I took my family to see Gigi & Nate. My daughters loved the movie, and so did I. It’s loaded with examples of impactful good teammates moves.
Inspired by true events, the movie tells the story of the relationship between Nate, a despondent 22-year-old paraplegic, and his unusual service animal, Gigi, a precocious capuchin monkey.
Gigi and Nate is based on the book Kasey to the Rescue: The Remarkable Story of a Monkey and a Miracle that Ellen Rogers wrote about her paraplegic son, Ned Sullivan.
The movie takes a few creative liberties with Rogers’ book, like changing the monkey’s name and the cause of her son’s paralysis. Rogers’ son was paralyzed from a car accident. The character in the movie was paralyzed from meningitis.
However, the movie holds true in depicting the incredible connection her son had with his service animal and how greatly that animal improved his life.
Service animals are amazing creatures. They can assist with mobility issues, open and close doors, and pick up dropped objects. They can also alert to dangers and recognize the onset of medical emergencies such as seizures or low blood sugar.
On top of all of that, service animals can provide comfort and companionship.
A study from Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine shows that service animals have a positive and distinctly measurable effect on their human’s psychosocial health.
Service animals embody the spirit of what it means it means to be a good teammate because, as their name points out, they serve. They purposefully attend to the needs of their human.
Similarly, good teammates purposely attend to the needs of their team.
Service requires commitment, humility, and drive. To serve effectively, you must be willing to suppress ego and forego convenience. You must be motivated by more than personal benefit. Your duty must become your honor.
The miracle is that none of these requirements are beyond any of us. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.”
An interesting side note to my family’s excursion to see Gigi &Nate: Near the end of the movie, I noticed my daughters excitedly pointing at something in the theater. While I was trying to figure out what was drawing their attention, a capuchin monkey crawled across the seatbacks in front of me.
The monkey belonged to another person watching the movie, who graciously introduced her service animal to my daughters when we exited the theater.
Seeing how excited the monkey made my daughters reminded me of another important good teammate trait of service animals: Their presence evokes positive emotions in those with whom they encounter.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
