The Power of One
- Frank Manfre
- Feb 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Everyone on a team has an important role to play
In a workshop I conducted on Building a High Performance Team a new member of the team with little work experience shared that she didn’t feel she had much to offer during the workshop or to the success of the team. While I understood where she was coming from, I stated that every team member plays a valuable role and that no one should ever short-change their importance to the team or view their role as insignificant.
I used the analogy of a football team, and being an Atlanta native I used the Atlanta Falcons. At the time Falcon’s quarterback Matt Ryan made the most money, got the most attention, and was their most valuable player. Every offensive play began with him. By contrast he left tackle on offense didn’t have a household name, didn’t make anywhere close to what Matt Ryan was paid, and was never featured in any ESPN “play of the game highlight”.
Yet he protected Ryan’s blind side and if he missed his blocking assignment even once during a game Ryan could be hit while releasing the ball and throw an interception that is returned for touchdown costing his team the game. Even worse, “The Multimillion Dollar Man” Ryan could get injured and knocked out for the rest of the season. Without Matt Ryan the Falcons would have had no chance of making the playoffs.
In that scenario, the unknown, underpaid left tackle plays an enormous role, not only in the outcome of that game, but in how the season plays out. The lesson is that everyone on a team has an important role to play and their efforts count. They must be reminded that their contribution matters and is appreciated. Effective leaders regularly show them they value their work and that they and the entire team counts on them and trusts them to be a valuable teammate. As Shakespeare said, “There are no small roles, only small actors.”
Frank Manfre
Job Search Sherpa
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