After a full-day Toastmasters D7 conference, I cleaned the house so my wife does not have to wake up to a mess on Mother’s Day. 

Today, I had the great pleasure and privilege of seeing and hearing Mark Eaton, former NBA All-Star speak. At age 21, he was a 7’4″ auto mechanic who never wanted to touch another basketball. When he retired after 12 years with the NBA’s Utah Jazz, he had set the all time record for blocked shots.

He gave something to his audience today, and I feel it is valuable to pass along his message. In a very short summary, he said the things we can do to make our team a team are:

1. Narrow Our Focus – Do what we can do best to help the team succeed. Don’t try to do everything and trust your fellow teammates to do what they’re good at.
2. Do What You’re Asked To Do – Not to be confused with “Do What You’re Told To Do” (my interpretation). If we do what we do to the very best of our abilities, we help everyone.
3. Make People Look Good – John Stockton was one of the greatest basketball players in history, yet claims to never have played on a team where he was the best player. When we help raise others, the team wins.
4. Protect Others – Let people know you’ve got their back. Show them that they can depend on you.