The Success of Life is Off the Stage, Motivating Employees

“Real success is not on the stage, but off the stage as a human being, and how you get along with your fellow man.” – Sammy Davis Jr.

Quotes are a great tool for motivating employees and yourself. They can help inspire teams and leaders to work together through many different situations. Familiar, eloquent voices encourage to connect through a common interest. This week’s quote comes from Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy was an American singer, dancer, actor, and musician who was an idol during the 1960s and 1970s. He had roles from Hollywood to Broadway and even became a star in Las Vegas giving him the nickname “Mister Show Business”. Sammy’s relationship with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra became known as the “Rat Pack,” featured in Ocean’s 11 and many other films. His many achievements were recognized by a plethora of award nominees, including awards from the Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, Golden Globes, and his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A Successful Leader

Sammy was not only a great performer, but he was an active citizen who fought for his rights in the Civil Rights movement. Although criticized as a Democrat for his support of President Nixon, he continued to show his political views to the public partly due to Nixon’s pro-Israeli mentality. He gave the startled President a hug during a live television broadcast. Sammy saw value in crossing the isle to support policies that he felt a strong need to support.

advice on motivating employees from sammy davis jr

Behind the Scenes

Sammy’s quote touches on the nature of success. Success is not valued by money or status, but by being an active human being and working with others in society. Even though Sammy was brought up in the spotlight, he valued teamwork and relationships over recognition for his own talents. Sammy is still respected today for his comedy, musical talent, and film career, but also he is known for his personality and love of life.

As a leader, motivating employees is about making these types of human connections “behind the scenes”. We are all drawn to people to whom we have obvious connections; however, it is important for you to connect with your entire team – especially team members with different views and strategies than your own. The Progressive Networking Dinner is a great team building program to help get you started.

How have your personal relationships within your team helped you improve performance? We’d like to hear your stories about motivating employees.

Let us know how you value getting along in the workplace! Check out our blog every week for more team building quotes to inspire you and your team, and let us know which ones motivate you to excellence.

Want a way to inspire your team to work together?

Download our free teambonding quote app to find all the quotes we are featuring on our blog and hundreds more to inspire your team!

Samantha DiFeliciantonio

Team Contributor

Subscribe

Sign up for tips on crafting the perfect team.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Podcast

around the world podcast logo

Get ideas, inspiration and best practices from across the globe.

apple podcast logo spotify podcast logo

Be a Guest Blogger

Do you have any useful tips, tricks, guides, or valuable insights about company culture?

Learn more  

Plays well with these activities.

Sign up for tips on crafting the perfect team.

Less drama? Greater productivity and job satisfaction? Yes, you really can make an impact, and TeamBonding is here to help. Subscribe to our blog for useful tips, tricks and insights.

More great content based on your likes.

Innovative Workplaces: Physical Workspace Design to Spark Engagement and Creativity

Whether we realize it or not, our workspaces play a very important role in engagement, creativity, and overall business success.. Workplace design—physical and virtual—can significantly influence behavior, promote collaboration, teamwork, creativity, and foster a culture of innovation. 

Read More  

The Evolution of Corporate Jargon: From Buzzwords to Inclusive Language

Corporate Jargon is a staple in the world of business. No matter what industry you are in, there’s likely a long list of jargon that gets used daily. At its core, corporate jargon is language used in the workplace to convey other, often more complicated, concepts. It can come in the form of acronyms, phrases, metaphors, and more. 

Read More  

How to Handle Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Conflict resolution in the workplace is something that many businesses struggle with. Conflicts are inevitable to an extent, and they can have negative effects on the business and workplace. They can create tension, slow progress, decrease efficiency, limit creativity, create toxicity, and much more. Resolving conflict in the workplace is essential if you want a positive and thriving business. 

Read More  

8+ Of The Best Spring Team Building Activities For 2024

The first day of spring is March 19th, but depending on where you live it might be here sooner than you think. It’s never too early to get out of hibernation and start planning something for your team to look forward to, especially after a long winter. Whether your team is remote, in-person, or anything in between there is a plethora of spring team building activities and ideas to bring everyone together.

Read More  

Questions? Need a quote?

Complete this form to get started or call 877-472-2725.

Loading Icon

Create Your Free Account

Get exclusive access to new programs from the TeamBonding Lab, save your favorite ideas, and track your upcoming events.
Already have an account? Login

Please wait...

Sign-in

Don't yet have an account?
Create a Free Account

Forgot Your Password? Password Reset