The leadership equation that leads to success…
There are two commonalities that I see in a lot of elite leaders:
They talk, with great clarity, about a message that matters. They hit on things that are core principles that lead to victory. They communicate with clarity, consistency, and, many times, creativity. In short, they preach the right message, and it resonates.
They unwaveringly hold people accountable.
Equation: clarity of message + accountability = success
Message: There are a hundred messages...or core values, that leaders talk about. It is not necessarily the values, standards, or expectations that matter, it is how clearly you communicate those that matter.
Some preach toughness, some preach focus. Some attention to detail, some being a great teammate.
Whatever you stand for...whatever you think is crucially important...create and communicate a message that is clear!
Example
I spent some time around a program two weeks ago. I was super impressed by the messaging of the head coach. The message during the weekend was generally about the same two things.
One day, he told a story that painted a picture. The next day, he succinctly reminded his team of the two points.
And then, after a win, he tied the actions of the athletes back to those two main points he was preaching.
It was a master class in messaging!
Accountability: Again, this plays out in different ways depending on the leader.
Some use punishment. Some leaders' volume goes up about a hundred decibels. Some are quiet and matter-of-fact. Some use the bench. Regardless of how you hold people accountable to your expectations and standards...you have to do it!
Example:
My favorite example of this is a coach who is surgical in his approach to accountability.
He starts the year by simply telling his athletes, "I am going to coach under the assumption that you want to be great."
This sets the bar. This raises the athlete's gaze. This gets everyone on the same page and feeling like they are in this together. "You want to be great, so I will treat you like that" is essentially what he is saying.
Then he proceeds to be "relentless" in holding them accountable to being great. No yelling. No screaming. Just extreme intentionality in holding them to the work ethic and behaviors that greatness requires.
In my book Leadership Greenhouse, I lay out some principles that elite leaders use to create an environment where people thrive and flourish.
As leaders communicate their message with great clarity and hold people accountable, they often use some principles that I lay out in the book.
Three principles that come to mind are:
+ High challenge and high support - This is a principle that should be on the top of every leader's mind when leading others.
+ Inspiration is another. Many coaches who communicate their message in memorable ways are perceived to be inspirational.
+ The third is humility. In my observation, coaches who truly show humility can challenge and hold people accountable at a higher level and still have a great environment. Prideful people who lack humility, when they challenge and hold people accountable at a high level, lose influence rather than gain influence.
We can learn a lot from elite leaders.
Not so that we can mimic them, but so we can learn the principles they use.
Once we see the principles, we can ask ourselves if we are using those principles to lead our people. If we are not, then we must figure out how to implement them in our own authentic way.
Questions:
Are you clearly, consistently, and creatively getting your message across? Is it resonating with your people?
When the values, standards, and expectations are not met, are people held accountable?
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360' Leadership Assessment - I have yet to meet an elite leader who isn’t hungry to grow and improve. The problem is when you become a head coach, feedback gets more and more rare. Let Travis take you through a 360’ review that will shine a spotlight on your superpowers (strengths) and also identify ways in which you can get better. This is for high-level leaders with a hunger to continue to improve! Email Travis at travis@kingdomcoachingtw.com to learn more or get started.
Interview Prep - The person who lands to job isn't always to best leader or coach. It is often the leader or coach who is able to articulate their vision, principles, and strategies the best. In order for us to be our best during an interview, we need to prepare. Let us help you get ready so you can land your dream job! Email Travis at travis@kingdomcoachingtw.com to learn more or get started
Speaking - During this transformative experience, I will guide you through the essential principles that lay the foundation for an elite environment in your program. Our approach is entirely interactive, ensuring an engaging and dynamic learning journey for all participants.
The Tribe - What are your pain points? What do you need to do to become a better leader? To create a better environment? Join a group of like-minded coaches who get together (via Zoom) every 2nd and 4th Monday to discuss and work through principles and frameworks to help you become a better leader.
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