Today I was reminded of the value of having multiple people who are able to fulfill a task when needed. Whether it be in athletics, or business, or any kind of team situation, having backups who can jump in and get the job done when the regulars aren’t available can make a huge difference.

Of course, this takes planning and intentionality. If the people who normally take care of the task are great at what they do, it can be easy to put off training and preparing others to be ready to fill their shoes. But when the time comes when the normal person isn’t available, having someone who can fill in at a moment’s notice will make all the extra effort well worth it.