“Do you believe in miracles?” – Al Michaels
37 years later you can still feel it.
The air inside the building has a presence to it.
You can sense something REMARKABLE happened there.
As you enter Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid NY, you are greeted by 2 amazing images:
- A 30 foot photo of the 1980 US Hockey Team diving on captain Mike Eruzione.
- A banner hanging in the rafters that states, “Miracles Happen Here.”
Goose bumps…
ESPN ranked the 1980 US Hockey Team’s win over the Soviets as THE GREATEST sporting event of the 20th Century.
A group of rival college kids, under a drill instructor head coach, defeated the greatest hockey team ever assembled.
They went on to win the GOLD medal.
This MIRACLE was made possible by 1 thing:
Synergy.
This week we continue a series on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Habit # 6: Synergize
Synergy is defined by the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Synergy means 1 +1 = 4.
Synergy is everyone following the same script.
The 1980 US Hockey Team may be one of the greatest examples of SYNERGY.
Most of the players on the US Olympic hockey team could NOT even have made the Soviet roster.
But together they found a way to defeat them on the world’s biggest stage.
The reason?
Synergy.
3 SYNERGY Lessons from the 1980 US Hockey Team:
- Diversity is a force multiplier: Brooks selected players with different skillsets, back grounds, & perspectives. Great teams are created with diversity.
- Trust: Synergy is built on trust. You know the other person has your back. You know they will be there when you need them. No trust, no nothing.
- Expect Adversity: Adversity is going to strike. It’s not a matter of if, but when. How you handle adversity determines who you become.
The 1980 US Hockey team SYNERGIZED their way into history.
Helen Keller wrote, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
Believe In:
- Yourself
- Your teammates.
- Your mission.
Synergize.
And watch the miracles unfold…
-Joe Ciccarone
The Vibe 