I was flipping through the channels one evening and happened upon NBC’s game show, Minute to Win It.  Guy Fieri is the host – you may know him from Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives or Guy’s Big Bite.  He seems to be everywhere I look these days (or maybe I watch too much Food Network).  What compelled me to stay on NBC was the team in competition for $1Million.  It was a family of extraordinary kids.

The Bishop family, or Team Bishop, was Aimee, 19, Drew, 18, Holly, 13, Cullen, 11 and Brad, 10.  Their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were in the audience watching and sporting their “Team Bishop” t-shirts.  As I watched the show, I couldn’t help but be inspired by their teamwork, leadership and communication skills.  Here are a few takeaways that can relate to your career and life in general:

Teamwork – Look at how the Bishops worked as a team.  Everyone played a specific part.  They practiced and knew where their strengths and weaknesses were.  Because of that, they were able to maximize their potential.  Do you know your greatest strength?  Better yet, do you know your greatest weakness?  What are you doing about it?

Leadership – Drew and Aimee were the oldest, yet they allowed their younger siblings to lead the team in several challenges.  In fact, the youngest, Brad, took on the last challenge for the $1Million.  Not only did Brad show great leadership, he was inspired by the leadership of his siblings.  Remember, each team member had practiced (practice makes perfect).  Each kid had a light-hearted “can-do” attitude about everything, regardless of the difficulty of the challenge.  This sunny disposition has helped them succeed in life.

Communication – Each challenge grew in difficulty the farther they got in the competition.  Effective communication in the form of positive coaching was a theme throughout.  Let’s face it – all siblings have rivalries.  They all fight.  But, the only thing you saw was the positive reinforcement and coaching for their team members in the competition.  Without this communication, I don’t think they would have made it so far.  Think about how you’re communicating with others.  Is it positive?  What message are you sending?

Support – As stated above, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were in the audience cheering on Team Bishop.  This cheering was a form of support.  Several times, Guy went into the audience and asked Mom and Dad about their kids.  You could tell that they were very proud of them no matter what the outcome of the competition.  On the flip-side, Team Bishop planned to use the money to purchase a larger house for their parents in appreciation of all their support and sacrifices over the years.  They weren’t cocky – in fact, they were very humble about their upbringing and accomplishments, wanting to repay their parents in this way.  Who is supporting you in your career or job search?

So, how did they do?  After two hours of nail-biting, poised at the end-of-the-couch nervousness, I’m happy to report that Team Bishop walked away with $500,000.  I think it’s all because of the things mentioned above.  Watch the full episodes by clicking here.  What are you doing in your job search or career to “win it?”  Please comment below.  As always, thanks for reading!