As the U.S. Women’s National Team celebrated their World Cup victory a few weeks ago, many of the athletes talked about how connected they were, how much they enjoyed and appreciated each other—and that they felt those things long before the world saw them on display. It was, they said, the secret to the team’s success.

Connection is one of the most essential elements in a truly great team, no matter what the field. And no one understands that like Michael Stallard, president of E Pluribus Partners and world-leading expert on how to create a “connection culture.”

Many of us have been asked to take on a new role on our professional teams in the past. Change is the nature of today’s workforce but, if we are being honest, is usually met with resistance on our part—especially if the move could be perceived as a demotion.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz—part of arguably one of the most dominant starting rotations in Major League Baseball history—volunteered for the ultimate job change. A few years after his team won the 1995 World Series, they were seeking another competitive advantage in order to find new success. Smoltz answered the call and moved from starting pitcher to closer, a move some might have considered a professional step backwards. But three years later, after settling in and becoming a dominant force in the bullpen, Smoltz moved back to starter again because that’s what the team needed at that point.