THIS WEEK’S BLOG -> Every Leader Has Been Stuck. How To Get Unstuck With Three Simple Disciplines.
READ -> I am a big fan of Matt Rhule. He seems to be a forward-thinking, tough leader. This is a super encouraging article.
LISTEN -> This is a really good podcast, specifically about creating ideas and being forward-thinking.
VERSE -> John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Every Leader Has Been Stuck. How To Get Unstuck With Three Simple Disciplines
Have you ever felt like you are stuck? Like you are not moving fast enough, or even moving at all? Have you ever felt you are not adding enough value to your staff or student-athletes? In those moments how do you respond to a lack of progress or movement in your life?
Jesus tells a story of three men each getting gifted bags of silver. One man got 5, another got 3, and another got 1, each according to their abilities.
The man who gave the gifts went on a long trip. The men who received the gifts were supposed to multiply these bags of gold (talents) while the man was away on his trip.
When he got back from his trip, he asked each of the three people to give an account for how they used his money. Two of them invested wisely and multiplied it and one buried and did nothing with it.
The story or parable illustrates this: We are all given abilities and it is up to us to grow or invest those abilities.
We spend too much time comparing ourselves, usually with what we don’t have that someone else has. Instead, focus on getting better. It is your great privilege to take what has been given to you and grow it, multiply it, and get better!
So how do you get better, grow your skills, and multiply your talents?
There are four growth categories:
#1 Just Experience
Many people will let just experience be the thing that multiplies their talents. Or in other words, they coach. They just simply get reps in. They start coaching and just keep at it. They have little to no reflection, and don’t seek other ways to grow… they just coach.
#2 Experience and Reflect
Others spend time reflecting on their experiences. They reflect on their experiences and asking how they can improve and grow based on reflection and evaluation of what happened.
This can be as simple as hanging out in the locker room or office and talking about the game. Asking questions like “How can we be better?” “What did we do well?” “What do we need to change or tweak?”
#3 Experience, Reflect, Learn
Another group of coaches reflects on their coaching experiences but they also pursue other ways to learn and grow in their craft. By listening to podcasts, going to conventions, watching videos, and picking other coaches’ brains, they love to learn about their sport. They combine the experience and reflection with a pursuit of more knowledge of their craft.
This looks as simple as reading a book or watching videos or reading websites that are sport-specific.
#4 Experience, Reflect, Learn Across Multiple Disciplines
Next there is the group that reflects and learns from their coaching experiences, learns about their craft, but they also read outside their sport. They read from multiple disciplines.
Charlie Munger super investor and Warren Buffets’ right-hand man, talks about reading across disciplines and its importance.
As I have been around coaches of varying abilities and vary levels, the one thing I have noticed is this… those in category four are often the highest performers.
When you learn from experience, pursue other ways to grow, and pursue not just your area but in multiple areas, those are the ones who are next level.
Leaders in this category read not only sports-specific books but they read leadership books, psychology books, science/physics books, biographies, military books, and more.
The Secret Sauce
I want to add one ‘ingredient’ to growth. It is the secret sauce. It is the one thing that can, when added to these other things, can give you explosive growth.
Find people who are farther along than you. Find people who are smarter and more experienced. People who have time, and willing to meet up/have phone conversations. Find that person or persons and learn from them. Ask them questions. Leverage their experience for your growth.
This will give a boost to your growth that can make a huge difference. Too often we try to do this alone. We do this as a solo journey. The first four categories are necessary and good. BUT, finding a mentor, coach or a group of people to journey with is the steroid to our learning.
We are actually created to learn with others. We are created to live and grow in a community.
If we put leadership ability on a scale of 1-10. One being low and 10 being high level, I don’t believe you can grow from a 2 to a 10. But you can go from 2 to 5 or from 6 to 9.
Just like the two men in the parable, we are called to multiply our talents by taking what God has given us and multiply, grow, and increase those talents.
To do this, simply create consistent habits of: 1. Reflection 2. Learn across disciplines 3. Grow from others
