"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Familiar saying?
This week the University of Iowa Women's basketball team played in the NCAA championship game. While I'm not much of a basketball fan, the journey this team has taken caught my attention this year. Led by guard Caitlin Clark, a junior from West Des Moines, the team created quite the following and set plenty of records. Caitlin herself set most of those.
She was the first to have a triple-double in the NCAA tournament. Meaning double digits in points, assists, and rebounds. During the tournament, she scored a total of 191 points, setting a new record for NCAA--women and men. She set the record for the number of 3-pointers (32) and the record for the number of 3-pointers in the championship game (8).
A stat that many people will overlook is the number of assists Caitlin had during the tournament. Sixty--setting a record for women and just one short of the men's record.
Obviously, Caitlin is a competitor, and she's a fierce one. She's a phenomenal athlete in her own right. But that record of the number of assists is just as important. That's 60 shots Caitlin did not take, but rather she passed the ball to a teammate to take the shot. Potentially 180 additional points from shots she did not take. (And, if you watch Caitlin play for even just a few minutes you'll see she can take and make the 3-point shot. You can find plenty of amazing ones from just beyond half-court; taken and made handily and with confidence.)
She didn't take the shots but she also didn't miss them. Instead, she relied upon and trusted her teammates. In an era of self (and a growing proclivity for selfishness), Caitlin is a positive example of community; of team-building; of trust; of leadership. Her actions match her words. In her press conferences and social media posts, she always acknowledges her team and her teammates' work. Yes, she accepts the attention and accolades for her individual talent; but she also recognizes she is a member of a team.
Leaders--whether in name, position, or action--can learn a lot from Caitlin's example. It's okay to be one of the best, to set records, to receive attention. But it is equally important to remember, acknowledge, and praise those who assist; those who helped you in those achievements no matter how big or small their contribution. Don't miss that opportunity.
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