Daily Leadership Quote

" You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within. "- Bob Nelson

I remember growing up watching famous coaches like Woody Hayes and Billy Martin among others who would intimidate their players and browbeat them in order to motivate them to perform at their best. They were often successful for a short period of time but wore out their welcome and had to be replaced. They may have elicited adherence and even sometimes improved performances from their teams but it wasn't sustainable. Ultimately the constant stress wore down the players and the performance of the team suffered. As leaders our primary responsibility is to develop the leaders of tomorrow. We can't do that by motivating the people that we are given to lead but instead have to inspire in them the willingness to continue to learn and be self motivated. Michael Jordan did not become the great basketball player he was through the rantings or half time tongue lashings of a coach. He excelled because he spent hours in the gym honing his craft when noone was looking. At some point in his life a leader he respected helped him discover what was possible and unleashed the greatness that already resided within him. Great leaders understand that they cannot motivate their constituents to be their best. Instead they must help them discover the attributes they already possess and develop the fire within themselves to maximize those attributes to become the best possible versions of themselves

 

A coach can guide you through the process of discovering what you are truly capable of. To find out how and to take your business to the next level give me a call at 703 445-3133. You will be glad that you did.