Swift Thinking

The holiday season always causes an interesting disruption to the music charts. This week, four of the top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 are Christmas classics—Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” (5), Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (6), Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (9), and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (10).

Those Christmas classics have upended the standing of many contemporary hits, but not all of them. For the fifth week in a row, the chart’s top spot belongs to Taylor Swift’s catchy anthem about insecurity and anxiety, “Anti-Hero.”

“Anti-Hero” is Swift’s ninth number-one single, making her the only solo artist in Billboard history to debut five songs atop the charts. You don’t have to be a Swiftie (a devout fan of all things Taylor Swift) to appreciate the song’s lyrical genius.

Nor do you have to be a “good teammate” expert to appreciate the relevance several of those clever lyrics have to the art of being a good teammate. For example:

 

I should not be left to my own devices, they come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis

Vices do indeed come with prices. And when you’re part of a team, the price of your bad habits is usually your team’s well-being.

We are ultimately defined by our habits. Vices—bad, disruptive, inconsiderate, selfish habits—prevent teams from reaching a level of productivity conducive to achievement. If left unchecked, vices will spiral a team into crisis.

Good teammates avert team crises by eliminating their personal vices.

 

Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism…

Narcissists—individuals stuck in the ME gear—have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They seek attention and want people to admire them.

When narcissists make good teammate moves, they tend to turn around and say, “Hey, did you see what I just did? Wasn’t that kind of me? Aren’t you in awe of my generosity?”

Good teammates don’t operate that way. Their altruistic behavior is always sincere. They never have hidden agendas or ulterior motives. To good teammates, altruism is such a part of their identity that it makes actions like turning away from someone in need unimaginable.

 

I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror

Isn’t it odd that some of the seemingly toughest people are paradoxically not strong enough to engage in self-assessment? They’re able to fearlessly confront dangers that immobilize others, yet they’re unable to face their own demons.

Good teammates possess the courage and humility to self-assess because they’re driven to be their best—for their teams. Their willingness to stare in the mirror affords them a sense of inner peace.

 

A final “Anti-Hero” lyrical thought: Rooting for an anti-hero is exhausting, but rooting for a good teammate is exhilarating. Their presence is never the problem; it’s always the solution.

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