Since I am likely the only one who woke up with that thought, allow me to explain why. I was in Chicago over the weekend to catch a Cubs' game with my son. Since the game was rained out, we went downtown to check out NFL Draft Town. We stopped in a NFL Store right outside of Grant Park and Steve McMichael was signing autographs. My son got in line, and I told him when he got up there to ask Steve what his favorite memory was of Walter Payton.
After Steve first managed to make fun of the Cubs for not playing in the rain (you know, since football players wouldn't have minded), my son was able to ask the question. You could tell it was something that had an impression on Steve as he paused for a few seconds, got down on a knee to make sure he was eye level with my son, and proceeded to tell him how hard Walter practiced. How he never took a day off. And that he was never afraid to sneak up on Steve and wrap him in a giant bear hug to remind Steve how tough he was.
Along with being a fun moment for me as a huge Bears' fan, it made me think of how Walter would probably have a few more ideas to share about working with others.
1) Always show up. Walter didn't only do this at games when the bright lights were on. According to Steve, he did it every day in practice too. I have a feeling he didn't do it for accolades, but it was simply who he was. He showed up every day, ready to go and have an impact on his organization. What a great quality in a teammate and a colleague.
2) Have some fun. I imagine along with showing Steve how tough he was, Walter was trying to lighten the mood at practice by sneaking up behind McMichael. Sure he was paid a lot of money for playing a game, but Walter wanted to enjoy what he was doing on a daily basis.
3) Be memorable. As the moment on Saturday impacted me, it was almost more so because it reminded me about how both players were likely wonderful teammates. To have such good memories about something that happened 30 years ago is a sure sign they made each other better on and off the field.
4) Set goals. I am pretty certain Steve and Walter didn't show up to practice hard just to say they had a good practice. They wanted to win games, win their division, and ultimately win a Super Bowl. They would not have been able to do any of that together if they had not set goals and worked hard every day to achieve them.
5) Be intentional. In the short story that was shared by Steve, I got the sense that something like the bear hug was not a one-time occurrence. Walter likely sought out Steve (and others) on a daily basis. You can't build a good long-term relationship with one moment or a couple of moments. Instead they are built up over time by seeking out others on purpose to learn about them, be with them, and share knowledge when you can.
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