Sacrifice: The Power of True Teamwork
November 19, 2008 • Historical Leaders
Recently, we held our annual Exchange event in Washington D.C. This event is a powerful two day, high-end leader retreat with John Maxwell. Every year we host this event with around 80 executives from all over the US. We spend time learning and connecting with other leaders, and experience some of the most powerful events and leaders available. This was an outstanding event.
One of the highlights came from Lt. General Bill Caldwell. General Caldwell is currently over all of the leader training in the U.S. Army as well as many other initiatives.
He shared one of the most powerful stories on leadership I have heard in the longest time. It is an example of true teamwork.
The story is about a young private named Ryan who was stationed in Iraq. His role in his infantry’s unit was to be the gunner in their Humvee for all convoy missions they ran.
As troopers are trained, they have a code of conduct in combat and a leadership structure that keeps them constantly communicating. In fact, they use boom mics to stay in touch with one another in the vehicle as they carry out their missions.
On one convoy mission they were driving through an Iraqi town when gunfire erupted. Young Ryan began his duty of protecting the convoy. He began firing on the offensive gunman. Every soldier began communicating as they were taught. Everyone of them had a role to fulfill.
It was just there in the midst of whirling tracers that Ryan noticed a hand grenade had fallen behind him into the Humvee. He immediately yelled “grenade,” which would normally have prompted everyone to exit immediately as the vehicle is armor plated. The grenade would have exploded inside without harm to the soldiers.
As Ryan was disengaging from his platform and beginning to jump, he noticed that the Humvee wasn’t stopping and that his buddies were not fleeing. Instead of jumping out, Ryan jumped in - on top of the grenade.
Ryan made a split second decision that cannot necessarily be trained - he exemplified the true meaning of teamwork. This young 20 year old sacrificed himself for his four other soldier friends. He died minutes after the grenade went off. None of the other soldiers were injured.
At his funeral, a crusty old commander looked straight at the four living survivors of the army unit and said, “Boys, I hope you know how lucky you are. You should thank Ryan everyday that you are still alive.” Just then, young Ryan’s father spoke up and with words of strength and honor he commented, “Actually, boys, you should not feel bad that you are alive and he isn’t. Simply remember the sacrifice and spend the rest of your days living. Do to others what Ryan did for you.”
General Caldwell spoke life into us that day. He reminded us of the team trait of sacrifice for the benefits of others. Sacrifice is the fuel of teamwork. It is what makes marriages work, companies grow, and partnerships flourish, and it is what makes our military mighty and powerful.
Young private Ryan has just now become a historical leader. He exemplified the principle of sacrifice. Here is to more Ryan’s.
1 Comment
Mark Ralls said...
More people need to understand the importance and necessity of sacrifice.
People are too self-focused to see the needs of others around them. When our focus is through the prism of self-interest it clouds and distorts everything we do.
It is not until we take our eyes off ourselves that we can clearly see. This is the reason for and the answer to many of today’s concerns.
Executives more concerned about their own income and today’s stock value than the strength and real value of their companies.
Politicians more concerned about their own image than the strength, prosperity and security of the country.
Individuals more concerned about what is in it for me right now than the stability of their own future.
Sacrifice, with it we will be successful, without it we will fail.
Comment by Mark Ralls - Dec 03, 2008 @ 12:59 PM