Part of the Team

I recently received an email from a parent of one of the boys I coach on my rep soccer team. He was apologizing because his son showed up late to the final game and was missing part of his uniform. He said that his son felt awful about it and even felt that he didn’t deserve to celebrate with the rest of the team (we won!) because he missed most of the game.

I felt badly that this boy had taken his minor blunder so seriously and explained that he was very much part of the team—regardless of what happened in the final game. It got me thinking about a player who wasn’t able to make it to the tournament at all. Should he still celebrate the championship win?

What about a boy who had been injured since the beginning of the season and hadn’t played for months? What about the parents and family members who just cheer from the sidelines? When the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA Championship, who was all part of that winning team? The players on the bench who never played a second on the floor? The players who were traded during the season but had played many meaningful games for the Raptors earlier in the season?

There are many good arguments to be made that anyone who helped create that winning combination—whether it be through practices; training; friendships; or mental, physical, or financial support—is part of the team. 

The same can be said in a workforce. With an airline, it’s the pilots who actually fly the plane and get you safely to where you need to be, but without literally hundreds of other workers, that flight would never happen successfully. Without booking specialists and baggage handlers, you couldn’t get a ticket or your bags checked. Without airport screeners (we proudly represent them at the Calgary airport) and security guards, your safety may be compromised. Without the custodial staff and flight crew, your flight experience wouldn’t be nearly as pleasant. Without technicians, air traffic controllers, and maintenance crews, your plane would never leave the ground. The list goes on and on.

And being a part of a team—especially when there’s something to celebrate or tough times to work through—is a great experience that helps make work and life feel more meaningful and connected. Recognize how you’re part of a team and celebrate it!

Go team!