BE SOMEBODY – YOUR VALUE LIES IN YOUR VALUES

BE SOMEBODY – YOUR VALUE LIES IN YOUR VALUES

Authentic influence doesn’t stand alone. It is built firmly on a foundation of knowledge, experience, and hard-earned wisdom. To be persuaded to follow someone, one must first trust and respect the individual leading, it cannot occur by force. It is the power of repeating a positive action through example time and time again, where others begin to follow your lead because they see the outcome.  Once we earn that privilege to lead, we take pride in our actions and words.

Therein lies the beauty of feeling the obligation as a coach to make an impact in another’s life through influence.

Although repetitious, it bears reiterating.  We must continue to teach that influence does not occur as a result of title, position, or tenure.  It is merely the recurrence of positive actions done consistently, so much so that the example draws others to begin to follow your precedent.

Influence is the essence of leadership.

But you must ask yourself, how can you earn that critical element of respect to be put in a position of influence?

An essential gift each of us holds to elicit the greatness within ourselves and others are not necessarily the result of reading books, extensive training, or even higher education. Instead, it is a trait we all possess but often fail to invest in. That gift is gratitude, and it is the foundation for which creates the mindset that leadership is a privilege. We may feel thankful, but until we are willing to share that enthusiasm and indeed be grateful, we are only giving a portion of our authentic self.

But how do we teach our student-athletes the importance of these values? Let me share a story with you how I learned.

When I accepted a position out of college working with my father and other partners invested in a group of successful restaurants, I was naive and ambitious, and yet authentic fulfillment was my goal. Even though I knew how much work my father put into his successful career, admittedly, I walked in that first day a bit entitled. As we gathered for a leadership team meeting, he and the owner handed me a business card box.

As I waited for the others to sit, I opened it expecting to beam with pride. That is until I read my title. Underneath my name, in bold, capital letters, it merely said “SOMEBODY.” I thought I was the Director of something, but what in the world did “SOMEBODY” mean?

Right before we formally began, I asked my father, “Why does my card say ‘SOMEBODY‘ as my title?” He laughed, looked at the others, and asked the group at the table, “why do all of our business cards say ‘Somebody‘?” Following the laughter, a member of the team said, “when you hear a voice that says, ‘somebody’ needs to take the trash out, that does not exclude you.” Another spoke up, “when you hear that a dishwasher called in sick, and ‘somebody’ needs to cover their shift, that somebody could be you.” The CFO then looked at me and said, “when the numbers aren’t submitted as requested due to a hectic evening, it is being the ‘somebody‘ who is committed to fixing it.”

That taught me a valuable lesson that has stayed with me since – Your title is not a measure of your influence.

 Your humility is. This is where you have the opportunity to elicit the greatness out of those you lead.

You must be authentic with a sincere appreciation for the hard work of those you’re coaching, so much so that at a moment’s notice, you will become so selfless and end up making the transition to ensure success and complete the task required. To realize that we are all somebody on the road toward success, we must influence others through our actions.

Teach your players that pride and commitment to the team is greater than any individual role, and leading by example, regardless of the task at hand, nobody is too good to something.  Simplify the concept of that if they are willing to BE SOMEBODY, you’re creating a culture of success.

Model and instruct the narrative that… Actions earn trust. Trust will give you respect.

We don’t walk toward greatness in lines, but rather side by side. That is the obligation of being ‘somebody’ and the essence of the pride you feel when the group achieves successes beyond expectation. Lead by example and show your commitment to your players.

There is another essential trait that is the root of true fulfillment.

Leadership is a challenge that depends upon your willingness to have a balanced approach in handling goals and people, which can be entirely at odds with each other. They say there are lessons in adversity; we need to be open-minded, humble, and self-aware enough to discover them. But when each day becomes more overwhelming than the previous one, your sense of control dissipates. You lose focus, confidence, and the aspirations you once had can quickly become replaced by an immediate shift in perspective toward confusion. As a leader, it is your responsibility to reframe the narrative. 

Once you have discovered that ability to shift in perspective, a team-based solution will become more evident. It is within that shift where amazing things happen.  Aspiring and tenured leaders understand the value of trust. They are willing to invest themselves in the process of being with the team instead of solely focusing on the outcome. That investment starts with a strong foundation of integrity and character.  Those two traits will carry you through the challenges you face as you gain experience through hard work, sacrifice, overcoming barriers, and experiencing failures.

To lead your players to commit to taking those small steps forward is necessary for the journey toward the ultimate pinnacle – earned success.

You attain your stripes along the way due to your courage, bravery, and confidence to inspire and empower others to follow your exact vision.  Success should never correlate itself with title. Genuine and authentic success becomes your legacy.  You are the only person who can write your story.

Student-athletes genuinely need authentic and caring coaches now more than ever. Coaches who are energetic, bold, inspired, and filled with character, drive, and integrity.  Coaches who are ready to take on the world to make a difference. We need coaches with compassion, empathy, creativity, and courage. Yet, this path is not an easy one.

Vulnerability is key to leading. It takes much courage to let go of what others think about you. 

It also takes courage to do what’s right in the big picture. 

My definition of leadership includes what many before me have contributed. Still, I think of things like a process of social influence, where someone can translate vision into reality and maximize the efforts of others toward achieving a common goal. The best leaders do this with a positive attitude and a willingness to be selfless.

The process of impact through influence is more straightforward said than done, and you will find athletes who struggle with it.  But when they let go, there is a freedom they will get from empowering themselves and not allowing the opinions or perceptions of others to get in the way of their journey in making a difference in what they do every day.

HERE ARE FIVE WAYS THAT YOU CAN EARN THE PRIVILEGE TO IMPACT THROUGH

INFLUENCING OTHERS AS A COACH BY BEING THE EXAMPLE

1. BE AUTHENTIC

No matter where you are in your journey, it is always beneficial to consider how you can become the best version of yourself.  Be strong, courageous, empathetic, and influential. It’s time to be the YOU that YOU want to be.  Not the YOU that you think others want you to be.  As a coach, stand out.

2. SHOW GRATITUDE

We should acknowledge and be grateful for everything we have.  Recognize and thank those people – including your players – who have been a positive influence in our lives.  How can we ensure we carry that gratitude with us consistently?  We can continually challenge ourselves by creating a journal where, at the end of each day, every day, we write down five things for which we feel thankful.  Do it every single day.  This simple exercise will make us stop and realize that everything may not be as wrong as we think, and more importantly, it will create a habit of positivity.

3. LEARN

Never stop learning.  Technology puts infinite resources at our fingertips.  We have a huge advantage over previous generations; let’s use it.  We can take the time to invest in learning things outside our everyday interests.  Get curious.  Ask those around you what factors contribute to their success in work and relationships.  Everyone loves to tell their story.  Ask more questions and never stop learning.

4. VOLUNTEER

To learn compassion and empathy, we must learn to give back.  Our legacy will not be a result of what we have, but rather what we give.  Our time is a precious gift, and through volunteering, we will experience

 multiplied joy.  Find a cause close to your heart and look for ways to make a difference with your time, skills, or access to resources. Volunteering doesn’t just change others.  It changes you. Imagine what it can do if you share this joy with your players.

5. PREPARE FOR FAILURE

This doesn’t just apply to the lessons our players will experience, if you aren’t failing, you aren’t moving forward.  Failure is a powerful word.  It seems like it shouldn’t be on a list of tools for effective leadership. However, failure is the only way anybody ever finds success.  Each failure carries a valuable lesson that can serve as a stepping stone on our path to living a fulfilled life. Don’t settle for anything less in the pursuit of fulfillment, but know that sometimes we may not achieve it, and that’s okay.  Take ownership of the situation, dust yourself off, and continue your quest toward solutions.  Each of us can become great leaders, but we won’t get there without some failures. Your example can teach athletes one of the most valuable lessons they can build on throughout their lives.

Influence, both inward and outward, is a behavior that has always amazed me; the choice to grow is within our control.

Whom do you influence? Who influences you?

Those that we are around most become our inner circle – people of influence. If you want to impact others and make a difference in this world, then set the bar high for those in your inner circle.  Never stop in your pursuit to gain knowledge and expand your influence.

If you are looking for fulfillment in your career, as well as a way to impact those athletes you coach, all you have to do is BE SOMEBODY.

Victor Pisano has inspired executives, entrepreneurs, leaders, high school and college student-athletes across the country with his leadership platform, Charge Up. At the core of its foundation is that leadership is both a gift and a privilege, and we must pay it forward and elicit the greatness in others to make a positive impact. To inspire and empower people who are willing to invest in their goals and push past the barriers so that they can discover their passion, find their purpose, and have the courage to act with integrity as they pursue their path to fulfillment. Speaking for over 20 years, he is also certified as a speaker and trainer through the John Maxwell Academy, Jon Gordon’s “Power of a Positive Leader,” and the Third Rivers, “Leading with Values” program. Visit him at www.chargeuptoday.com

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