Saturday, June 20, 2009

THE MYTH OF THE LONE RANGER

John Maxwell writes about the Myth of the Lone Ranger in his tremendous book, “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork.”

As much as we admire solo achievement, the truth is that no lone individual has done anything of value. The believe that one person can do something great is a myth.

Einstein once remarked, “Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”

A Chinese proverb states, “Behind an able man there are always other able men.” The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement...That’s why I assert that one is too small a number to achieve greatness.

“There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.” -Lyndon B. Johnson

It may be a cliche, but it is nonetheless true: Individuals play the game, but teams win championships.