Creativity Tips: Create an All-Star Team

As a Kansas City native, I feel obligated to do a post re: today's All-Star game:

One of the many activities tied to the game was Sunday's program at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center, a fond look back at the 1985 World Series.* In The Kansas City Star story about the event, the reporter quotes former Royals catcher Jim Sundberg, talking about the 1985 squad:

"This team probably wasn't our most talented team, but it was the team that played best together."

That's what I'm talking about, folks. "Plays well with others" is more than a box to check off on the kindergarten grade card. It's an approach to life, a generosity of spirit, that leads to success. It leads to championships.

When you build your All-Star creative team, consider talent the table stakes. But before you move forward, ask yourself: "If I didn't have to, would I really want to play with this person?"
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In keeping with the All-Star trends, here's my list of what makes KC special -- beyond the BBQ, boulevards and baseball.

• Kansas City drivers let you cut in front of them in traffic. Not always, but often.
• Neighbors still borrow sugar and eggs from each other.
• Steaks. If you're a carnivore, you're in the right place. However, we also have every other kind of deliciousness available. With the possible exception of a Kosher deli.
• Four seasons trump two or one. Even if two of the seasons are less than delightful.
• Many of our wealthiest neighborhoods aren't gated. You can drive through Mission Hills and gawk at the houses, a favorite family activity when I was young.
• Farms. I love driving by farms and grazing horses right next to houses.
• We report the traffic, but ... yeah. It's not New York. And if you live here, you know the roads to avoid and when to avoid them. Quivira, for example. For now and the foreseeable future.
• Strangers help each other. Happened to me just this past weekend -- Tom and I were trying to move a heavy piece of furniture at Mom's assisted living facility. A man -- not young -- standing nearby immediately came over and helped. (Remind me of this on Thursday. You'll see why.)

*I have a ticket from that series in my wedding album. Tom and I got married on Oct. 27, 1985, the day the Royals won it all. That must be a good marriage omen ...