17 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF BEING A TEAM PLAYERI believe will all my conviction that all coaches should read as much as they possibly can when written by John Maxwell. He has been a staple in our LSU program over the past six years. The 17 Essential Qualities of Being a Team Player is a book that we assigned to our team to read during during the 2003-04 season. And we did more than that -- we also created work sheets and discussion meetings for them to make sure that we soaked in the messages from the book.
Right out of the blocks the book talked about “Adaptability” and how team players are flexible. As Diana Nyad said, “I am willing to put myself through anything; temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level.” This proved to be the perfect section for our team to read to start the season.
Some other brief comments from each quality:
#2 Collaborative…”Working together precedes winning together.”
#3 Committed…”Commitment comes as the result of choice, not conditions.”
#4 Communicative…”It’s also about communication. Talking to each other. We forced the kids to spend time with each other to find out things about each other.” This quote came from Coach Herman Boone. You will recognize the name if you watched the movie Remember The Titans. Coach Boone is the legendary coach that brought the segregated football team together at Williams High School in Virginia.
#5 Competent…”People forget how fast you did a job — but they remember how well you did it.” — Howard W. Newton.
Some other brief comments from each quality:
#2 Collaborative…”Working together precedes winning together.”
#3 Committed…”Commitment comes as the result of choice, not conditions.”
#4 Communicative…”It’s also about communication. Talking to each other. We forced the kids to spend time with each other to find out things about each other.” This quote came from Coach Herman Boone. You will recognize the name if you watched the movie Remember The Titans. Coach Boone is the legendary coach that brought the segregated football team together at Williams High School in Virginia.
#5 Competent…”People forget how fast you did a job — but they remember how well you did it.” — Howard W. Newton.
#6 Dependable…”Dependable team members possess the desire to do the things they are capable of doing.”
#7 Disciplined…”Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.” — Roy L. Smith
#8. Enlarging…”Players who enlarge others do more than value their fellow team members; they understand what their teammates value. They listen to discover what their teammates talk about and watch to see what they spend their money on. That kind of knowledge, along with a desire to relate to their fellow players, creates a strong connection between teammates. And it makes possible an enlarger’s next characteristic.”
#9. Enthusiastic…”People can succeed at almost anything for which they have enthusiasm.” — Charles Schwab.
#10. Intentional…”You’ve got to think about ‘big things’ while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” — Alvin Toffler.
#11. Mission Conscious…”He who has a ‘why’ to live for can bear almost any how.’” — Friedrich Nietzsche.
#12. Prepared…”Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation.” — Roger Staubach.
#13. Relational…”When it comes to relationships, everything begins with respect, with the desire to place value on other people.”
#14. Self-Improving…”Perfection is what you’re striving for but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist.”
#15. Selfless…”You have not lived today successfully, unless you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.” — John Bunyan
#16. Solution Oriented…”No matter what anyone may tell you, your problems are not your problem. If you believe that something is a problem, then it is. However, if you believe that something is merely a temporary setback, an interim obstacle, or a solution in the making, then you don’t have a problem.”
#17. Tenacious…”To see far is one thing; going there is another.” — Constantin Brancusi.
#7 Disciplined…”Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.” — Roy L. Smith
#8. Enlarging…”Players who enlarge others do more than value their fellow team members; they understand what their teammates value. They listen to discover what their teammates talk about and watch to see what they spend their money on. That kind of knowledge, along with a desire to relate to their fellow players, creates a strong connection between teammates. And it makes possible an enlarger’s next characteristic.”
#9. Enthusiastic…”People can succeed at almost anything for which they have enthusiasm.” — Charles Schwab.
#10. Intentional…”You’ve got to think about ‘big things’ while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” — Alvin Toffler.
#11. Mission Conscious…”He who has a ‘why’ to live for can bear almost any how.’” — Friedrich Nietzsche.
#12. Prepared…”Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation.” — Roger Staubach.
#13. Relational…”When it comes to relationships, everything begins with respect, with the desire to place value on other people.”
#14. Self-Improving…”Perfection is what you’re striving for but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist.”
#15. Selfless…”You have not lived today successfully, unless you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.” — John Bunyan
#16. Solution Oriented…”No matter what anyone may tell you, your problems are not your problem. If you believe that something is a problem, then it is. However, if you believe that something is merely a temporary setback, an interim obstacle, or a solution in the making, then you don’t have a problem.”
#17. Tenacious…”To see far is one thing; going there is another.” — Constantin Brancusi.
