I love basketball, specifically college basketball. With March on the horizon we know two things are approaching: Spring and March Madness! Each year I go into a bit of a zone and tune out the surrounding world as I follow my bracket from round to round, never picking the correct upsets, but always engaged in watching the drama unfold with every tick of the shot clock. I love watching the teams band together to overcome adversity, under the leadership of the coaching staff and key players.
While in high school and college, I was fortunate to be part of several basketball programs and even a few championship teams. If we’ve met, you know I’m a little vertically challenged in the basketball sense, both in height and ”hops.” With my skill level and quickness lacking, I realized early on that if I was ever going to contribute to a team it would need to be "off the court." So, when the coach called me into the office to be cut after tryouts my freshman year of high school, I was ready with a counter offer—to be the team manager.
Over the next eight years of high school and college I worked with many different players, coaches, athletic trainers and other managers of varying levels of skill, commitment and passion. As a student manager, I was in a unique position to watch the coaching staff operate, assess talent and forge game plans for upcoming opponents. The coaches were always honest about their personnel and sometimes poked fun at a player’s particular skill set, but always kept the team’s goals and well-being at the forefront of their actions and decisions. They always wanted what was best for the team and to genuinely help the individuals that made up that team.
I was also friends with many of the players over the years and heard their perspective on their position on the team. Occasionally they blamed the coaches for their lack of playing time; after all, he was the person not putting a particular player in the game. The players who complained the loudest rarely took into account their effort in practice, their ability to make shots or simply the other talent on the team. It was easier to blame the coach than it was to take personal responsibility for their role on the team.
I saw a lot of great teammates, too. Some led the team in assists year after year, some led by example and held their teammates accountable, and a couple only averaged slightly more playing time than I did, which meant they hardly played at all. The championship teams had a great balance of individuals who understood their role and relished it. Maybe it was the fifth-year senior who worked his butt off on the scout team so his teammates would be better prepared or maybe it was the most athletic guy in the gym that was so angry the final play wasn’t going to him that he rose above the square for a final-second put-back dunk that sent his team to the NCAA Tournament.
The point is, the great teams had people who understood their place on the team and worked tirelessly to be the best at what the team needed them to do, while being ready to step up and seize an opportunity when it presented itself.
We are all part of many different teams. You may not look at it that way, but you are. Your family is a team, your church congregation is a team, your place of business is a team, and all of us who are involved with SBCA are a team. Anybody working together for a common goal is a team. It’s important to realize your role within the team and recognize opportunities to step up and perform when your team needs more from you.
It’s equally important to recognize teammates who are unhappy for various reasons and to help them through their issues. Eventually though, after significant effort and enough time, you’ll realize certain teammates are always going to be unhappy and will never stop complaining. At that point it’s best to ignore their noise and carry on putting the team first and playing within your role to help the team reach its full potential.
As we work our way through March, and business starts to pick up again, be sure to watch your various ”teams” and how they interact. Think of your employees and coworkers as teammates and help them to become better within their respective roles. Ask them to help you become better within your role, too.
Hopefully many of you will make the trip to Denver for the Open Quarterly Meeting on March 17-18, after all, your SBCA team needs your help and input!