This is a summary of a book titled “The 7 commitments of a great team” written by Jon Gordon and published by Wiley in 2025. The author is an athlete and an advocate for team building skills. He brings his principles to life through the use of vivid role playing and fictional characters. He explores what it means to build a lasting, high-performing team. His principles include: commit to the vision and mission of the team, commit to staying positive together, commit to giving your best, commit to getting better, commit to connect, commit to each other and commit to valuing each other.  He emphasizes VALUE as validate, appreciate, listen, understand and empathize. “It’s the love that lasts”. 

The story centers on Tim, a former college football player, who visits his old coach, Richie, in the hospital. Thirty years have passed since Tim played for Coach Richie, yet the coach’s influence remains powerful. Richie’s military background shaped his coaching style, instilling discipline and unity in his players. His favorite message: “Teammates are forever”: lingers in Tim’s mind, prompting reflection on how such bonds endure even as life moves on. 

Tim, now a business owner, faces a crisis: his employees are disengaged, results are poor, and turnover is high. He realizes that to save his company, he must inspire his team just as Coach Richie once inspired him. At home, Tim recounts a pivotal moment from his college days. Coach Richie had asked each player to write down their goals, only to have them discard those notes. The lesson? Winning and dominating are common ambitions, but what sets a team apart are the commitments its members make to themselves and each other. 

Coach Richie encouraged his players to pledge personal commitments: extra skills work, more recovery time, deeper study of game films. He promised that if they upheld six core commitments, they would be unstoppable. Years later, Tim discovered a seventh commitment: always value your teammates. 

The seven commitments are the backbone of the book: 

1.  Commit to the vision and mission of the team: Unity of purpose is essential; teams succeed when everyone pulls together toward a shared goal. 

2.  Commit to staying positive together: Challenges and setbacks are inevitable, but maintaining a positive outlook as a group helps teams rise above adversity. 

3.  Commit to giving your best: Consistent effort, positive habits, and showing up every day with determination are key to success. 

4.  Commit to getting better: Continuous improvement requires honest conversations and a willingness to address weaknesses, both individually and collectively. 

5.  Commit to connect: Strong bonds and genuine connection make teams resilient and powerful. 

6.  Commit to each other: Honest feedback and mutual support help every member grow and strengthen the team as a whole. 

7.  Commit to valuing each other: Appreciation and respect are the foundation for all other commitments. Gordon emphasizes VALUE: Validate, Appreciate, Listen, Understand, and Empathize. “It’s the love that lasts.” 

After Coach Richie’s passing, Tim and his former teammates reunite, their bonds as strong as ever. Inspired by his coach’s legacy, Tim resolves to bring the seven commitments to his own company. He enlists Coach Amy, a respected leadership consultant, to help roll out the commitments, one each month, to his employees. Together, they stress the importance of VALUE, ensuring every team member feels seen and appreciated. 

Tim’s efforts: personalized appreciation videos, special commitment cards, and ongoing value training: gradually transform his workplace. He learns that real change requires active leadership and a deep commitment to the principles that make teams great. In the end, Tim’s journey echoes Coach Richie’s enduring lesson: “Commitment recognizes commitment. The more you commit, the more it will come back to you.” 

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