“Ubuntu” was a term that is relatively new to me. A colleague recently passed on the following story to me. After doing a Google search for “Ubuntu”, I also found the interview with Doc Rivers and how he has used it as a head coach. I couldn’t help but think about the values of humility and teamwork instilled in these young African people. As all teams develop, these young people should serve as models for us.
“UBUNTU”
An anthropologist studying the habitats and customs of an African tribe found himself surrounded by children most days. So he decided to play a little game with them. He managed to get candy from the nearest town and put it all in a decorated basket at the foot of a tree.
Then he called the children and suggested they play the game. When the anthropologist said “now”, the children had to run to the tree and the first one to get there could have all the candy to him/herself.
So the children all lined up waiting for the signal. When the anthropologist said “now”, all of the children took each other by the hand and ran together towards the tree. They all arrived at the same time, divided up the candy, sat down and began to happily munch away.
The anthropologist went over to them and asked why they had all run together when any one of them could have had the candy all to themselves.
The children responded “Ubuntu. How could any one of us be happy if all the others were sad?”
Ubuntu means: I am because we are.
DOC RIVERS ARTICLE ON “UBUNTU”
Coaching Xcellence 