With Regard To Life

Who Is On Your Team

Even professional golfers have coaches. So do tennis players. They don't play on teams. They are one person against the rest of the field. But they are still on a team. They have coaches. Here are more of leadership guru John Maxwell's indisputable laws of teamwork that I started writing about a few days ago. The law of identity. Shared values define the team. When the members of your team are not on the same page, it can lead to chaos. You don't want that. In real estate, it is all about location, location and location. In business and in life, it is all about communication, communication and communication. Communication is another of the laws of teamwork, according to Maxwell. He says intersection fuels action. Can you imagine what it might look like if a football or basketball team, or any athletic team, never talked during a practice or a game? Me neither. Today's Winning Thought: You cannot communicate too much. Never assume anything.

Teams Win

Teams win. Individuals make up teams, but teams win. I have been sharing John Maxwell's 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork with you this week. Here are a few more. The Law of Countability. Teammates, Maxwell writes, must be able to count on each other when it counts. Can people count on you? The Law of the Price Tag is another of Maxwell's laws for teams. Teams will not reach their potential when they do not pay the price. Don't cut corners. Don't cheat yourself. Then there is the scoreboard. When you know the score, you know where you stand and what adjustments you need to make. The Law of the Bench means that depth is critical. Great teams have great depth. And everyone on that bench is important, or they would not be there. Today's Winning Thought: "If a team is to accomplish its goals, it has to know where it stands." -- John Maxwell

Teams Win Championships

The Super Bowl is over. We are in the second half of the basketball season. It is almost time for March Madness and The Final Four, which will produce college basketball's national champion. Today, four more of John Maxwell's 17 indisputable laws of teamwork. The Law of the Chain. A team is impacted by its weakest link, Maxwell writes. There is the law that Maxwell calls the Law of the Catalyst. Winning teams have players who make things happen. Another law is known as The Law of the Compass. Vision is vital. Vision gives team members direction and confidence. Every team has a catalyst. And every team tries to avoid having any bad apples. The Law of the Bad Apple will divide teams. Rotten attitudes ruin a team. Today's Winning Thought: "The team cannot continually cover up its weaknesses." -- John Maxwell

Championships Don't Just Happen

The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17 in this year's Super Bowl. You knew that already. What you might not have thought about was how the Giants won. (I wish is would have been 121-17, but that is another matter). Super Bowl championships are won by teams. A Most Valuable Player is selected at the end of each game, but teams win it. And a team won it again this year. John Maxwell wrote a book a few syears ago entitled The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. Embrace them, Maxwell says, and you will empower your team. Here are a few of Maxwell's 17 laws of teamwork. The Law of Significane. One is too small a number to achieve greatness. There was one head coach who had the final decision, and one quarterback who led the team. But there were countless others who helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. The Law of the Big Picture. The goal is more important than the role. Each player had a role. The team had the same goal. The Law of the Niche. All players have a place where they add the most value. The Law of Mount Everest. As the challenges escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. Today's Winning Thought: Building a winning team is not an easy thing to do. If it was, everyone would be doing it.

Legacy

I attended a high school basketball game this week. I happened to look up toward the ceiling in the gymnasium where I noticed several championship banners. Many of them were won by the school's cross country teams. I really do not know why I noticed them that night. I have seen them before. I might have paid attention to them because it made me think of the man who coached those teams. He died earlier this week. I immediately thought of the legacy the coach left. What will your legacy be? You are writing it today with your life. A legacy is something of great value that has been passed down from the past. I have been blessed to have some wonderful people who have invested in my life. I am trying to take advantage of the opportunities to leave a legacy to those who will come after me. We can leave a family legacy, a moral legacy or a spiritual legacy. We can also leave a destructive legacy if we are not careful. Today's Winning Thought: Jay Wilkinson is the son of former Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson. He is the author of Dear Jay, Love Dad: Bud Wilkinson's Letters to His Son. Bud Wilkinson's legacy is that of a great football coach. And for also being a devoted father who had a deep love for his son. The place we might start when we think of our legacy might be in our own homes.

Special People

Two thousand years ago, the Bible records the story of four able-bodied men and their disabled friend (Mark 2:1-12). They wanted their friend to see Jesus, who was the talk of the town in Capernaum. The men carried their friend on a mat to a home where Jesus was teaching. When the group of friends arrived, the crowd was so large that they were unable to get anywhere close to Jesus. Undaunted, they carried him to the roof where they cut a hole through layers of straw and hardened mud. They then lowered their friend to Jesus' feet. You probably know the rest of this story. Because of their bold faith, Jesus restored the disabled man to wholeness and health. No one who witnessed this was ever the same. The Capernaum Project is one of several ministries in Young Life. Capernaum focuses on teens and young adults with disabilities. They meet a couple of times a month. The club my daughter attends met this week. When our daughter was born, countless people told my wife and I that God only gives babies with Down syndrome to special people. They meant well, but there were a few times when I did not feel real special. No, the truly special people in this world are the large number of individuals who volunteer and serve the teenagers and young adults in Capernaum. And the thousands of young people and adults who volunteer and serve at Special Olympics events, or in some other way. Those are the special people. Today's Winning Thought: "When you are around people with special needs, you never stop learning. The relationship can change both lives." -- Maggie, a high school senior involved in Capernaum.

An Old Friend

I walked into a bank yesterday to visit a client. I noticed a man who looked familiar. I asked my client the man's name. He told me and it was who I thought it was. I had not seen my friend, Joe, for more than 20 years. I have thought about him many times. I will never forget him. He gave me some great advice when I was about to become a father. I asked him one day to share with me one great parenting rule. He did not hesitate one second when he told me, "Don't be afraid to let them fail." Good advice from an old friend. I have passed it on often. And I stand by it today if you are a new parent. Today's Winning Thought: One day our kids will be adults. What we do in their formative years matter - a lot. Remember, they are watching us when we succeed and when we fail.

Happy Birthday, Kyle

Happy birthday to my daughter and my sister, both of whom are celebrating birthdays Tuesday. I have started writing a book about my daughter. It is a story of how a child with Down syndrome changed a man and a family. It is a story of triumph, hope and faith. It is a story that I hope encourages the reader and touches their heart. And a story I am eager to share. Adversity is inevitable, but you can triumph over it. You can have hope and your faith can be renewed. Today's Winning Thought: There was a time when our family was down, but not out. You are never out until you quit.

Special Day

Days like today are rare. Our family spent a few hours today at Allen Fieldhouse on the campus of Kansas University, one of the most storied basketball arenas in America. We were there because the Kansas Jayhawks mens basketball team was hosting a clinic for Special Olympic athletes. It was the 28th year for event. Our daughter was thrilled to be part of it. The Jayhawks, every player and coach, were gracious hosts. They taught, they posed for photos, signed autographs - they gave back. These young men have been blessed with the health and physical skills to play in the one of the most prominent college basketball programs in the country. And today, less than 24 hours following a difficult road loss, they were there sharing with Special Olympics athletes. Both teams go back to practice tomorrow, the Jayhawks for their game this week against Oklahoma, and the Special Olympians, who are preparing for their upcoming games. But today, they shared some special moments together. Today's Winning Thought: Everyone on that basketball court won today.

Do Things Right

If you walked in to my home and turned on the television one of them will be on HGTV. I watch it just about every night while I write. One of the shows on the network is Holmes Inspection. Mike Holmes and his crew go into homes that have serious issues, or that are just poorly constructed throughout. They find the problems and correct them. You just cannot live with shoddy workmanship that does not meet codes. Many people's lives are like those homes. There are issues, some far more serious than others. They run the gamut. And if they are left unchecked, life will fall apart. In some cases, life can end. Some seek help to discover and resolve their issues. Others do not. Don't stay where you are. Seek the best life you can get. Today's Winning Thought: "Overcomers turn their greatest liabilities into their most powerful assets." -- Stephen Arterburn