“We will battle in the trenches day-in and day-out to complete our mission. We will do so humbly and without pomp or circumstance.” – Dan Reeb
This thought-provoking football and steel industry comparison, written by one of our own, illustrates how teamwork thrives when we take a collaborative, selfless approach. 🏈
Pause for 5 minutes and read his story – it might help you get your team back on track. Either way, it’s fun and inspiring – it’ll make you smile 😁
Teamwork: How Gritty Lessons Bring About Refined Results – Dan Reeb
Growing up, I played football from the moment I was allowed to throw on pads. For me, football was a big part of my identity. From biking to practice in my full gear as a 5th grader, to two-a-days in high school, I lived and breathed the gridiron. Now, I thought for sure I would be a starting quarterback when I was little, but being of stout Norwegian stature, it was quite fitting that I played offensive line. Now, on the offensive line, if you wanted a starting spot, then there was no room for pride. There was no room for selfishness. There was no room for ego. The only things an O-lineman needed was grit and cooperation.
I could do my best every day to hit the weight room hard, to spend time studying my playbook, and to work on drills to counter whatever the defense could throw at us – to just live out the grit, but if I didn’t have that cooperation, then it was all for naught. The grit was needed on a personal level, but it is cooperation that precludes a complete and powerful unit on the line. As a right guard, my success and failure hinged directly on the success and failure of the center to my left and the tackle to my right, and their success was dependent on mine. In order to succeed, I needed to work to ensure the success of my teammates. To do it right, I needed to do it selflessly. Fast forward another decade and I am long since removed from the football field, but the lesson I learned over those years comes into play every single day at Superior Steel.
When a blitzing linebacker comes barreling down on you with nothing but pure aggression in his eyes, it can seem a daunting task to pick up the block, at least until you realize that by working with the men on either side of you, this freight train of an individual is reduced to nothing more than another helmet wearing angsty teen. Likewise, when faced with unexpected problems (opportunities as we like to call them) in our everyday life in the steel industry, we have the chance to view these problems as a 325 pound bull-rusher ready to send our QB into the dirt, or we can trust in the people around us to help pick up the slack and watch the problem melt into a mere logistical speedbump.
In my time here at Superior Steel, the willingness, readiness, and selflessness of my teammates is and always has been quite apparent, because it is something we actively focus on. We know and understand that it is in our best interests both as individuals and as a unit to lend a hand wherever needed. This teamwork mentality extends beyond our walls – from customers, to processors, to the mills, our entire staff stands at the ready shoulder-to-shoulder with our colleagues across the entire industry to handle whatever sets foot on our field. This cooperative mindset permeates every process and every department. We understand that in order to thrive in the push and pull of such a dynamic industry, a little teamwork goes a long way. We will battle in the trenches day-in and day-out to complete our mission. We will do so humbly and without pomp or circumstance. Our core principals here at Superior Steel include teamwork for this reason: We offer not only the knowledge to help determine what you need and the resources to make it happen, but you also receive the full support and teamwork of the Superior Steel Family from start to finish, until the whistle blows and the work is complete. —