Being there for your teammate. A lesson handed to me by my dad – a respected NCO.
I’d like to share a powerful lesson I learned while visiting my dad in Hawaii on what “being there for your teammate” can look like. If you’ve ever heard a Navy SEAL referred to as a team guy, here’s one small example in my mind as to why.
Late one night, we were playing chess together and my dad received a phone call. A friend’s lights had gone out in their house and they were wondering if my dad could stop by later in the week to take care of it.
“Well, you are up right now, right?” my dad asked over the phone. Without hesitating, he offered to come help repair the problem.
“Are you sure?” I heard his friend over the phone. “Is the family up?” My dad asked. “Family is up.” He said with energy. “I’ll just head over now then.”
He picked up his tool belt and we were out the door. It was like watching TV, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of my dad’s generosity and motivation to drive out in the middle of the night to work on a friend’s problem – a teammate’s problem.
After a friendly knock at the front door, my dad’s teammate welcomed us in. His home was dark, save a couple candles and the beam of a flashlight. His family wandered about with midnight-excitement but my dad knew why he was there and took to the problem immediately.
My dad’s teammate walked us upstairs and showed us the light in question. My dad swung his toolbelt in front of him and got to work. It was humbling to watch him apply his apprentice electrician skills to the task. This may sound haughty or pretentious, but I had a hard time understanding why he was so eager to help fix the lights – he was a Navy SEAL and a respected NCO at that. I couldn’t help but be taken by the moment.
“Alright, that should do it.” My dad called from atop his ladder.
He walked downstairs, reset the breakers and light began to flood the house as he switched the lights on in each room.
Clearly relieved, my dad’s teammate reached out to shake my dad’s hand, “Thank you so much Dan. I really appreciate you coming out here in the middle of the night.” He had money folded in his palm.
“No, don’t worry about it.” My dad pushed his teammates hand back. “Seriously, take it.” He tried to force the cash in my dad’s pocket.
My dad’s response came back loud and clear. He didn’t want it.
The drive home was mostly quiet, save all the thoughts running through my mind. My dad had shown me what being there for your teammate is supposed to look like. He showed me there are more to the “Teams” than being a Navy SEAL.
