Why Do Teams Succeed

[Koko Ed]

I don't see any choices for preparation or dedication. Those take a team a whole lot further than any of those things listed.
I see alot of teams at alot of competitions both good and bad and what stands out to me is the great teams have a plan and are willing, ready and able to execute it. The bad teams are disorganized and disinterested.

[Darkseer54]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

I don't see any choices for preparation or dedication. Those take a team a whole lot further than any of those things listed.
I see alot of teams at alot of competitions both good and bad and what stands out to me is the great teams have a plan and are willing, ready and able to execute it. The bad teams are disorganized and disinterested.

I'd say that Preparation and Dedication earn teams every one of the things listed. Having a few students who are dedicated will inspire mentors to dedicate their time and effort to assist them achieve their goals, and these mentors will in turn inspire more students to be dedicated. Having students and mentors who are willing to learn and work to succeed is what allows them to succeed.

EDIT: Gonna add a bit more to this as I have more time now. One thing I have noticed over the past few years is that the teams that succeed on a large level do is take the competition aspect extremely seriously. As 254 stated (don't remember where), they (and all these successful teams) strive to be in the top 1% of all FRC teams. These teams work to win, and are driven to do so. This drive is what makes them design, evaluate, and redesign aspects of their robot. As Andrew Lawrence said "The minute you get a functioning mechanism start working on a better one." Teams who have succeeded in the past (especially this year), lived by this motto, and use it to make themselves better. The second that a "powerhouse team" gets one step ahead of the competition, they immediately focus on taking the next 2 steps, because they know that the teams behind them won't be behind them for long.