend Babe Ruth is so famous they named a candy bar after him. But his real worth is that he was but one part of one of the winningest teams ever, the New York Yankees.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-23-600x600.png

64. “The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.” — Joseph Stilwell

Army general Joseph Stilwell led troops during the Second World War. For him, teamwork was the difference between life and death.
/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-26-600x600.png

65. “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” – Ryūnosuke Satoro

Japanese short story writer Ryūnosuke Satoro is best known as the author of “In a Grove.” It was famously adapted by director Akira Kurosawa as the movie Rashōmon, which retold a story from several different participants’ perspectives.

/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/quotes-19-600x600.png

66. “Alone we can do so little; together we can recognize so much.” – Adapted/Unknown

An appreciation teamwork quote that combines recognition and collaboration, reminding teams that every contribution matters.

67. “Appreciation can make a day—even change a life.” – Margaret Cousins

A highly effective appreciation teamwork quote, showing how recognition can boost morale and build a positive team culture.

68. “Everyone on the team matters. Every role counts.” – Unknown

An uplifting team building teamwork quote emphasizing inclusivity and shared responsibility across the team.

69. “Recognition is the greatest motivator.” – Gerard C. Eakedale

A strong best teamwork quote, reinforcing how appreciation and recognition fuel engagement and performance.

70. “A successful team beats with one heart.” – Unknown

This teamwork motivational quote highlights unity and alignment, perfect for reinforcing collective purpose.

If you’re looking for project management tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards and project calendars to kickstart your teamwork efforts, then try ProjectManager, online project management software. It has the tools your team needs to communicate and collaborate in real time. Get started for free. 

The post 70 Best Teamwork Quotes: Motivational, Inspirational & Funny appeared first on ProjectManager.

View the full article