I Am Because We Are
A Spirit of "We" Before "Me"
“Ubuntu really says if you want to be nice to yourself, start in a way by being nice to others.”
– Desmond Tutu
I Am Because We Are
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
In the book Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams, Pat Williams tells the story of Ubuntu.
The Boston Celtics had experienced a period of prolonged dominance in the 1970s and the first half of the ‘80s. Then after a series of difficult setbacks, the tables began to turn on the once-dominant Celtics in the 1990s
The team’s long run of dominance would not return until the Celtics head coach Doc Rivers introduced and interesting concept, ‘Ubuntu.’ Doc, who coached the Orlando Magic for four seasons, had taken over as head coach of the Celtics in 2004. He discovered the African concept of Ubuntu in, of all places, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A graduate of Marquette University, Doc stumbled upon Ubuntu during a board meeting, introduced by a fellow member who had recently visited South Africa.
Recalling the moment, Rivers explained, "I was in a meeting, and another board member asked me if I knew the word ... I did not. So she told me about it. I loved it. Talk about being at the right place at the right time. It was perfect."
‘Ubuntu’ is a traditional African concept, rich in meaning, without a simple equivalent in English. Derived from the Bantu language, Ubuntu is more than just a word; it’s a way of living in the world around you and how people should relate to one another. The closest description of the word in English would be “I am, because we are.” People with Ubuntu feel a belonging to a greater whole and that their well-being is interwoven with the well-being of others.
Ubuntu punctuates humility, selflessness, and lifting up those around you, creating a magical connectedness within teams. With Ubuntu, the individual succeeds only when the team succeeds. Ubuntu is a team-first mindset that enables a collection of individuals with unique skills to unite around a common goal and shared values.
Former Celtics guard Ray Allen described 'Ubuntu' as a way to "think as a group. You don't think as individuals." In 2008 the Celtics reclaimed its winning ways, capturing the NBA Championship. A feat Doc Rivers credited to the team’s sense of Ubuntu. If Ubuntu can bring about NBA championships, as a leader, how will you capture the spirit of Ubuntu to bring your team to future success?
"Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
– Vince Lombardi
Connecting this quote to the story. Lombardi speaks to how significant individual contributions are to collective work – the core principle of 'Ubuntu' is that the success of the individual is inseparable from the success of the entire team.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Be more concerned with surrounding yourself with people who complement you - not those who compliment you.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024