The older I get the more I recognize that success takes a team. Over the last few weeks I have seen how teamwork and leadership go hand in hand in multiple ways.
As a hockey mom, I have seen my share of team work, solid passes, and game winning goals. I’ve also seen teams falter when one superstar tries to do it all alone. The reality is, that in the end, strong TEAMS win.
“The only way we win is as a team.” ~ Harry Mahood, Coach of the Phoenix Polar Bears – the only Junior team in USA Hockey history to play in the National Championship Tournament NINE years straight. (Quite a feat for an Ice Hockey team from the desert!)
In May, CorePurpose published a great new book by Amilya Antonetti titled The Recipe: A fable for leaders and teams. It is not our usual type of book or even our normal market – but the message was so important and timely in the current economic environment that I made the decision as publisher to give it a try – and I called my team together for help. Everyone pitched in to bring the book to market faster than any other title we had ever published. Graphics designers, editors, printers, our marketing team, our distributor (BookMasters), and our author worked around the clock to put together a little book with a BIG message. And the end result was something we could all be very proud of. Over 100 friends came out as we honored three great leaders: Monica Crowley (Journalism), Ken Colburn (Entrepreneurship), Lynn Tilton (Business) at a private media event sponsored by Innovators Warehouse, Shwaag, and Barrington Printing. When we officially launched the following day at the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Triangle in the heart of Manhattan, it was to a full house and we sold out every copy they had on hand! (It did not hurt that we had an awesome team of leaders on our panel; at Barnes and Noble including Kevin Daum, Gloria Feldt, and Mike Micholwicz!)
Wonderful friends from across the country pitched in and continue to help spread the word. Kevin Daum, author of the hot new book ROAR made introductions to reviewers and friends in Manhattan, Kathy Partak flew out from California to help coordinate the media and save my sanity by coordinating a million details, Kevin Desoto began leading our social media strategy and even made the trek from Warwick, RI to NYC to cover the launch events live. (To see how teamwork can lead to freedom – watch Kevin’s Video about Lisa Ling and Euna Lee on his website – Amazing!) 
Would you rather have a team of champions OR a championship team? ~Amilya Antonetti
The great thing about teamwork is that it is an ongoing process. Another team that pitched in to help were our friends Eric Keosky-Smith and Michael Edwards founders of Shwaag. To help bring attention to the NYC launch, they gave away an iPad with The Recipe on it in May and they are doing it again this week as we launch the West Coast media tour. (To get your chance to get “shwaag’d” go to www.Shwaag.com and use invite code AMA2525.)
I wanted to give back and I asked 24 of my good friends to help me. ~ John Assaraf
Amilya’s friend John Assaraf one of the featured experts in the blockbuster movie and book The Secret and the New York Times best selling author of The Answer and Having It All was one of our first reviewers for The Recipe. (A quote from his review is on the book’s cover.) John’s newest project is taking team work to a whole new level. Together with 23 of his personal friends, he put together as free teleseminar series where each expert will share their secrets of success – twice a week for 12 weeks – beginning June 15th. John named the program Success Manifestors since that is what each of these experts have demonstrated and will share. It’s just one more example of what happens when you ask champions to come together as a team. Everyone wins! (To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to register. For more information, click here.)
Like I shared in the beginning – success takes a team.
The great thing is… teammates are all around you. You just need to ask for help occasionally, look for strong players, and as my kids will tell you – pass the puck!
Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned…
Joan Koerber-Walker
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