I am SO thankful for the super switched-on core team at The Transformational Business Network in East Africa. I have been on the road most of the year and they have held fort remarkably well. I can wager they have made better day-to-day decisions than would have been made if yours sincerely was in the mix!

Thinking about this, and looking at this picture that was posted on one of our work channels had memories of bygone years rushing at me:

As a very impressionable young man in the late 80s and 90s, I was hooked on NBA Basketball. These were not just games. They were expressions of art, with a little touch of science.

Go down memory lane with me (if you are old enough, and can remember): Dennis Rodman would drive down the court and pass the ball without looking toward what seemed to be empty hardwood. But just as the ball started to head out of bounds, Scottie Pippen would “suddenly” appear exactly where he was supposed to be. And then he’d throw the ball to the side – again, seemingly without looking, and Michael Jordan would “just happen” to be perfectly positioned for the winning shot.

On court, it seemed like a dispensation of grace had descended on this magical trio and they could do no wrong. It was all a flawless symphony. But what you didn’t see on court was the countless hours of sweat, team bonding and habit-forming practice.

Indeed, talent wins games but teamwork wins championships: Without Scottie Pippen and wild man Dennis Rodman, it’s doubtful the legend of Michael Jordan would have been. Let alone the Chicago Bulls franchise.

Today is #Monday. In an era where business cycles are getting shorter and customers are demanding more and more, who’s on your team?