Respecting Authority

Many of you know that I had a bad boss a while back which led me to write my book, Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders. Even though my boss was not very good, if he asked me to do something I did not agree with, I did it (as long as it was not unethical and did not violate Biblical principles). This was hard, but I did it because he was my boss and in authority over me.

This morning, I heard Peyton Manning, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts talking with a reporter about the retirement of Tony Dungy, his former coach and the new coach, Jim Caldwell. He said something that I thought was awesome.

About Coach Caldwell, Manning said, "I'm prepared for all the changes. I will be at meetings early and sitting in the front row and will be on my best behavior. I will do this to do right by him and do my best to win another championship."

Here is the guy who has won a Super Bowl, he is starting in this year's Pro Bowl and has been MVP of the league. Yet, he gets it. He is showing respect to his head coach and will do what is asked of him because he knows that is in the best interest of his team. Isn't this refreshing?

By the way, if you are working for a tough boss, I would encourage you to follow Peyton Manning's example and listen to what they say, even if you don't agree with it.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men...

1 Peter 2:13a

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.

Tony Dungy on Serving

Tony Dungy had this to say about FCA's second core value:

Serving

Ever since I’ve been in a leadership position, my focus has been the model of Christ as the servant-leader. There are different ways to lead, but I’ve always felt that it’s better if other people follow me because they want to follow, not because I’ve been put up there as the leader and they have to follow. To do that, you have to earn people’s trust and their respect; and the way to do that is to show them you are there to help them. As coaches, that is our job—not necessarily to win a championship, but to help all the players, everyone in the organization, do their jobs as well as they can.

Practical ways for a coach to serve: I really try to, number one, be a role model and serve my team spiritually. I want to teach them as much as I can about football and how to be better players; but I also want to help them be good people, do well in the community and do well after football. So, I try to present those things to them so that they can see that football isn’t the end of the road. Therefore, I am hopefully serving them as individuals, serving their families, and also serving them by giving everything I have to make them the best players they can be.

How Christ’s example of serving factors into coaching: To me, Christ’s model was the best. He had quite a few disciples, but there were 12 guys He really poured Himself into. He did so much to make those guys the best team they could be. At times, that involved teaching, it involved His being the example, it involved one-on-one talks.

For me, it’s the same thing. I want my players to know that I’m not the one trying to be up front and get all the rewards, but I’m really there to make them the best team they can be. That’s going to involve working as hard as I can, spending hours studying the other team to get our game plans ready, and doing everything I can so that they can play well. And more than that, it is being involved, being there for them, being a sounding board and trying to help their families.

The Power of our Experiences

As many of you know, I am a huge Ohio State football fan. One of the greatest quarterbacks in Ohio State history is also one of the greatest embarrassments to the state of Ohio. Art Schlichter has spent numerous years in jail for actions he took to feed his gambling addiction.

Art was also a member of the Indianapolis Colts who are appearing in the Super Bowl this Sunday. A great quote appeared in a story on CBS's site:

"But I didn't set out to embarrass the city or the Colts. It just worked out that way. I love Peyton Manning and what he stands for. He does things the way I used to do things in college. But I don't look back and wonder what could have been if I wasn't a gambler. It happened. That's the way it is. All I can hope to do now is stay on the path I'm on now. Each day gets a little better. I'm happy where I'm at right now."

You see, Art Schlichter seems at peace now because he is trying to use his failures, his mistakes and his experiences to help others. Something we all can do.