My grandmother used to have a picture hanging in the hallway of her home of a boy struggling to carry a younger boy on his back, who was almost as big him. The caption for the picture was, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”

I was always drawn to that picture. Every time I went to visit my grandmother, I found myself staring at it, pondering it’s meaning. Maybe that was because I came from a big family and was both a big brother and a little brother, and I could appreciate the perspectives of both.

Sometimes my grandmother would catch me looking at the picture and say, “That’s what brothers do, you know.” She never specified whether she meant that’s what big brothers do (they carry their little brothers), or that’s what little brothers do (they let their big brothers carry them).

I suspect her ambiguity was deliberate.

I later learned the picture was actually a rather iconic image for my grandmother’s generation. In the 1940s, the photo and the accompanying phrase became the popular logo for Boys Town, Father Flanagan’s home for troubled and neglected boys.

The visionary Irish priest championed the cause of orphaned children and felt the slogan epitomized how important it was for Boys Town residents to care for one another and to know they always had someone to care for them.

“He ain’t heavy, he’s by brother” captures the essence of being a good teammate.

Sometimes picking up the slack for a struggling teammate can seem like a burden. The weight of the extra work load can cause you to become frustrated and feel used.

When this happens, the first thing you need to do is determine why the situation is what it is. Why are you picking up the slack?

Is it because your teammate is taking advantage of your generosity, weaseling out of work, and deliberately not pulling his own weight? Or, is it because your teammate is struggling and unable to fulfill his obligations for some reason beyond his control, like an illness or an unfortunate distraction in his personal life?

If the former is the case, then you have a responsibility to confront your teammate’s toxicity. Make your teammate aware of the wrongness of what he is doing and let him know it’s disrupting the team’s synergy. Don’t suffer in silence. It won’t get better, and it will eventually cause you to become worn-out and disgruntled. You will become the bad teammate.

If the latter is the case, then the question you need to ask yourself isn’t, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The question you need to ask yourself is, “Am I my brother’s brother?” Your answer will become your motivation to continue.

If you are truly your brother’s brother, you will never mind carrying the extra load. No brothers, or good teammates, ever do.

It’s their way of caring and sharing. It’s how they convey their love.

The next time you find yourself feeling burdened by “carrying” one of your teammates, remember: He ain’t heavy, he’s my teammate.

As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.

(*Editor’s note: For the sake of efficiency, I used the word “he” throughout this piece, rather than “he or she.” Please know that “she” could be substituted in any of those instances—like “my sister’s sister”—and the meaning would be the same. Interestingly, the Father Flanagan photo referenced above was originally inspired by a story that appeared in a book written in the late 1800s by author James Wells. The story was about a Scottish girl who appears to be struggling to carry a baby boy. When someone asks her if she is tired, the girl responds, “He’s na heavy. He’s mi brither.”)

Lance Loya is the founder and CEO of the Good Teammate Factory and the creator National Be a Good Teammate Day (July 22nd). He is a former sports coach turned bestselling author, blogger, and professional speaker, who inspires TEAMBUSTERS to become TEAMMATES. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or through his weekly Teammate Tuesday blog.