Audio Version
In the world of sports, dynasties are made when a team wins consecutive championships. So, what does it take for a group of individuals to come together and work cohesively to accomplish a goal, not just one time, but time and time again? Unfortunately, every team will not be the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, Spurs, Patriots, 49ers, Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, and the list goes on. Although these teams were the most successful during those years they won multiple championships, does that mean that all the other teams failed? Some may have failed, but other teams may have improved from the previous season and others from events that happened during the season.
As leaders of teams in organizations, departments, communities, and families, we can learn a lot from watching great teams—the dynasties. One lesson we can learn from great teams is their commitment to being unified as "we." I believe that one of the most powerful tools great teams have is their “mentality of we." I have observed that teams with the “mentality of we” display actions that communicate that no one is bigger or smaller than the team, and it is one of the characteristics of great leaders. It has been reported that Jalen Brunson, a franchise player on the New York Knicks, took a pay cut so the organization could potentially sign other quality players and build a better team. Brunson's decision was honored by the organization, and they built a team that would win the 2026 NBA championship. Having the ability to follow through and make decisions for the good of the group is a key aspect of a successful team. This happens when we understand that the team cannot accomplish greatness if the mentality is "me" instead of "we. My boss, Dr. Chris Jackson, puts it this way, "I will never be successful, but WE might just be able to build something beautiful together." The New York Knicks accomplished something beautiful together in the 2025-2026 NBA season partly because of the decision Jalen Brunson made before the season started. The leader sets the tone for others to follow. When the leader(s) decide to lead with the mentality of "we," then "WE might just be able to build something beautiful together."
One of my colleagues sent me an excerpt of President Barack Obama's speech that he gave in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 2015. A portion of the excerpt talked about the power of "we." Obama said, "America is not the project of any one person. The single-most powerful word in our democracy is the word "We." "We The People." "We Shall Overcome." "Yes We Can." That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone." Hopefully, we as leaders will have the approach, mindset, and attitude that "we" represents. The “mindset of we” is not the only step needed to succeed, but it is one of the most powerful decisions a leader can make. We leaders should help those we lead understand that our teams cannot accomplish anything with the "me" mentality, but as Dr. Jackson said, "we might just be able to build something beautiful together" if we do not allow the mindset of "me" to supersede the mindset of "we."
Application:
- Talk It: Use words and phrases that send a clear message that the decisions and actions are about the team and not about the leader. If you lead a department, team, family, etc., and the leadership team (managers, coaches, parents) has made a decision, the message should be communicated as a unified message. For example, you can say, “We have decided that we are going to do x, y, and z” instead of “Kim said that we have to do x, y, and z.” When team members commit to speaking the same language and build systems to unify the message, it can make it difficult for members of the organization or group to disrupt the message by playing favorites. So, take intentional steps to calibrate, use technology tools, and talk to each other to gain clarity so the team’s message is communicated consistently and with clarity.
- Live It: Model the behaviors of the “mentality of we" through our communication and our actions. Do our decisions and actions communicate that there is nothing or anyone greater or smaller than the team, or do they communicate that there are exceptions to the rule based on how we feel? People are watching us, and if we want our teams to be great, it starts with us leaders.
- Expect It: When we communicate a unified message and model the behaviors of nothing or anyone being more or less important than the team, then we can expect it from the entire group. It is all of our responsibility to uphold the mentality of "we." It is not just the leaders who must uphold the “mentality of we” or members within the department upholding the “mentality of we” and not the leaders; it is everyone's responsibility. We can only expect our people to talk it and live it, and we have the right to hold them accountable only if we are living it and are willing to be held accountable as well.
Conclusion:
"We" will always be more powerful than "me". Together we can accomplish much, so let's choose to lead with the “mindset of we" instead of the “mindset of me." We must talk and live out the behaviors of the “mindset of we" before we can expect others to do it too. If we want our teams, families, organizations, and communities to be successful, remember what President Obama said about the word we: "It belongs to everyone." When the "m" in me is flipped 180 degrees to become the "w" in we, the sky is the limit to what we can accomplish together with those we serve alongside each day.
