It was only when Kobe Bryant, the All Star shooting guard for the LA Lakers, discovered that his team won more games when he became a more effective passer and rebounder to complement his great scoring ability did he change his approach to the game to recognize the importance of team. (In fairness to Kobe, it did take a couple of years to provide him with enough competence on the team to make passing a worthwhile investment.) It required teamwork to put the Lakers in a position to win championships.
The great sport dynasties of the Packers and the Celtics, the Steelers and the Pistons, the Bulls and the Yankees, all had star players. But, these teams won championships not because of their stars but because of the effectiveness of the overall team.
Likewise there are examples of star businessmen who flourished as part of the team but when released to steer their own ships quickly ran aground. Even those enduring stars such as Welch from GE, Goizueta from Coca-Cola, Bossidy of Allied Signal, were successful because they were part of a cohesive well functioning team that excelled in execution.
Want to win a championship? Make sure the stars are less important than, and enjoy being a contributor to the Team. |
