There is no ‘I’ in team … but there is an ‘I’ in win!

Michael Jordan, one of my three favorite basketball players of all time, and in his mid-50’s is still the benchmark for all professional basketball players, had said the quote above. 

When I first heard it, I really did not understand what he meant by it … did he really mean to say that it is the single high performing competitive individual that wins games? Even he knew that he could not win games by himself; in fact, he has on many occasions recognized his team-mates and coaches through out the years, for winning games and championships. 

I have been thinking about this quote for the past few weeks, but I have been thinking about the ‘There is no I in team’ part … Why?

I have been fortunate to have been involved in many initiatives where we were getting more and more to a place where the success of the initiative was out of my hands and into of the hands of the team.

In some aspects, it is frustrating not to be able to accomplish and do the things they each did; but it is also exciting to learn from each of them and see them achieve the things they did.

These moments remind me on the priority of the team over the ‘I’ and the role each team member has to play in making the vision succeed. 

I will do what I can, but it will not be as impactful as what each of the team members do.

During Michael Jordan’s induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame, he told the story of this quote. It came from an interaction he and one of his assistant coaches, Tex Winter, were having after a game where the team was losing in the final few minutes but came back to win, predominately because of Michael Jordan. 

I can remember a game, we were down [by] about 5 to 10 points, I go off [scoring] about 25 points, we come back and win the game, we’re walking off the floor. Tex (Winter) looks at me and says “There’s no “I” in team!” I looked at Tex and say, “There’s not, but there’s an ‘I’ in win!” 

Michael Jordan was one of the most competitive athletes ever and he went on to say that what he meant by this quote was that he will do what it takes to win, whether that is to play as a team or play as an individual if that is what is needed. 

We will all have our ‘I’ moments but I know that my ‘I’ moments have been because of the people I have worked with.

#thoughtfortheweek