I have noticed our circumstances affect our standards far more than our stated values and convictions. This doesn’t make us phony because we all believe that we have higher standards but we may not be aware of how much the pressure of our circumstances causes us to aim much lower than we would ever care to admit.
A false dichotomy can often hold a team back. Philosophies do not have to be as mutually exclusive as we like to make them out to be. Teams should avoid identifying themselves with a single methodology. This is often done when we allow ourselves to become fans of a way to do things. This fan mindset places
We always want to mean what we say and say what we mean…except when something comes up that we didn’t think of when we said something by way of a commitment. Exceptions are important to understand because we will all be faced with making exceptions whenever we make a commitment. The “why” behind an exception is important.
America has groomed a generation to believe that self-esteem and acceptance are higher values than hard work and effort. Trophies have lost their value because far too many have been given out for too many reasons. Achievement that used to be admired has been villified because of how it made little kids and their disappointed parents feel
Political correctness has definitely carved its place into our culture. Positively, it helps us recognize our diversity and make adjustments in our interactions that are sensitive to the experience of others. Just like everything, PC is something that has a time an place. Anything taken too far can be unhealthy. Sensitivity is vital to making people feel
The darkness of our past should inform the brightness of our future. That may sound profound but it just means that we should learn from the version of ourselves that helped us become who we are today without too much resentment or embarrassment. Major league baseball players probably don’t think too much about strike outs that happened
We should never forget who we were so we can remember how far we have come. Progress is a story that has an ever-growing first act. Our past grows as our present moves into yesterday. We should remember just enough of our past to provide the context of who we are in our second act (today) and
The excuses we like to hide behind allow us to avoid the responsibilities we should own. Bad calls by the referee. Bias in the media. My boss is a jerk. The truth is that it is always difficult to be a great teammate when we are so busy trying to find reasons outside of ourselves for why
Great teams don’t allow sentiment to creep in when their vision is challenged by the current reality. They understand that there is always a reason to abandon the commitment to changing that reality. That’s why that reality currently exists. It’s not that no one had the idea to change the future. Those game-changing ideas are rarely original.
When teams set out to be excellent, they make statements that are intended to communicate a commitment to protecting a certain value or practice to make sure that value or practice is something the team not only aspires to but actually becomes. Unfortunately, when that commitment meets inconvenience, mediocre teams find reasons to de-commit to what they