Lorenzo Romar talks about the concept of teams.

So Wednesday I had the pleasure of listening to a talk given by Lorenzo Romar the UW basketball coach. The topic was about being a team. Lorenzo explained that when he took over the team there was clearly a problem with the players in that they had no concept of team. They were all very talented and very good basketball players but they were in it for themselves and not in it for each other. His task at hand was to make them understand that if they did not work together and support each other and show up as one that they would never become a winning team.

He talked about the one player being a cancer. Meaning that at times there would be a player that would want to draw attention to  himself rather than be with the team. Lorenzo would have to make tough decisions about maybe not playing that player that game or sitting them out in the last 5 min. Even though he knew they needed him in the game to win. It was the principal that each player needed to understand that they were there for each other not for themselves. He had simple rules, like we will all wear the same color shoes, same color socks, we will all look presentable when we show up for a game. We will all be on time and we will all be respectful of each other.

He explained that even thought he is a basketball coach he is also grooming these young men for life. Not all college players go on to play in the NBA in fact the percentage is very small. These guys go on to getting jobs and being role models, and so by teaching them what it means to be a team player gives them skills and tools to become successful in what ever it is they choose to do in life.

If you think about your life weather it  be business or family this is a concept that I feel is important. Lorenzo said that we have become a society that is less accountable for what we do and tend to want to find someone else to hold responsible for our failures rather then look in a mirror and see inside what it is that is holding us back. Think about yourself and how you interact with others, are you one to give or one to take? When something goes wrong are you one to blame or one to take responsibility?  When something great happens are you one to take all the glory or are you humble and gracious for the attention?

I would challenge you as you live your life to think like a team player and you will be surprised the success that comes from that attitude.