I snapped a couple of quick photos and a short video on my phone yesterday morning of my daughters going back to school—a very common thing for proud parents to do this time of year.
But if you have ever heard me speak at an event, or if you’re a loyal follower of this blog, you understand the added significance of this particular video.
If not, the story behind the video goes something like this: A few years ago my daughters and I were standing in my driveway, waiting for the bus to pick them up for their first day of school. As we were waiting, my daughters became insistent that I take out my phone and film them.
They said they had a message they wanted to record and that the video would “go viral.” I thought they were too young at the time to really understand what that meant, but, in hindsight, I may have underestimated them.
Despite my best efforts to dissuade my daughters from making me get out my phone, I eventually caved in and acquiesced to their request—and I am glad I did.
With their arms locked around each other’s shoulders and sincerity in little voices, they looked right into the lens and said, “First day of school and we’re going to be good teammates this year!”
(*You can watch the original video here.)
Shooting that “first day of school” video every year has become our tradition.
So much of what I do and what I have come to see as my life’s mission stemmed from my desire to provide my daughters with a bit of life advice, which was my original intent in writing the children’s book Be a Good Teammate. For me, the “message” in their video is indicative of the good teammate seed I planted in them continuing to grow.
The night before the first day of school, they were already planning where they wanted to shoot the video this year and what they wanted to wear in the video. The good teammate message is important to them and is never far from their minds.
I recently spoke to a group of teachers as part of that district’s professional development program. As I typically do, I shared my daughter’s video with them during my talk.
Before we got started, however, I had a conversation with a very pleasant, veteran English teacher by the name of Ms. Post. During our conversation, it became evident to me how much this woman genuinely loves her profession.
As the middle school teachers filed into the venue, we chuckled about how loud the room had suddenly become.
Ms. Post commented to me, “You know, you become what you teach.”
She went on to explain how elementary teachers speak in high pitch, singsongy tones, and if you watch them eat, you will notice that they even tend to cut their food into tiny pieces before they consume it.
In the case of middle school teachers, they tend to be loud and rowdy before meetings, just like their students—which was certainly true in this situation.
Over the course of the past several days, I have thought a lot about the wisdom in Ms. Post’s observations. I suspect you do eventually become what you teach.
Which is why all of us—teachers, coaches, and parents—need to make a commitment to teach our kids to be good teammates. By doing so, we have the potential to see the good teammate seed come to fruition in not only them, but in ourselves too.
If you’re looking for purpose in your profession, teach those around you to be good teammates. You will never find your efforts to be in vain.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
