March 18: Play for the Name on the Front of Your Jersey

There's an old saying in hockey: play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back. In other words, play for your team's success, not your own.

Hockey is a team sport. Individuals can only win when they make their team better. The best hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, made his teammates great. He had more than twice as many assists as goals.

The same goes for business. If you are always out to make yourself look good, you may hinder your team, and probably look like a jerk in the process. I know I do better at work when I focus on making others successful rather than how I am going to get the credit.

Even if you work for yourself, the best thing you can do is to make your customers look good. Business is a team sport.

How can you play the game to help others win?