Hello, and happy Monday.
First a quote: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” — Isaac Newton
Just in case you missed last week’s MMM, Standing Where History Happened, I’m doing a short series based upon my personal leadership observations made during a three-week “Band of Brothers” World War II history tour across 7 countries in Europe. This is the second edition.
One of the things that struck me throughout our Band of Brothers journey was; that while history often features individual heroes, the stories themselves rarely focus on just one person or a single heroic act.
A man named Stephen E. Ambrose interviewed the people listed below, along with many others. Those interviews were the basis of his book Band of Brothers, later to be made into the classic HBO movie series of the same name.
On the tour, we followed the journeys of Captain Herbert Sobel, First Lieutenant Ronald Speirs, Private First-Class David Webster, Sergeant Donald Malarkey, First Sergeant Carwood Lipton, and Major Richard Winters, just to name a few. There were many others, far too many to list here.
In the interviews referenced above, these heroes rarely talked about themselves or their own accomplishments. Their contributions were almost always about the work and accomplishments of others.
No doubt, these people were extraordinary individuals. Yet, the story of Easy Company isn’t really about individual heroes. It is about a group of ordinary people who learned to trust one another, depend on one another, and accomplish more together than any one person could have achieved alone.
Just think, most of these young men were in their late teens or early 20’s. A majority never owned a home, help a job, or had any meaningful experience. They did have a purpose and commitment to a cause beyond themselves.
And that leads to my key point today.
The stories themselves involved countless people and teams working together across multiple battles and campaigns throughout the war.
Again and again, our tour group learned about soldiers depending on one another:
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The medic who saved lives, often jeopardizing his own life in the process.
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The soldier who carried extra ammunition.
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The officer who made difficult decisions.
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The buddy who helped someone through a difficult battle, injury, or bad day.
The more I reflected on those stories, the more I was reminded of a simple truth:
Individual talent may win moments. Teams win campaigns.
Nobody wins alone!
So what, you may ask?
Most of us will never storm a beach or jump from an airplane behind enemy lines.
But every day we face challenges that require the support, ideas, and the commitment of others.
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No leader succeeds alone.
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No organization succeeds alone.
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No family succeeds alone.
And an observation I made while working with many of my coaching clients over the years:
“The higher we rise, the easier it becomes to overestimate our own contribution and underestimate the contributions of others.”
This phenomenon is easy to see in many of the social media posts we encounter today.
As I reflected on our three-week journey, I realized that even this experience was not mine alone.
It was enriched by two long-time friends, 32 fellow travelers, an exceptional historian, a talented tour manager, local guides, drivers, hotel staff, and countless others who made the experience possible.
We were also fortunate to have many history buffs on our tour, and their insights enriched the experience for everyone.
Nobody wins alone. Nobody experiences life alone, either.
This week, take a moment to reflect on one of your recent success stories.
Then ask yourself:
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Who helped make it possible?
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Who contributed behind the scenes?
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Who deserves a thank-you?
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Who helped you become the person you are today?
Because one of the marks of great leaders is that they never forget the people who helped them get where they are. My personal list is very long indeed!
“Individual talent may win moments. Teams win campaigns.”
How will you live, love, or lead differently or better this week?
Bonus quotes below. Related articles:
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
PS
Many of the ideas shared in this MMM series also show up in my recently released book, “How to Transition into Leadership …and Why that Changes Everything.”
While the book focuses primarily on management and leadership, the lessons apply just as powerfully to our important relationships outside of work, both personal and professional.
What others are saying:
As a long-time subscriber to Bryan’s Monday Morning Minute series, I was excited to learn years of wisdom were available in one place. This book is a valuable addition to my leadership library. I find myself dipping into this book for daily inspiration as well as ideas for training and coaching others. It is the perfect resource for both existing leaders and developing leaders.
Cyndi Keller
Do you know someone who might benefit from this weekly leadership minute? If so, please feel free to pass along the subscription link below:
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Bonus Quotes:
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“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
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“None of us is as smart as all of us.” — Ken Blanchard
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“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson
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“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” — Henry Ford
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“The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” — Vince Lombardi
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“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.” — H.E. Luccock
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“There are no self-made men. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.” — George Shinn
*** Title Photo information:**
This bronze sculpture, titled “Brothers in Arms,” stands at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.
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It depicts two soldiers, representing the U.S. Army and Navy working together.
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The memorial is the final resting place for over 7,800 American servicemen who died during World War II.
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The site is in Italy, dedicated to those lost during the invasion of Sicily and the subsequent battles. (Please note: our tour did not include Italy.)
