In a world of so much “I” and “Me,” how do we help validate that the best approach is “We” and “Us”? Alone, what do we accomplish in life with value? We are not even brought into this world alone, so how can one expect to succeed on their own? Alone, do we actually attain anything of substance? In relation to sports, what actually separates the winning teams and great individual players from others? Sure, the obvious traits are talent, size, depth, chemistry, work ethic, and discipline. However, rarely mentioned is one of the most important ingredients to Championship teams and great players….buy-in! We have all witnessed the “upset” in sports and wondered “how did that happen?” It might have been the game-plan, a certain scheme, or even a home court advantage, but never underestimate the power of buy-in. Therefore, what is the ultimate action that happens with buy-in? Everyone concedes that they are a part of something bigger than themselves and value the desire to share success as a group without individual conditions. How is buy-in defined? It is described as the surrendering of yourself for the greater good of the team’s or organization’s success.
Every day we are required to interact and work with other people in the form of team structure whether it be working at an airport, restaurant, school, etc. A primary example would be even our family environment at home. A family structure should be about “Us”, “Our”, and “We”. If families, teams, organizations and “Us” can openly communicate, leave behind self-interests and egos, and come together as one, then success is almost certain. Many young people display great promise, but cannot escape the societal self-obsessed way of life. They have the potential to become outstanding athletes and help contribute to teams. However, people who have great promise or potential but lack a true depth of commitment and buy-in, rarely fulfill their potential. Buy-in is what makes potential a reality. People hear or see athletes and teams reach their full potential and greatness but rarely understand the athlete’s commitment to “We” and “Us”.
Often times you will see a new book or article about the “secrets of success” but let’s be candid; there are no secrets. Everyone knows what it takes to be great but the hardest part is actually doing it! Here are a few examples of greatness yielding “Me” for “We”.
• The No. 1 ranked golfer in the world, Jordan Spieth, in a traditionally recognized individual sport was quoted “After the 17th hole at the U.S. Open I had just made a double bogey to essentially go from winning the tournament to have a chance to lose. I did a good job of calming myself down, but Michael (his caddie) was behind me saying “It’s OK. It’s OK. We still have a lead. You’re going to hit two solid shots up there and have a putt for eagle.” And, you know, that kind of voice really helped me stay focused on the goal at hand, which is the next shot.” Jordan Spieth is the one making the shots and swinging the club, but he never ignores his caddie by commending his partnership publically.
• Super Bowl Champion Emmitt Smith in his 2010 Hall of Fame induction speech mentioned by name his High School coaches, NFL teammates and thanked them for helping him along his journey. Emmitt Smith is considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, and in the moment he had always dreamed of, he chose to recognize others and share credit for his success during his time on stage. For example, he said “Daryl Johnston, where are you? Will you please stand? You mean the world to me (tearing up) not just because we shared the same backfield, but because you sacrificed so much for me. People don’t understand what it took to be a fullback in our system, the sacrifices you made not simply with your body but your whole spirit. You took care of me as though you were taking care of your little brother. Without you, without you, I know today would not have been possible. I love you from the bottom of my heart.” In his own Hall of Fame induction, Emmitt Smith made it known he did not get there by himself and publically acknowledged countless people by name.
• In 2010, Ronald Nored was the starting point guard for the entire season as Butler University made a historic run to the National Championship game. In 2011, then Butler Coach Brad Stevens decided to take Ronald out of the starting line-up during the middle of the season. Ronald is quoted saying “You’re coming off the bench. Are you okay with that? he asked me. And I remember thinking, are you serious? Of course I am okay with that. I signed up to be the best teammate I could be. I did not sign up to be a star. I trusted Coach when he was starting me. How could I not trust him now?” Butler went on to reach the National Championship game again later that year in yet another momentous run. Ronald Nored’s “We” first attitude and leadership became contagious throughout the team.
Is there a coincidence with greatness and being a “team” first person? So many teams and organizations have shared the famous quote by Harry Truman, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”. The more amazing statistic would be to know when people truly surrender themselves to this action and genuinely live by this quote how much success of value is attained. Greatness, achievement, success, and championships all have a common theme, the ingredients of “We”, the sacrifice of “Me” and the ultimate choice to accept that nothing of value is done alone.
Lastly, I would like to thank Coach Raveling for the invitation to write a guest column. Coach Raveling is a mentor, friend, and coach to me. His moral compass is great for the game of basketball and I am incredibly humbled by yet another invitation to write a guest column. Coach Raveling is one of the most genuine, selfless, and caring people I have been fortunate to be around. Without question, he is a huge “We”, “Our”, and “Us” person. In Jon Gordon’s book, “One Word”, he illustrates the power of a single word. The single word IMPACT embodies the essence of Coach Raveling’s life. It is unquantifiable and unimaginable how many people George Raveling has impacted associated with the game of basketball.
Thank you Coach Raveling for all you do.
