Calling All Leaders!

Personal Development

April 17, 2014
David Dye
President of Trailblaze, Inc.

Topics

action, employee engagement, Inspiration, motivation, revolution

I Don't Care

I'm sure it's happened to you.

It happens to all of us...you hear the words coming out of your mouth and before you finish the sentence, you realize you're saying something an adult told you when you were a child. Something you haven't uttered in decades.

When I was eight-years-old, I joined a youth soccer team. When the coach asked me what position I wanted to play, I said, "Goalie."

My reasoning was that the goal-keeper didn't have to run. It's probably not a surprise that I didn't last very long in that position.

The next year, Coach Tom moved me to defender. I had to anticipate where the ball was going and run to cut off the next pass or shot.

After a game where I failed to get myself in position, Coach Tom pulled me aside.

"David, you need to see where the ball is going and -"

"I know, Coach!" I interrupted, "You gotta see the angle and block it off."

Coach Tom looked at me, took a deep breath, and said, "David, I don't care what you know. I care what you do with what you know."

I don't care what you know. I care what you do with what you know. -Coach Tom

Many years later, I was an assistant coach for my daughter's basketball team and it was my job to help the girls with their layups.

I pulled aside my daughter's friend after she continued to struggle with her off-hand.

"When you go up with your left hand, you -"

"I know, I know!" she said.

I took a deep breath, smiled at my daughters friend, and before I knew what was happening, Coach Tom's words tumbled from my mouth.

What Do You Know?

If you're reading this post, congratulations!

Unlike many leaders, you're taking time to invest in your own growth.

You live at an amazing time in history. You have access to more leadership wisdom than anyone who's ever been alive before you!

And yet...

Depending on the research you read, employees are still disengaged, people continue to struggle with each other rather than their mission, and hardly a day goes by where you don't hear a report on the consequences of poor leadership in politics, business, or even faith communities.

Clearly, there is a great need for leaders, not just to know more, but to do what they know.

Tiny Revolutions

A quick glance at the last ten posts on the Lead Change Group will give you plenty of ideas for inspired action.

Imagine what would happen for your credibility and influence if you took just one of those ideas and mastered it over the next six months? Over the coming year?

Now, what if you committed to one specific inspired leadership action each month for ten years? What would you and your team accomplish together?

Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years. -Bill Gates

I bet you would amaze yourself!

This is more difficult than it might seem at first glance. After all, I teach leadership and employee engagement, but just last week I dropped the ball. I didn't set clear expectations and the results were predictable. Confusion and disappointment.

We get distracted.

We forget.

Sometimes our frustrations get the better of us.

But we don't stop there. We take responsibility. We make it right.

We keep going and we take someone on the journey with us.

That's the leadership revolution...one small step. One leadership moment. One leader at a time.

Your Turn

What will you do with what you know?

Leave us a comment: What one inspired leadership action will you commit to for the next 30 days?

I'll go first: I commit to clarity with my team and not assuming they can read my mind!

How about you?

Take care,

David

Creative Commons Photo by Joel_47

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