Teams Win
Posted on October 4, 2016 by Danny Windsor
While describing the 1989 Detroit Pistons, Isiah Thomas had this to say about that team. “Lots of times, on our team, you can’t tell who the best player in the game was. ‘Cause everybody did something good. That’s what makes us so good. The other team has to worry about stopping eight or nine people instead of two or three. It’s the only way to win(Simmons, p. 38 & 39).”
I believe Isiah in the above quote summarizes in a nutshell, the essence of a great team, whether that team is in sports or a successful business. A company where everyone is working together creates a powerful organization that can compete with anyone in the market. Great teams; however, require great teammates and that requires a company leader to build a team consisting of certain types of individuals. The type of person that leads to great teamwork has the following characteristics.
- They are Focused on the Success of the Organization– They realize they will only be successful if the company is successful. Great teammates keep the big picture in mind.
- They Make Everyone around them Better– Great teammates strive to set an example of excellence for others. They also are constantly looking to assist others in performing their roles for the company.
- They are Always Promoting Unity– People who make great teams are unselfish, never spreading or listening to rumors, but are interested only in what is right, assuming the best in others, and what can move the business forward to the achievement of its goals.
Former NBA great Bill Bradley said concerning Basketball, “It is a sport where success, as symbolized by the championship, requires that the dictates of the community prevail over selfish personal impulses. An exceptional player is simply one point on a five-pointed star. Statistics-such as points, rebounds, or assists per game-can never explain the remarkable interaction that takes place on a successful pro team ( Simmons, p.49).”
The same is true for a successful business.
*Simmons, Bill, (2009), The Book of Basketball
