Extra Points – Team

This past Thursday, I posted two 1979 photos of my junior high basketball team and of me for Throwback Thursday on Facebook. We were undefeated at 12-0 and I was doing a little “Glory Days” posting. I received well over 120 LIKES and comments over the next several days. Many memories, good-natured jabs, and fun stories. There was one comment however, that resonated with me.

One of my teammates on that team and again in high school was a guy named Mark. Mark is the best high school basketball player I’ve ever seen, and through the years I’ve watched a ton of high school basketball. Mark had a nice college career and although he never made the NBA, his skill and abilities in high school were unmatched. He was easily the best player on our team, and the guy who was able to carry us when we needed it. Within all the comments on Facebook, myself and several others made this case. Mark is still a friend and he quickly posted back… “Also Dan, it took all 14 of us to go undefeated.”

When the star of the team makes the statement that it’s about the team, that solidifies a culture. Athletic teams all know who the best players are. The pivot point is if the best players are the hardest workers, the most generous, and put the good of the team above their own best interests. Mark did that, and that’s one of the reasons we went undefeated.

In your company, are the “stars” divas or do they make the other people around them better? If you’re the star/rainmaker/rock star, do you improve the condition of your fellow employees, your company, and your clients? Would your colleagues agree with you?

Life is a team game. We all have different skills, strengths, and roles. The companies that are primed to go “undefeated” have stars that are willing to be part of the team, rather than stars that are about their own glory.

Is your “team” (business, family, community) ready to play?