The Hard Hat: 21 Ways to Be a Great Teammate

Chapter 18Live and Lead Like George

Andrew Collins said an interesting thing about life is that, when someone dies, his or her memory usually fizzles over time, but just as George never wavered, his impact hasn't, either. When I asked Andrew why, he said, “Because George never asked for it. It's who he was. He was larger than life without trying to be larger than life. To this day, I often ask myself, ‘Is this how George would have lived his life?’ I can't be George but I can strive to be like him. Remembering him makes me better. Every day I take his lessons and apply them to my life as a husband and new father. In my role as a sales manager, I never ask my team to do things I wouldn't do. Instead of telling them, I remember George's example, and I get in there and do the work and show them how it's done.”

Kyle Georgalas, who is now an assistant coach for the Army lacrosse team, said, “George made me a better teammate and now he makes me a better coach. I have more empathy and strive to serve my team. I go to the library to meet with players during the off-season instead of making them come to my office. I focus more on developing relationships with my players to help them be their best.”

George's coach, Ben DeLuca, who is now an assistant for the Duke University lacrosse team, said, “Two events in my life have transformed my coaching philosophy: 9/11 and George's passing. Losing ...