I have two possible collections that I might want a particular sub to operate
on.  Both are Dim'd at the top of the module:
Dim my_AEs, my_AMs As Collection

...

the sub in question is:

Sub identify_team(ByVal team_name As String, ByRef col As Collection)

   Dim last_row As Integer
   Dim team_range As Range
   Dim myRow As Range

   Set col = New Collection

   last_row = Sheets("Sales Team Lookup").Range("A1").End(xlDown).Row
   Sheets("Sales Team Lookup").Activate  '**can't avoid this line
   Set team_range = Sheets("Sales Team Lookup").Range(("A1:E1"),
Range("A:E").Rows(last_row))

   For Each myRow In team_range.Rows
       If myRow.Cells(1, 2).Value = team_name And myRow.Cells(1, 4) = "AE"
Then
           col.Add Item:=myRow.Cells(1, 1).Value, Key:=myRow.Cells(1,
1).Value
       End If
   Next myRow
End Sub

I call this by:

identify_team my_team_name, my_AEs

but this gives me a type mismatch error and highlights my_AEs.

The watch window says at this point that the Type of my_AEs is
Variant/Object/Collection.

I'd appreciate any advice or insights on this.

(I'd also really like to know why I need the line Sheets("Sales Team
Lookup").Activate in identify_team.  If I leave this out it stops on the next
line.  I can then click on the Sales Team Lookup sheet and click on continue
and it runs the rest of it fine.  I don't understand why this is)

Many thanks in advance.

Tara H