The Seattle Seahawks clinched their fifth straight NFC West Division title on Sunday with a win over the Arizona Cardinals. It was a game they dominated from the start and they finally put to rest all the pre-season talk of another team like Arizona or San Francisco becoming the new “king of the hill” in the division.
What strikes me as special about this team over the past few years is the level of teamwork and unselfishness that they exude. Stories abound about players having to accept lesser or different roles to meet the needs of the team during the course of the season. Shaun Alexander, Bobby Engram and Patrick Kerney were three players named by coaches and teammates. A few years before that, the team had trouble climbing out of mediocrity even though they were loaded with “talent”. What they found was that they had to clean house of some of that “talent” that didn’t have the team attitude and rather the “What’s in it for me”.
Surrounding your “team” with positive and successful people is vital for your success, too. Regardless of whether your “team” is your family, workplace, or a team you coach, attitude is more important than “talent”. Take a look at your relationships. Can you honestly say that the people who surround and advise you are team players? Now, in a family, you may have to work harder at building better dynamics than in a workplace environment. At work, people can be let go, like what the Seahawks did. The bottom line is that for your “team” to function at full strength, the “we” has to be more important than the “me”. When you surround yourself with positive and encouraging people, you will find successes in all aspects of your life.
Finally, take time to challenge your team with this concept. As you know, it can be easy to preach but tough to get them to really believe. Teams like the Seahawks and New England Patriots win because of it. Make it a sports and life lesson for your athletes.
What strikes me as special about this team over the past few years is the level of teamwork and unselfishness that they exude. Stories abound about players having to accept lesser or different roles to meet the needs of the team during the course of the season. Shaun Alexander, Bobby Engram and Patrick Kerney were three players named by coaches and teammates. A few years before that, the team had trouble climbing out of mediocrity even though they were loaded with “talent”. What they found was that they had to clean house of some of that “talent” that didn’t have the team attitude and rather the “What’s in it for me”.
Surrounding your “team” with positive and successful people is vital for your success, too. Regardless of whether your “team” is your family, workplace, or a team you coach, attitude is more important than “talent”. Take a look at your relationships. Can you honestly say that the people who surround and advise you are team players? Now, in a family, you may have to work harder at building better dynamics than in a workplace environment. At work, people can be let go, like what the Seahawks did. The bottom line is that for your “team” to function at full strength, the “we” has to be more important than the “me”. When you surround yourself with positive and encouraging people, you will find successes in all aspects of your life.
Finally, take time to challenge your team with this concept. As you know, it can be easy to preach but tough to get them to really believe. Teams like the Seahawks and New England Patriots win because of it. Make it a sports and life lesson for your athletes.
Dan
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