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THE DEEPEST SECRET THAT EVERY LEADER KNOWS

T.E.A.M.= Together Everyone Achieves More

On Thanksgiving, just about everyone in the small town went to the traditional high school football game.

At half-time of the big game, the football team from 1982 was honored. They were the only team in the school's history to win a state championship.

That Saturday night, the class of '82 had their 25th reunion. It was there that former teammates Jack and Leo finally got a chance to talk about the good old days.

They hadn't seen each other since graduation. Jack, the All-State quarterback, had gone on to become one of the most successful and powerful CEOs in the country.

After Leo graduated from college, he returned home and became the minister of a local church.

“Leo, I want to thank you for making me the success I am today,” the businessman said.

“Jack, stop pulling my leg!” the minister said with a laugh. “From what I've read, you run a huge corporation. I didn't have anything to do with that and we haven't seen each other in years.”

“You never knew this Leo, but when we were in high school, I was incredibly jealous of you.”

“Me? Jack, you were the golden boy. All the big-time colleges were recruiting you. All the girls wanted to go out with you. And your name was in the paper every day.”

“That may have been true, Leo, but here's what you didn't know. Even with all my honors and awards, you had the one thing I always wanted the most. The guys on the team elected you captain. I may have been the star of the team, but you were the captain of the team.”

“I never knew that you cared about that,” Leo said.

“I certainly did! It bothered me so much that just before graduation, I asked Coach why the guys on the team voted for you -- and not me. Coach told me something I've never forgotten. He said, ‘Jack, you're the best player I've ever coached. Leo doesn't have the kind of the talent you have. But here's the difference. Jack, you were the best player on the team, but Leo was the best player for the team. You wanted to be the best player in the state while Leo wanted to make us the best team in the state.'”

“You know, Leo, it was tough hearing that from Coach,” the CEO admitted. “He was being so blunt and I knew he was telling me the truth. I was selfish and you were always selfless and everyone knew it. Everyone could see it everyday at practice. That's why everyone voted for you. It's a lesson I had to learn and it's a lesson I've never forgotten. You see, Coach was right. The difference between us is that for me, it was all about ‘ME,' and for you, it was all about ‘WE.'

“After we graduated, I worked hard to become more like you. As a matter of fact, thanks to you, I was voted captain of my college team my junior and senior years. And what Coach told me also helped me to quickly climb the corporate ladder.

“The ‘old me' would have wanted my company to be the best company in the world,” Jack said. “Now I strive to make my company the best company for the world. Leo, that's why I need to thank you.”

“I want to thank you too, Jack” the minister said warmly.

“For what?”

“You just wrote tomorrow's sermon for me!”

It's more important to be the best person for the team than to be the best person on the team.

- Dr. Rob Gilbert with Joe DePalma

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