There's a big basketball tournament happening in Philadelphia this July, the second annual of such event. It's also happening in Atlanta, Chicago, and LA -- 97 teams participating. Grand prize: $1 Million.

The tournament has expanded from last year, when there were 32 teams and a $500k prize. Last year, I missed the event because I was spending too much time gathering players instead of stumping for votes online (which is the only way to get your team in the tournament, or TBT - "The Basketball Tournament").  This year, I got ahead of the situation early, created my own team, and gathered my players quickly. I enlisted my fan base for votes and we WILL be playing in TBT this year -- in fact, you can get tickets here (http://ev13.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=TBTPH17&linkID=img-imgt&shopperContext=&caller=appList&appCode=).
[NOTE: Use code TBTFF for a 50% discount thru midnight on June 16 -- after that, all tickets are $20.]

But there's a story within. Of course.

I contacted a few close friends of mine about TBT before it was even announced publicly -- friends of mine who don't keep themselves in the same shape that I do. Nonetheless, I offered them roles on my team -- coach or play -- simply because they're my friends, and it would be a great reason for all of us to get together again around a common theme of basketball. Great idea, right?

Until they all bailed on me.

For some strange reason, three specific people I'd offered roster spots all seemed to be waiting on the other two to move before they would move.

One friend committed, and then cancelled, citing his work schedule.

Another, when I asked him what was the holdup of him signing up as I had instructed, replied by asking me if the other two had done it yet.

Another simply ignored my calls and messages for a month until I got the point.

All of this had me ranging from flummoxed to annoyed to angry until I gave it some deep thought. Now I've figured it out.

They're part of the 19.

I'll explain.

If you talk to 20 people about an opportunity to do something -- anything -- that makes sense to them,

1 will say, "I'll do this, and then find other people to do it with me."

19 will say, "I'll find other people to do it with me, then I will get involved once there are enough of the others."

The 1 is what we call a leader. The 19 are followers.

The 1s create opportunities. The 19 jump onto opportunities that have already been created (sometimes). If you're building any type of team or business or movement, the 19s will build your team when you implore them to follow -- they will bring friends, one by one.

The 1s will explode your team as soon as they get a grasp of how things work.

19s need to be instructed, motivated and managed. 19s want to be told what to do, when, how, where and why. Then motivated to do so.  1s simply need to be activated, educated and let loose. They figure it out along the way. 1s make your job easier and take work off your hands. 19s give you strength in numbers, but a hell of a lot more work to do.

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Is there something wrong with being a 19? Heavens, no -- if you're reading this, there's a 95% chance you are a 19. 1s are damn hard to find, and even harder to keep. 19s are easy to keep -- just give them enough that they feel safe and they're happy. 1s will eventually want to see what they can do on their own, the risks be damned. 19s need to run their ideas by someone else before they get started. 1s just do it and see what happens. 19s seek safety to avoid embarrassment. 1s are immune to embarrassment (it's a state of mind, and thus must be chosen).

A valuable skill that will take you far is discerning 1s from 19s, and doing so very quickly. It will save you a lot of time, and make understanding people's actions much easier.