"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been in bed with a mosquito!" Anita Roddick, The Body Shops

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"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been in bed with a mosquito!"   Anita Roddick, The Body Shops

We often hear the saying, "There is no I in team." As a coach for 20 years, I often used the cliché in trying to motivate young men to work together. A particularly bright sophomore baseball pitcher and catcher responded to my pep talk one day that I was right about the spelling of team, but the last and the second letters established the presence of "me."  He was right, and I had no immediate comeback. The player was (is) my youngest son, and I had coached him for about eight years at the time. He had heard everything I had to say about teamwork and thought it time to throw me a curve ball. 

On the way home, I told him he was correct in his remarks, though presented in somewhat of a sarcastic tone.  Nonetheless, I thought it was an important assessment.  I repeat here in a different context what I told my son. 

Too often, when we work on boards, committees, teams, or groups of any kind, we give less than our all. After all, we are on a team, and everyone has the responsibility to help carry the load. Sometimes our lesser nature works like this:  Four people are lifting a weight of 400 pounds; each person is capable of lifting 120 pounds each at max exertion; one person realizing this, decides not to give it her/his all and only lifts one-third of her/his max, leaving the other three to max out in order to make the lift.  Anyone who lifts weights as part of an exercise routine knows you cannot max out every day, or even safely every week. Therefore, the team that has slackers fails to produce what they could or what is asked of them over the long haul. The team needs "me."  Everyone is important to the success of the team. No "I" in team does not mean the team doesn’t need "me."

I am approaching 20 years with the NACAS team. I can say with confidence that NACAS is full of team players who understand the importance of the "me" in team.  They also understand the necessity of showing appreciation, and it is demonstrated repeatedly by our volunteer leaders and future leaders as well.

When I am asked what  NACAS is, my standard reply is that we are a group of people helping each other do a better job of helping the future leaders of our world (your students) do a better job. That is a darn good job to have, and I thank each of you for letting me be a part of NACAS and your important mission. 

Your volunteering has a meaningful, positive impact on your Association, your institution, and the future. I believe that it can have many benefits for you too.

Keep lifting and your max will increase, the team will get stronger, and so will you.

"The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research has found a significant connection between volunteering and good health. The report shows that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease."  From The Corporation for National and Community Service, May 07, 2007.

In the summer issue of College Services, NACAS President Frank Mumford praised the work of the Leadership Team Meeting. I thought his remarks were succinct and a reflection of the team spirit of NACAS. I have worked with many volunteer organizations, and NACAS has the largest percentage of active working members I have ever seen in a volunteer group. I hope the quote above is credible, because you all deserve a healthy life.

Jeff Perdue