Youth Inc. Recommends: Four great resources about caring about your teammates

Empathy, compassion and being a good person aren’t measured in the same way as points or goals scored, but they’re just as important. Being a good teammate and a caring person goes a long way to building team unity and culture. 

These foundational skills, as well as learning to become a leader, will serve people long after their athletic careers are over. We at Youth Inc. love the important life skills that sports teach us and have identified four great resources for caring about your teammates. 

Care About Your Teammates

 What it is: A terrific TikTok video from The Captain himself, Derek Jeter. In an interview with Joe Buck, Jeter talks about getting to know his teammates and leading by example. 

Why we like it: We love Jeter’s approach to leadership and his thoughtful approach to building team chemistry. His philosophy says it all: “I think if you communicate and you’re honest with people they tend to trust you, and if you lead by example they may follow you.” 

It's a lot more than scoring goals 

What it is: Another TikTok video focused on soccer but applicable to any sport. The video highlights what makes a good leader. 

Why we like it: Good leaders are not always the top scorers. This video notes that leadership is about effort, resilience and heart. It’s about playing for the person next to you. We agree. 

How To Grow Your Leadership Skills   

What it is: A reddit thread written by an athlete who is looking for advice on how to become a better leader. The athlete is one of his team’s best players, but doesn’t have the leadership skills he feels he needs.  

Why we like it: We love when an athlete shows humility and a willingness to learn. This person is quiet and is seeking advice on how to become a good leader. The thread that follows is a master class in leadership.

High Performance Does Not Equate To Great Leader   

 What it is: A honest, straight forward message from Michael Mogill in which he says something very important: Not everyone should be a leader. 

Why we like it: Mogill is a straight shooter and he says that not every good player should be a captain or not every path should lead to management. Leadership shouldn’t automatically go to high performers. True leaders get more satisfaction for the success of others than they do their own.