Commit if You Want Commitment

Mike Smith

When talking to my team about commitment I like to tell them about the hen and pig and their roles in breakfast. The hen is involved in creating the eggs for breakfast, but the pig is committed. He has to sacrifice everything. To be a great leader, coach, and team member you must be more than involved. You must be committed. A leader must do a self-evaluation to make sure that his or her level of commitment is greater than that of anyone else in the organization. This commitment will come in many forms. You must commit to doing everything in your power to make sure you have created the right environment for your team to thrive, grow, improve, and enjoy the journey. You have to be committed to making your team better. You have to be prepared to make tough and sometimes unpopular decisions. You have to spend time developing your players' gifts and strengths. Everyone on the team and in the organization must see that commitment in your actions every day 24/7—it can't be a sometimes thing. It must be an all-the-time approach. You cannot have different levels of commitment based on how well the team is performing or how well an individual is performing. You have to show your team that you are willing to do whatever it takes to help them be the best they can possibly be regardless of their stage of growth. If you commit to helping each member of your team be the best version of him- or herself, over time this will lead to greater individual and team performance.

Commitment is something you should spend more time demonstrating than talking about. It shows in your actions, in how you treat people, and how you interact with every member of your team. When you are committed, everyone knows it and your team feels it. Coaches often want their teams to be committed, but there's no way you will get buy-in unless you demonstrate your commitment to them first. They have to know that you are there to serve, teach, and coach. They have to see, hear, and feel your commitment, and know that you want them to be just as successful off the field as they are on the field. You demonstrate this commitment each day with the time you give your team and your willingness to serve them and help them improve. When your team knows you are committed to helping them be their best they will then be committed to you and give their all for you.

Commitment Begins with the Leader

Mike Smith

One of the reasons why I took the job with the Atlanta Falcons was because I knew Arthur Blank, the team's owner, was a man who was committed to his team and to winning. In March of 2005, three years before I met Arthur, the NFL held a coaching symposium in Orlando, Florida, for selected assistant coaches. It was an opportunity for us to interact with owners, head coaches, and general managers, and a few of them did presentations on topics of interest. In Orlando, Arthur was one of the presenters, and because I had never met him, I did not know much about his background. When he was introduced, I became aware that he was the co-founder of Home Depot. Of course, I was familiar with Home Depot and was always impressed by how the associates in the stores were so helpful. They made it clear that they were there to serve the people who were shopping in the store and make sure that it was a great experience. I knew this commitment to service didn't begin on the front lines and in the stores; to have such committed employees, I knew Arthur had to be a man who believed in serving his team.

Years later, after a few years coaching the Falcons, I personally witnessed the legacy Arthur had left at Home Depot. I went with him to Home Depot headquarters for a function with our ticket and marketing group. The event was being held exclusively for all of the thousands of employees at Home Depot headquarters. Arthur was no longer the owner of the company, but he received a standing ovation from the group as he was introduced. It was his first time back in the building since leaving the organization, and, clearly, he was someone they remembered fondly and admired for his service. Commitment begins at the top.

Feeling Is More Powerful than Hearing

Jon Gordon

When I visited West Point in the summer of 2014, the USA basketball team happened to be visiting at the same time. Head coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski brought the team there to understand what it truly means to represent the United States of America. Coach K knew the place was special. After all, he attended West Point, played basketball there under Bob Knight, returned as the head coach after his five years of military service, and coached there for five years before becoming the head coach of Duke University. Coach K knew the players wouldn't fully understand how special the place was by hearing him talk about it. They had to experience and feel it. He said, “You can't talk about this place, see a movie about this place, you have to feel this place. You go to a place like this, you get it.”

Coach K knew it was the same when talking about service and sacrifice. The players had to feel it, so at the beginning of their visit, Coach K brought the team to the West Point Cemetery, where they had a meeting with family members of fallen soldiers. The players on Team USA listened as the family members told them about their children and how they died serving their country. The players may have understood the concept of service and sacrifice before, but after seeing the graves of the fallen soldiers, listening to personal stories of service and sacrifice, and feeling the loss of the family members, they truly got it. It's also a powerful lesson for all of us. Feeling is more powerful than hearing. Your team must feel your commitment. Not just hear it. When we hear from a leader, we will learn; but when we feel a leader's commitment, we will be transformed.

Serve to Be Great

Jon Gordon

A team feels a leader's commitment when the leader takes the time to serve them. Jesus washed feet; Martin Luther King marched; Mother Teresa fed the poor and healed the sick. Over the years, I have met many leaders who serve their teams in simple, powerful ways. Many leaders think that as they gain power and responsibility, their teams should serve them more, but great leaders know that their job is to serve their teams. When you serve the team, you help them grow and they help you grow.

You can't serve yourself and your team at the same time. You have to decide whether you are going to serve me or we. You must decide if you are going to be a self-serving “leader” or a true leader who serves others. It's hard to be a servant-leader in today's world. Leaders are under more pressure than ever to perform. If you are a business leader you must answer to the stock market, the board, and shareholders. If you are a coach you must answer to your owner, general manager, and fan base. If you are a school leader you have to answer to your school board, superintendents, and parents of students. With expectations comes pressure and stress that drives a leader to survive, which leads to self-preservation rather than serving the team. When leaders become focused on the fruit instead of the root and worry about the outcome instead of the process of developing team members, they may survive in the short run, but they will not thrive in the long run. Self-serving leaders don't leave legacies that change the world for the better. They may win a few championships, make money, and achieve some fame in the short run, but true greatness is achieved when a leader brings out the greatness in others. Great leaders and coaches are great servants. A great coach sacrifices and serves in order to help team members become great. The big questions you must ask yourself each day are: What am I doing to serve my team and the people I lead? How can I serve them to help them be the best versions of themselves? How can I demonstrate my commitment to them? Remember, you don't have to be great to serve, but you have to serve to be great.

Commitment Starts at Home

Mike Smith

When I was fired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, I had options to coach again. Ultimately, I chose not to coach this year because I know that commitment starts at home. I had been so committed to my football team over the years that it took me time to realize that my wife and daughter, who is in high school, need my commitment this year. It's been the best decision I've ever made. I've gone to almost all of my daughter's lacrosse games and even helped keep the stats book. Her coaches said I was the most detailed stat keeper they ever had. (Hey, when you are an NFL coach you learn how to focus on the details and stats.) I also spent more time helping my wife and I'm so thankful I did. I think as leaders and coaches we think that commitment, leadership, and service are about the big things but really they are about doing the little things to let your team know you are there for them.

Of course, I wish I was still coaching the Falcons because I believe strongly that we would have turned around the team. After all, Bill Cowher and the Pittsburgh Steelers had back-to-back losing seasons in his seventh and eighth years as head coach before righting the ship and winning a Super Bowl. I believe we could have done the same, but this experience has been a huge blessing that has helped me understand how important it is to commit at home. It's a lesson I want to share with all leaders and coaches out there. It doesn't matter how much success you have in your career; if you fail at home you are a failure. We only get one shot to be a parent and spouse, and we must give it everything we've got and commit to our “team” at home. When I return to coaching, I will be just as committed to the football team, but I will do a better job of committing to my home team. It's possible to do both. You just have to make both a priority.

Commitment Is Spelled T-I-M-E

Jon Gordon

Hearing Mike's story about committing at home reminds me of a few years ago, when I was thinking about my one word for the year. It was getting close to January 1 and I still didn't have my word. Finally it came to me while listening to the radio. My word was going to be “serve.” I didn't choose the word; it chose me. I had been traveling a lot to speak to a number of companies, schools, and sports teams, and my wife and teenage children were struggling at home. I realized, like Mike, that I had to start serving at home. I had to show them I was committed to them. So I turned down a number of speaking engagements and made more time with my family. It turned out to be the hardest year of my life.

My daughter was not doing great in school. My wife and son were butting heads. My wife was stressed and having trouble managing it all. It was very frustrating because I wanted my kids to be self-starters like I was as a kid. I wanted my wife to be able to handle it all. Why did they need my help? Why couldn't I just focus on making a difference in the world? Why couldn't I have a different team? Yes, I admit it. I wanted a different team. Have you ever wanted a different team? If you are a leader, coach, or parent I know the answer is yes. Despite my frustration, I made the time to help my team get better. I drove my daughter to school each day and encouraged her. When she came home, I grilled her on her homework assignments and test topics to make sure she was preparing and studying. I put the kids to bed and prayed with them. I did the laundry often. I got very involved in their everyday challenges. In short, I became committed.

That December, my wife asked me what my word would be for the coming year. She asked if it was going to be “selfish” because she had never seen me do so much for my family. I told her no way. “Serve” was now a part of me and my commitment. Making the time to serve my family was how I showed I was truly committed to them. I realized that I didn't need a different team, but instead needed to become a better leader through my time and service. Everything in my being wanted to focus on ME but I was at my best when I focused on WE. I also realized a great truth for leaders. We have the team we have for a reason. The challenges we have with our team are meant to make us better leaders.

In the process of committing to my family and learning to serve, I became a better leader. Ironically, that's when my books and career took off. My son hurt his back playing tennis and my wife took him to the chiropractor, who asked how I was doing. My wife told him I was speaking at the World Leaders Conference with a bunch of famous people. The chiropractor said, “Well, Jon is famous.” My son replied, “Not in our house. He does the laundry.” When my wife told me this story I lit up. My son notices my commitment at home and that means everything. At the end of the day, I don't want to be a household name. I want to be a big name in my household. My daughter is doing great at school, my wife is much happier, and I'm helping my son become the best version of himself. I believe all success starts with making the team around you better.

When You Commit You Make Everyone Better

Mike Smith

When you talk about building a winning team and making the people around you better, you have to talk about Swen Nater. Swen was a community college All-American at Cypress College when John Wooden recruited him to play at UCLA. As the story goes, John told him that he wasn't going to play in a lot of games because they already had the best center in the world in Bill Walton, but Swen would have the opportunity to play against Bill Walton every day in practice. Wooden wanted the six-foot-eleven Nater to challenge and push Bill Walton to improve. Nater accepted his role during his time at UCLA and every day in practice he focused on one task: making Bill Walton better. But while he was making Bill Walton better, something interesting happened. Swen also improved. Swen was the only player in ABA-NBA history to be drafted in the first round never having started a collegiate game. Swen was named the ABA rookie of the year and went on to have a 12-year career in the ABA-NBA. He is a great example of how, when you help your team get better, you get better. When you focus on helping others improve, you improve. Swen's commitment to his team helped him become a successful professional basketball player, and he's now an executive with Costco.

Speaking of making the people around you better, one of the most committed team members I've ever had the opportunity to coach was Roddy White. Most people only saw game-day Roddy White, but I was fortunate to see his commitment every day throughout the years. Roddy dealt with a number of injuries over the years, but he spent countless hours in the treatment room doing everything in his power to get healthy and back on the field. That is why Roddy was able to play in 133 consecutive games. The commitment he made to being healthy enough to play on Sundays was like none I have ever seen. There was no way that he was going to miss being out there with his teammates. His teammates saw his effort and commitment and it made them more committed as well.

Matt Ryan also showed his commitment by showing up on his off day to watch extra film. He didn't have to do it. He did it because he wanted to get better and be part of the process of putting the game plan together with the coaches. When we met with the team to install the plan, he would be a day ahead of the rest of the team. This commitment made the rest of the team better.

Tony Gonzales was not only committed to extra skill work but also to his nutrition. Tony was always looking for that edge that would allow him to outperform his opponents, and he knew that if he fueled his body with a properly balanced diet he was enhancing his chances to win on game day and enhancing his chances to be healthy throughout the season. This commitment rubbed off on other players on the team and more players were focused on fueling their bodies better.

Mike Peterson, who played for me in Jacksonville and joined us in Atlanta for his final three seasons, really showed how commitment makes a team better. Mike had been a starter his entire career and in 2012 he became a back-up player. That last season Mike's commitment to the team was at the highest level it had ever been. He did whatever he had to do to contribute to our success. He played on special teams, and he mentored the younger players.

When you have teammates like these who are committed, it will make everyone around them better. As a team member there are so many ways that you can contribute to the success of the team. It's not always about making the big play. It's about taking action and committing yourself to preparation, health, nutrition, practice, recovery, and all the ways that make you and the team better.

The Hard Hat

Jon Gordon

In my book The Hard Hat, I wrote about George Boiardi, who I believe was one of the greatest teammates to ever live. George played lacrosse at Cornell 11 years after I did. He died on the field in 2004.

The Cornell team carried a hard hat with them to every practice and game. It represented their blue-collar work ethic. Each year, a freshman who demonstrated the values of being a selfless, committed, hard-working teammate was selected to carry the hard hat. George was the carrier of the hard hat his freshman year, and after his death Cornell put his number, 21, on it so they could always remember his dedication and spirit. Over the years George and the hard hat came to define the Cornell lacrosse program and led to unprecedented success. George's coaches and teammates told me about his incredible commitment, and it's why 11 years after his death his influence on others continues to grow. He was the hardest worker and most selfless person on the team, and he served in a variety of ways. He made time for teammates who needed a ride home or to hear an encouraging word. He was the last to leave the locker room and always cleaned it up after his teammates left. He invited teammates in need of improvement to spend more time practicing with him in the off-season. He never wanted recognition, but simply to help his team get better. His teammates still evaluate themselves against the model George set, and they wonder if they are living committed lives and serving their current team members enough. Today, people who have never even met George have raised their commitment to a greater level because of his example. It's amazing the impact one committed leader who serves his team can have on the lives of others. If this resonates with you, then decide to put on your hard hat and get to work.

It's Not about You

Jon Gordon

I first met Carl Liebert when he was the CEO of 24 Hour Fitness and invited me to speak to the leaders of his company. Carl was a graduate of the Naval Academy and played on the Navy basketball team with David Robinson. After a long and successful career with Home Depot, Carl brought his servant-leadership approach to 24 Hour Fitness. Before he became CEO, the executives of 24 Hour Fitness had personal trainers visit their homes to train them in private, but Carl made it mandatory for the executives to train at the centers so they could spend more time interacting with staff members and identify better ways to serve their team and customers. He also required executives to work for a week in one of their locations each year. Some executives chose to work in membership sales while others worked as physical trainers or in membership services. The experience helped the 24 Hour Fitness leaders to not only better serve their teams but also to understand the needs of their members. It demonstrated their commitment to everyone, and it made all the difference.

After successfully transforming 24 Hour Fitness, Carl joined the team at USAA, where he continues to demonstrate his servant leadership and commitment as the Chief Operating Officer. I have spent time at USAA and have personally witnessed the way he leads with authenticity, humility, and commitment. He asks for input and invites feedback. He shares his one word with everyone in the company and invites everyone to share their words with him. He looks for ways to develop the strengths of each team member and coaches them to be the best versions of themselves. Most of all, he leads with humility, knowing it's not about him—it's about his team. He would be mortified that I'm writing about him because he doesn't seek recognition, but I had to tell you about him because his example is so powerful. Remember, it's not about you. It's about committing yourself to your team.

Lose Your Ego

Mike Smith

To be a humble leader like Swen, George, and Carl, you must lose your ego. I believe to be a successful leader you have to have an ego that drives you to be great, but you must give up your ego and serve your team in order to be great. You must lose your ego so you can stop focusing on yourself and start focusing on your team. After all, humility doesn't mean you think less of yourself. It just means you think of yourself less and your team more (to paraphrase C.S. Lewis).

Too many leaders worry about what the media says about them. They worry about what successes and failures look like to the world outside the locker room. Unfortunately we've seen too many business leaders and coaches make decisions based on their egos rather than their teams. Sometimes when teams lose, instead of taking the blame, coaches blame the players. Once coaches do this, they lose in the locker room. We've seen coaches lock their players out of the locker room and then tell the media it was because they didn't play hard. Well, if they didn't play hard, whose fault is that? If the coach didn't inspire them to play hard by creating the right culture, then the coach needs to take the blame, not pin it on the team. Instead of locking the players out of the locker room, the coach should say, “I'm locking myself out of the locker room because I didn't do a good enough job leading my team this week.”

Similarly, we've seen sales managers blame their salespeople for not hitting their numbers. Again, if people are not hitting their numbers then managers need to work with them to help them get there. If underperformers aren't willing to work and contribute to the team, then they need to find a different team. Coach them to improve or let them off the team, but don't blame them for your lack of success. We see politicians blame everyone except themselves for the country's problems. We need leaders now more than ever who care more about helping others and solving problems than what people think of them.

Our rule of thumb is that you have to care more about what your team thinks about you than what the forces outside the locker room think of you. Whether you are a business leader, school leader, or non-profit leader, never throw your team under the bus. Don't try to make them look bad so you can look good. Instead, own your weaknesses then improve. Lose your ego and let your team and the world know you have their back. Then get back to work and make sure you are doing your part and they are doing their parts to get better. When you lose your ego, you will win the hearts and minds of your team—then you will win in the locker room.

As a leader of the team or organization, you are going to be put in many situations in which you need to choose whether you are going to take the fall or pin the blame on someone else. The only option for leaders who serve their teams is to take responsibility for everything that happens on the field or in the marketplace. No matter what occurs, never put blame on your players or coaches. If a player blows a coverage or runs the wrong route, you take responsibility because you should have done a better job of preparing them to execute their roles. Take responsibility instead of blaming others in the hope that it will deflect the criticism away from you. Remember, as the leader of the team or organization, the buck stops with you.

When something goes wrong on the field, do everything in your power to make sure that no one individual player or coach is going to take the blame. The responsibility lands squarely on the shoulders of the head coach, who is also accountable for getting it fixed. Deal with the situation and those involved in a private setting and figure out why it happened and what everyone can do differently in the future to make sure that it does not happen again.

There have been many times after a game or during the week when I have been asked about a specific play on offense or defense that was not successful. I knew the media wanted me to point the finger at someone specific, but I wouldn't do it. For example, in a game against Tampa Bay, we gave up a long touchdown pass in the second quarter. The closest player to the receiver was our safety and everyone who did not know the defensive huddle call assumed he was at fault and gave up the touchdown pass. The coverage that was called actually had the cornerback responsible for the deep zone and the safety covering another area of the field. The safety almost made a spectacular play on the ball by breaking on it while it was in the air. While everyone assumed that he was the culprit, he was actually close to doing something extraordinary. When asked about the play I said, “I have to do a better job of making sure that we are all on the same page in regards to what is being called in the huddle.” I went on to tell the questioner that he should not make assumptions as to who is at fault without knowing what the coverage call was in the huddle.

The team will function more effectively when it has leaders and team members who refuse to blame their teammates. Matt Ryan is a great model of a servant-leader who understands the need to protect his teammates and take responsibility instead of assigning blame towards anyone else. Even when a receiver ran the wrong route and the pass was intercepted, Matt would take responsibility for the miscue even though he was not responsible. His team knew he had their backs and as a result would run and play harder for him.

Of course, there's a time and place to address how we are going to correct the miscue—that is what coaching and leading is all about—but that is not a public setting and it should be done with as much positive reinforcement as possible. As the great NBA coach Chuck Daly would say, shout praise in public and whisper criticism in private.

Commitment Requires Sacrifice

Jon Gordon

The ultimate commitment is sacrifice. To build a great team, your team has to know and feel that you would run into a burning building to save them. They have to know that you are willing to sacrifice yourself for their gain. Great leaders ignore the easy road and build their teams by taking the more difficult path, one that is filled with service and sacrifice. This requires you to lose your ego and love your team. If you love someone you are willing to sacrifice for them. If you love your team you will do whatever it takes to build them up, even if it means tearing yourself down.

This is precisely the reason why I love Mike and the way he leads. This is why I decided to write this book with him. I know the man he is. I know his character and integrity and the sacrifices he has made. When he was fired by the Atlanta Falcons, he took the blame even though he wasn't the only one at fault. I didn't see or hear anyone else in the organization accept blame for their losing seasons the last two years. I didn't hear any leaders from the organization step up and say, “You know, we got away from our culture and process. We should have done a better job drafting pass rushers.” Nope. They simply fired the coach and let him take the blame.

Mike Smith stood there alone at the podium in front of millions of people and said, “I'm the coach, and wins and losses are my responsibility. It's my fault.” He didn't blame his general manager. He didn't blame his players. He didn't blame his coaching staff. He didn't blame anyone. He did what he had done for his entire coaching career, including his seven years with the Falcons. He put his team and organization first and sacrificed for them. The media and fans may point fingers, but those who played for him and know him know that he always gave his all to them—and he always will. He's a committed leader who will always sacrifice for his team.