Former NBA All-Star Mark Eaton in a dynamic motivational speech today to Montgomery-area business, political, and education leaders, said what makes a sports’ team successful works in business and in personal life.
Mark Eaton, who played for the Utah Jazz professional basketball team, from 1982 to 1993, was named to the NBA All-Star team in 1989 and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1989. He retired in 1994 and his jersey number, 53, was retired by the Jazz in 1996.
Interestingly, Eaton was working as an auto mechanic after high school when a junior college basketball coach urged him to return to basketball. His 88-inch height enabled him to become one of the best defensive centers in NBA history.
At 7-feet, 4-inches, Eaton was a commanding presence speaking at Auburn University Montgomery’s Continuing Education’s monthly Montgomery Business Breakfast, which is supported by the Business Council of Alabama among others. The breakfast was at the Montgomery Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill.
Eaton’s motivational message, “Four Commitments of a Winning Team,” can be applied to sports, business, and life.
1. Know your job: “Focus on strength.”
2. Be responsive: “Like in basketball, your job in business is to do what you’re asked to do.”
3. Make people look good: “The better you make others look good makes you look good.”
4. Protect others: “Be the person people can count on.”
“It’s simple,” he said, “to win, help others to win.”
-Dana Beyerle