"Success is a choice." What qualities belong to those you admire? Can we teach them? Can we apply them?
Build Self-Esteem and Collaboration
A teacher had an unruly, undisciplined and disrespectful class. She had an idea to improve their self-esteem. She gave each student (teammate) a paper with the name of all the class and asked each to write two things that they admired about a classmate.
She cut and pasted the comments onto a sheet for each student, so they had a portfolio of positives about themselves.
She witnessed a remarkable transformation as the students' self-esteem and self-control rose.
Many years later she passed away and many of the students came to her funeral. Many brought a wrinkled, faded paper from that class with the positive observations of classmates.
Lift Student-athletes Up with Leadership Stories and Training
We choose to lift people up or do something else - "success or less." Embrace leadership training and sportsmanship as core tasks.
Become a storyteller. Develop a portfolio of stories to lead others up, especially when an individual or group needs it most.
Tryouts were taking place at a school and $20 went missing from a player's locker. Another spoke up, "I don't care who took it. That is not who we are. Whoever took it, don't come back here tomorrow." Lead, follow, or go away.
Your Work Speaks Volumes
I attended a number of tryouts and practices. One player was a senior who played little. She won every sprint, competed in every drill. She cheered loudly from the bench. Someone told me she worked out after practice. That's the teammate I want or the employee I want in my business.
Be valued and appreciated for who you are and what you bring to the organization every day.
Tell your stories. Make them great.
Lagniappe. Your standard is your standard.
