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The "I" in Team
by Mike Van Hoozer
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Throughout my life, I have played on many sports teams and heard more than one coach utter the phrase: "There is no I in Team." A couple of years ago, a commercial made a mockery of this statement highlighting a very selfish athlete who responded to this statement by emphasizing: "Yeah, but there is an 'M' and an 'E'." For many years, I believed that there was no "I" in team. I believed that no one player should rise above the goals of the team and that selfishness had no place in the locker room or field of play.
I still wholeheartedly believe this philosophy; however, over the last few years, I have challenged my thinking on the statement. I have come to realize that there actually is an "I" in team. The "I" is not selfishness, rather it is individual preparation and dependability. In any team sport, each individual has to prepare themselves to perform at their very best in order for the team to succeed. This concept applies not only to sports but also to all areas of life including the success of a business, a church, a family, a friendship or any type of relationship. People must come to play which leads me to the other point about dependability. Common definitions of this word include reliability, following through, and doing what you say you are going to do. My working definition of dependability extends this definition to include consistently showing up with your best effort. Anyone can just show up, but it takes true greatness to show up giving your best on a consistent basis.
As we evaluate the paradox of the "I" in team, we must ask ourselves if we are truly applying this concept in everything we do. Are you putting this "I" in the concept of your team? Are you preparing to perform at your very best for your teammates? Can they count on you to be dependable? As you ponder these questions, I think you will come to agree with me that there really is an "I" in team, and it begins with M-E.
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