Why Good Teams Fail and Great Teams Win

History is filled with star athletes who, through extraordinary talent and sheer determination, powered their teams to victories and etched their names into history. But while an individual can win a game, it almost always takes a team to win a championship.

Consider Michael Jordan—the greatest NBA player of all time. When he entered the league in 1984, his unmatched athleticism and skill made him an instant phenomenon. Yet, despite his dominance, Jordan didn’t win a single NBA championship for nearly seven years. It wasn’t until 1991, when he was surrounded by a strong supporting cast, that he finally captured his first title.

This pattern is true across all sports: it’s the stronger team—not just the stronger player—that takes home the prize.

Even role basketball players who average only two or three points a game play a decisive role. Why? Because most games are won within a margin of just a few points. A team can literally lose if the “guy who usually scores three points” doesn’t score at all.

If every contribution matters, why do so many leaders overlook the supporting cast—focusing their attention, opportunities, and visibility only on the star performers? This trap prevents many teams from reaching their full potential.

Here are three ways to ensure every member of your team performs at their highest capacity:

1. Don’t Just Buy Talent—Build It

Everyone wants the best players. But the best leaders know that you can’t buy your way to lasting success—you must build it. This means going beyond evaluating current skill sets to also identifying potential.

Potential isn’t just about where someone is today; it’s about where they could be tomorrow with the right coaching, mentorship, and sponsorship. Once you identify potential, you must commit to nurturing it.

2. Build Around Strengths, Not Weaknesses

It’s tempting to focus on weaknesses and try to force people into a single mold. But real progress comes from maximizing strengths.

No one ever became great by simply improving their weaknesses. People excel because their strengths are recognized, valued, and fully leveraged. Adapt your leadership style to bring out the unique value each person contributes to the team rather than trying to fit everyone into the same skillset.

3. Believe in Their Potential and Challenge Them

Great leaders don’t just see potential—they believe in it. They paint a vision of the future so compelling that it inspires each team member to rise to the occasion.

When people understand that their contributions are essential and their growth is expected, they begin transforming potential into performance.

Final Thought

Unlocking the potential of your team requires patience, commitment, and consistent belief in people. Every investment you make in developing your supporting cast becomes a building block for championship-level success.

Because in the end, it’s not just the stars who win championships—it’s the team that triumphs.