It’s Tax Day in the United States, the final day for Americans to file their federal individual income tax returns without penalty.
My accountant is fond of saying, “It’s not the Ides of March that will do you in; it’s forgetting about the Ides of April.”
Ironically, the Ides of March have more to do with Tax Day being April 15 than most realize. Up until the Civil War, federal income tax did not exist in America. President Lincoln introduced a temporary measure in 1862 for the federal government to tax income as a way to finance the war.
Those taxes were due by March 15.
Lincoln’s measure became a permanent fixture a few decades later when Congress ratified the Sixteenth Amendment. When the US tax code was re-written in 1954, Tax Day was switched from March 15 to April 15 to give taxpayers an extra month to recover from Christmas expenses—and spare them from hearing tiresome clichés about the Ides of March.
Being a good teammate can be taxing (i.e. physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding). The endeavor requires perpetual humility, unselfishness, commitment, etc. Good teammates must always be “on.”
When I was younger, I remember my older relatives and their friends proudly proclaiming that they “pay their taxes.” That proclamation was a source of honor for them.
Years later, I learned that before WWII only 1% of working-age Americans filed tax returns. The other 99% weren’t skirting their tax responsibilities, the tax code at the time simply exempted all but the country’s highest earners.
For that generation, paying taxes was a mark of success and, understandably, something to be proud of. That generation also viewed paying taxes as a civic duty. Contributing in this manner was a task that provided them with a sense of belonging.
Good teammates share a similar mindset.
They accept the burden that comes with being a good teammate, only they don’t see it as a burden. They view the tasks of being perpetually humble, unselfish, committed, etc. as their duty. And they too are proud of their contribution.
In researching past IRS marketing campaigns, I stumbled upon an AI-powered slogan generator, which suggested the following tagline to encourage people to pay their taxes: “Unleash the Power of Your Contribution!”
I’m not always a fan of AI, but I liked that suggestion because it applies to being teammate. Humility, unselfishness, commitment, etc. are powerful contributions that play a vital role in team achievement.
By unleashing the power of those “taxing” contributions, good teammates position their teams to achieve success.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
