When I coached high school basketball, I only had one rule for my players (although they thought I found many ways to adjudicate it). The rule was simple, yet all-encompassing – Don’t let your teammates down.
Don’t let your teammates down.
For my players, that rule had more to do with issues off the court than on. On the court, it never meant physical or even mental lapses or gaffes. Those happen. It meant losing your temper and getting a technical foul, or being selfish with the ball to the detriment of the team. Off the court, it had everything to do with behavior and responsibility – academic eligibility, eating well, hanging around with the right crowd, no drugs or alcohol, safe driving, and (since I coached girls) not getting pregnant.
The same rule can easily apply to your business. Many companies and organizations have elaborate mission statements with rules of decorum to be followed. They believe that covering every base when it comes to transgressions on the job is necessary. Their “rule book” ends up looking more like an insurance policy exclusion section!
How about the two big recent violations in the news:
- Brian Williams at NBC News let his teammates down
- The coaches and leaders of the Jackie Robinson West Little League World Series USA champs out of Chicago let their teammates down
Here’s the deal…
You have many teammates – family, business, boards of directors, volunteer work, and friends. If you choose to adopt this rule for yourself, you will be able to stay clear of embarrassing and damaging situations. If you are able to implement it in your business, you will be able to build a team that is dynamic and “play for each other.” The results of both mean you and your business are on the path to being unleashed.
© 2015 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
