Leadership!

Some of you may be surprised but I am fascinated with legendary sports coaches and what makes them so great. This article resonated with me as a coach - hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here is a great article I edited down from the other day on Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

Are you impressing people or impacting them? Alabama football coach Nick Saban on leadership... 1. You have to be willing to serve. Serving is what great leaders do, and it was something that was beat into our heads in leadership classes at the Naval Academy. Help them be successful in your system. When they win, you win. 2. You have to be willing to set an example. This is one of the toughest things for a leader to embrace. If you want men and women of integrity working for you, you need to be a man or woman of integrity. If you want people to work hard, you need to work hard. If you want your team to give their best, their very best, you need to give your very best, and your employees know if you are or you aren’t. 3. Inspire others by making an impact. If you’re willing to set an example, then you can inspire others. “There’s a big difference between impressing your people and impacting your people,” Saban told me. “Impressing people is easy if that’s all you want to do.” If you want to make an impact and inspire others, your actions are paramount. 4. Focus on being your best, not on winning. One of the advantages of being focused on being your best, rather than on winning, is that being your best is the only thing you can really control. Your competition isn’t just going to roll over and surrender just because you are focused on winning. This scene from “Facing the Giants” is a great illustration of the concept. 5. Be positive. Being positive is the best way to “help your people believe in what they can accomplish and give them something to strive for. “I have to take the time to understand each of my players and give them the push that they need,” he said.