Dont' Be A Ball Hog

One of my soccer coaches used to say:

"I don't care if you score the goal, I care if you get the assist...

...your job is to make your teammates look good."

Being a key player on a team means setting those around you up for success. A generous player brings out the best in others in such a way that their own weaknesses get minimized (which is greatly needed if we are going to contribute anything worth-while in this world).

Conversely, it is the "Ball Hog" who, convinced that they are the ones who will "save the day", end up doing everything, running all over the field with little direction and clarity, and in the process greatly minimizing the role of their teammates.

One creates an environment where others see the value of their play and look forward to contributing; giving way to new insight and possibility. The other creates a fractured state of frustration in which the team is nothing more than a group of uninspired individuals who have no stake or care in the direction the team is headed.

What kind of player are you? Are you going to keep insisting on doing it all yourself at the expense of your team and your common goal? Or, will you work in a way that inspires others to contribute their best because you were quick to pass the ball.