Cornell was the number one team in the country this year with the best collegiate player, who some even say may be the best lacrosse player in the game today, C.J. Kirst.
Kirst carried a 65-game streak of recording at least one point in to the Big Red's national semifinal game against Penn State. That streak came to end that day, but Cornell stayed alive and headed to the title game on Memorial Day.
I was fortunate enough to be at Gillette Stadium working alongside, host, Harvard University's athletic communications team during the NCAA Lacrosse Championships. It was at halftime of the championship game I was walking back to the press box when I ran into Jon Gordon - an alum of the Cornell men's lacrosse team - in attendance.
The first commitment is being committed to "Valuing Each Other." This is one of the commitments the main protagonist, Tim, added last to make it 7 Commitments. His reasoning was simple. When you consistently making effort to provide positive, pointed feedback at your teammates and/or employees, you're going to always get the best of out of them. The key is to find something specific to compliment them on.
Next is the commitment to "Vision and Mission of the Team." During my Newbury days our crew worked so well as a team we had the phrase "One Team One Dream." We were One Team together and didn't let the outside noise from other departments divide us. It's too easy to become divided when you let what happens on the outside leak in. That's why the most important job of any leader is to "run interference" for their staff.
The following commitment is ultra important. It's the commitment to "Staying Positive Together." It's really easy to stay positive when things are going well and you're winning. But when you have to tackle all the different curveballs life throws at you, it becomes harder. Things are going to happen. Mistakes are going to made. Losses are going happen. But don't jump off the roller coaster. Stay the course and stay positive, because positivity is contagious.
Always be committed to "Giving Your Best" everyday. Now your best is going to change from day-to-day, but when you are committed to always giving your best each day, you will find your things start working out for you.
This leads into the next commitment - "Commit to Getting Better" each day. In this chapter, Coach Richie brings up up the old saying "today's paper wraps tomorrow's fish." All that means is what got you to this level won't get you to next level and might not make you great tomorrow. Always strive to keep improving yourself, even after wins.
The sixth commitment is is the "Commit to Connect" by getting to know your teammates and letting them get to know you. When you know your teammates (and your fellow colleagues) you begin to know what what drives them and what hardships they faced. You become more empathetic. And when you let others people in, let them know your own difficulties and challenges you're facing, they will be there to support you. In isolation you are week, but when you come together you become stronger.It flows nicely into the seventh and final commitment: "Committing to Each Other." Feedback is a gift, learn to appreciate it. Sometimes feedback can sting a bit, as humans we never like to hear criticism about ourselves or our performances, but if your team has mastered the fifth sixth commitment and are committed to connecting with each other it lessens the sting. Be committed to asking for feedback about how you can do better and be better.
