Tony Dungy on Teamwork

Tony Dungy continues with his view of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes third value:

Teamwork

Jesus always pointed out that everybody was important, but nobody was so important they couldn’t get by without them. And that’s what you are trying to sell to your team: that everybody has a role. No matter how small they think it is, even if they are not necessarily the star, they are important. But by the same token, nobody is so great that we can’t survive without them. And that’s what good teams have. It’s not a matter of having the most talented guys, but of having the most cohesion, the most ability to work together. Christ and His team had the common goal of spreading the gospel. And if we, as a team, also have a common goal and work together, we can do great things. But if we are fragmented and have different agendas and ideas, if we are not working together, no matter how much talent we have, we are not going to be successful.

How the spotlight affects teamwork:
Sometimes you get a situation in which some players say, “Well, I’m not a starter or a key component, so my job is not important.” You have to make them understand that you do need them. Even if their job is small, they need to do it exceptionally well in order for the team to succeed. The other side of the coin is that person who always feels that everything depends on them because they are in a star position. You need to let them know that there’s not as much pressure as they might feel. It’s telling them, “You’ve just got to do your job. Yes, it’s a big job, but we have other guys who also have to contribute. You aren’t the only one out there.” Ultimately, it’s balancing that spectrum and not letting one group feel too much pressure while another group feels like they are not needed. As a team, we are a unit, and everybody works together. And if we work together as teammates, we can do much more than 53 individuals working separately.