Today’s quote may sound a bit harsher than the tone I usually deliver, but it highlights an important truth about teams and performance.

All of us are capable of achieving meaningful things. For a team to reach its full potential, however, every member must be committed to becoming the best possible version of themselves.

Think about a football team. If one member of the offense fails to make a block, the entire play can be blown up and the team loses yardage. In some cases, another player may even be injured because someone failed to execute their assignment.

Great players—and great leaders—are not always the ones with the most natural talent. They are often the ones who continually strive to improve and pursue excellence, not just for their own benefit, but for the success of the entire team.

On strong teams, members rely on one another to carry their own weight. They understand that everyone’s effort contributes to the final outcome. Because of that shared responsibility, teammates hold one another accountable for performing their roles to the best of their ability.

When everyone commits to that standard, teams thrive. When one member consistently falls short, the entire team underachieves.

Great teams understand the difference between mistakes and mediocrity. Honest mistakes that come from effort and growth are part of improvement and are generally supported and corrected. But careless effort, repeated negligence, or simple laziness is something strong teams rarely tolerate.

If someone has average ability and is maximizing that ability, they are not mediocre. But when someone has above-average ability and chooses to operate at an average or below-average level, mediocrity begins to take hold—and both leaders and teammates eventually notice.

Average sits on the bench.

So here are two questions to consider today:

Where can you level up your own game this week—and where might you need the courage to help others do the same?