What Makes a great Team?

Two great teams are playing each other in the Superbowl on Sunday. Colts vs. Saints. There are lots of qualities that make up a great team, but thought i would point out just five that seem to be evident in these two teams.

1. Humble yet confident leader- both coaches seem to exude these two traits.

2. Skilled linchpin- Most of the time this is the quarterback for a football team. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I would consider them linchpins for the Colts and Saints, as Seth Godin has written about in his new book. Every great team has to have at least one linchpin who is crucial to the success of the team.

3. Clear Vision and Clear Goal- in the NFL, every team has the Superbowl as their ultimate goal for the year. But only for a few is that goal a reality. Great teams have vision that inspires and goals that are attainable.

4. A cause greater than themselves- for the Saints, they truly are playing for the city of New Orleans.

5. Constantly getting better- great teams continue to improve. The Saints got better after their loss to Dallas that gave them their first defeat of the year. Same with the Colts. Great teams don't allow for mediocrity to set in. They push themselves on a daily basis, and that accountability is held by the team, not necessarily just by the leader.