“Before the deed comes the thought.
Before the achievement comes the dream.
Every mountain we climb, we first climb in our mind.”
--Royal Robbins, climber and entrepreneur
Team players can never afford to be selfish. The team matters most. Is that what you’ve been taught? Is that the way you or I operate when it comes to the team? I have been around teams since I was a boy playing little league. I don’t think I was ever the star of a team—just one of the team. I never had people watching the team because I was on it—but I do know that I had a position to play and without me playing my best—I might cost the team or the coach would sit me in order for someone else—someone ready, someone focused. Was that o.k.? Yes—why? I understood that the team mattered more than me.
I was watching a hockey game the other night—and the goalie that had won the Stanley Cup for this team was sitting on the bench. Another goalie was playing in his spot— a younger goalie, a goalie that had been playing better through the last part of the season was playing instead of the star. The goalie that was proven, been there was on the bench. Was that o.k. for him?
A selfish player would have sulked, squirmed, been uncomfortable on the bench—maybe even made a scene (I have seen this on the sidelines in another sport). He could have cried out for his job back. But not this proven veteran of the blue crease. No he knew his place. He would choose not to be selfish—in order to benefit the team.
This principle is the second principle in the book High Altitude Leadership by Chris Warner and Don Schmincke The title of chapter 2 Danger #2 Selfishness When leading people it is true—self cannot get in the way—protecting oneself from criticism, or what others may say, or not wanting to deal with people that disagree is centered around selfishness. “I want it my way, I will do it my way--- does not work with teams. I once worked for a Sr. Pastor that told me “my job was to make him look good.” Did I try? Yes—in the long run as the student ministry grew and people noticed the student ministry growing he took great pride in me—but for the wrong reasons—it wasn’t about the ministry reaching students. It was about him looking good. That is a selfish leader. I know I have much to learn, but that lesson is deep in my gut. Leading for me is not about me as much as it is about the doing as unto the Lord, the team, the people, the big picture. This is learned on the street, in the trenches—20 years of team leading—with plenty of times I have led out of selfishness—but learning and relearning—selfishness does not fit leadership.
--Paul said it like this—‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil. 2.3
--Jesus said it like this- a—“I’m the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10.11
This is the heart of a leader—a leader that is about the people he leads and not at all about himself. I believe that is a problem in ministry today—my hope is that my leadership will continue to not be about me—but about Jesus and the people that follow Him and will someday follower of Him.
“Before the deed comes the thought.
Before the achievement comes the dream.
Every mountain we climb, we first climb in our mind.”
--Royal Robbins, climber and entrepreneur
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