Staying In The Game

I played basketball with old friends recently. It was a group of men with whom I had played basketball with for almost eleven years. It had been a year since I was on the court with them. We still knew each others moves, each others strengths and weaknesses. It was good to be on the court with them again. It was good to be in the game even though my 50-year-old knees were aching.

Staying in the game is a challenge as we age; muscles are weaker, reflexes and reactions are slower. We can still compete, but the days of one man shows are over. The days of taking over a game are behind me. When I play basketball today I realize how dependent I am on others to have a “good game.” At nearly 50 I understand and value my teammates more than I ever did when I was 25.

Leaders recognize the same thing as they age. Once they blazed like a brilliant flare, lighting the way with their drive and enthusiasm. No job was too big. No task was too difficult. No challenge could hold them back.

But as they age good leaders change. They understand the value of the team. They recognize that real success will be measured in how well the team functions. So they become more team-focused and less self-absorbed, self-motivated. They recognize that staying in the game becomes dependent on the team around them. Go team!