“Coach the player to be what you want him to be. Not who he is.”
When you lead, what is your mind set?
Is the teammate you’re leading full of potential or just another pair of hands?
I think we often start off a relationship with a new employee with very low expectations. We give them little credit for previous experience. We credit them with little ambition. We expect that they probably can’t hang with the routine that will be required.
The result is that we often get what we expect.
But, here’s the rub: the low expectations may be justified. But, if you lead with those expectations, you discount your ability to make a difference as a leader.
If you initiate every leadership relationship with the idea that your coaching can make a difference in the life of your partners, it will.
You can insist on the habits of safety and good attendance. You can coach players into the small habits that improve daily performance.
You can be the first leader that they ever encountered who asked them to step up to a higher standard. You can be the first leader who caused them to see their contribution made a difference.
I’ve seen leaders who consistently inspire a high performance from their team. How? They believe that when they focus their attention on helping each teammate improve, good things happen. It’s a strategy that never fails, so they make it their method.
When one team beats another, it’s usually not the talent that defines things. It’s the leadership that inspires those to be the best they can be.
