I Am...Because You Are
Revolutionary strategy transforms a floundering team to a NBA championship.
In 2007, Doc Rivers, the head coach of the Boston Celtics, was in trouble.
His team had the second-worst record in franchise history, and everyone wanted him fired.
So in the off-season, he signed two all-stars, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
He now had a fresh problem...
His current all-star, Paul Pierce, recovered from injuries in the prior season and was ready to get started.
Doc had 3 all-stars with big egos who all wanted to be the #1 guy on the team.
And trouble immediately erupted.
Then one day, he met a woman who told him his team "could be great".
"But only if you adopt Ubuntu."
Doc asked her, "What the heck is that?"
"Look it up...and it's not a word. It's a way of life.", she told him.
He discovered Ubuntu has its roots in humanist African philosophy...
"I am...because you are,"
It embodies all the attributes of respect, sharing, community, caring, trust, and selflessness.
Everything you've learned in life is from what someone else taught you.
There's an oneness to humanity.
We achieve by sharing ourselves and caring for those around us.
Doc drilled this wisdom into his players.
"If you want the ball all the time, you're on the wrong team."
"You cannot do whatever you want...we must succeed as a team."
Everyone had to sacrifice and work hard...
For the team.
They needed to become better...together.
Whenever one player would get praised by someone,
He would reply with, "Not me...we"
It was the most dramatic turnaround in NBA history.
They completed the season with a record of 66-16...the best in the league.
And defeated the LA Lakers led by Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant for the 2008 NBA Championship.
There was no "I" on that team.
Humans are 99.9% of the same genetically.
But we focus on the 1/10 of 1% of how we're different or better.
Think of the potential we waste as humans by a lack of harmony.
We're all part of the same community known as humanity.
We survive and thrive when we band together.
If we're going to prosper as individuals, families, communities, and nations,
It will happen because we reunited,
And worked, learned, and flourished,
As the greatest team in human history.
Where do you need to embrace Ubuntu in your life?