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If you think that you are the entire picture, you will never see the big picture!

The goal is more important than the role

In a culture that sings the praises of individual gold medal winners and where people fight for their rights instead of focusing on taking responsibility, people tend to lose sight of the big picture. Everything seems to rotate around their needs, their goals, and their desires.

If a team is to reach its potential, each player must be willing to subordinate his personal goals to the good of the team – Bud Wilkinson.

Leaders at the highest level understand the Law of The Big Picture. They continually keep the vision of the big picture before themselves and their people.

“Everyone on a championship team doesn’t get publicity, but everyone can say he’s a champion” – Magic Johnson

What’s up with Big Picture Team?

So how do people start to become a more unified team? How do individuals make a shift from independent people to team player who exemplify the Law of the Big Picture? It does not happen over night. It takes time. Here are six ways to get started.

Look Up At The Big Picture – Everything starts with vision. You need to have a goal. Without one you cannot have a team. The great Hall of Fame catcher, Yogi Berra once stated, “If you do not know where you are going, you will end up somewhere else.” If you are a leader, then your role is to do what only you can do. Paint the big picture for your followers. Without the vision they will not find the desire to achieve the goal.

Size Up the Situation – One value of seeing the big picture is that it helps you recognize how far you really are from achieving it. Sometimes seeing the gulf between what is and where we need to go can be intimidating. But people who are determined to build strong teams, seeing the size of the task doesn’t worry them. These leaders do not shrink from the task, but embrace the challenge.

Line Up Needed Resources – It has been said that it is alright to aim high if you have plenty of ammunition. That is what resources are – ammunition to reach big goals. If you do not have the appropriate equipment, it does not matter what kind of team you are on. The better resourced a team is the fewer the distractions the team will encounter.

Call Up The Right Players – You can have the a distinct vision, a precise plan, plenty of resources, and incredible leadership. If you do not have the right players on your team, you are not going anywhere. You can lose good players, but you cannot win with bad players!

Give Up Personal Agendas – Winning teams have players that asked, What is the best for the rest? Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds stated, No one of us is more important than the rest of us.”

Step Up To A Higher Level – Only players come together and give up their own agendas can a team move up to a higher level. That is the sacrifice required for teamwork. Nietzsche once stated, “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.”

When you see the big picture correctly, you serve the team more quickly.

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!