“Quiet Strength” – By Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker

If you are a football fan and have not read this book, run – do not walk – to the nearest book store and buy this book. This is honestly one of the best books that I have read in the last few years. The lessons that can be learned form this book is almost limitless. I just found out that there is a bible study companion to this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The following are a few quotes that hit me where it did some good:

• “It’s not all about football. It’s about the journey – mine and yours – and the lives we can touch, the legacy we can leave, and the world we can change for the better.”
• “Tony, I think you’re at a crossroads” said Donnie (Shell). “You know what life is all about. You profess to be a Christian, and you tell everybody that God has first place in your life. Now, when your career looks like it’s teetering, we’re getting a chance to see what really is in first place for you.”
• “It was the first time I was able to look at football as something that God was allowing me to do, not something that should define me.”
• “I learned three key truths from Nehemiah. First, Nehemiah’s opportunity came in God’s time, not his own. Second, Nehemiah diligently prepared his mind and his heart so he would be ready when God’s time arrived. Third, Nehemiah needed to be prepared to take on the problems, doubt, and adversity that would come his way both from the outside and from within.”
• “I’m a firm believer that the Lord sometimes has to short-circuit even our best plans for our benefit.”
• “Respond to adversity; don’t react.”
• “Be on time. Being late means either it’s not important to you or you can’t be relied upon.”
• “Execute. Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do. Not almost. All the way. Not most of the time. All of the time.”
• “Take ownership.”
• “The competing views of success in our world often create an interesting tension. Society tends to define success in terms of accomplishments and awards, material possessions, and profit margins. In the football business, winning is the only thing that matters.
  God’s Word, however, presents a different definition of success – one centered on a relationship with Jesus Christ and a love for God that allows us to love and serve others. God gives each one of us unique gifts, abilities, and passions. How well we use those qualities to have an impact on the world around us determines how “successful” we really are.”

Until next time – keep your eyes on Jesus and let’s talk football.

What I have been reading lately . . .

I love to read when I have time. I enjoy reading fiction, non-fiction; books that will help me improve what I do. In all honesty, if the book is written well, I’ll probably enjoy reading it. The problem is that I don’t always have time. I have begun to try and change that. A friend gave me this book and asked me to read it. My friend and I will in the future be acting as a team. In my work at DeVita & Associates, Inc. I hold the position as a team lead. So, when given a book on working as a team, I was interested. The following are a few random thoughts from my reading this book:
It is an easy read. It is written more as a fictional story than a text book. All of the parts are there and explained very well in terms that anyone could understand.
As I read this book, I reflected on places that I had worked in the past, where I am working today and on the future. It has me thinking in a different way about team work.
One thing we need to understand – if you have more than one person working for a common goal – you have a team.
Trust in a team is foundational. Without trust, the team falls apart.

If you are part of a team there is going to be conflict. That is not a bad thing. Resolving the conflict and moving forward on the same page, as a team, is a good thing.

Commitment is a must. All must be commited or none will be commited. There will always be an internal struggle without commitment. Count the cost, commit and stick it out to the end.

You must have accountability. Without accountability, there will be caos. Holding someone accountable so that the team can reach its common goal is a good thing.
Clear goals need to be set so that there is no question about what the team needs to be doing.
I must go back to this book being an easy read.

I recomment this book to everyone that works as part of a team.

Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus and are you a cause of dysfunction on your team?