How To Get To The Second Level Of Leadership

See The Entire Field

As leaders we must have the courage to challenge our pace, progress and performance & fight complacency. Leadership is the new currency in today’s business world.

Our world is in constant motion. Lately, the area that is top of mind is the need we have as leaders to get our teams ‘get to the second level’.

Although most often considered an American football reference, it’s applicable in any sport including cricket, hurling, and soccer. We spend too much time looking at what is directly in front of us – the guard or defensive lineman, the ball at our feet, watching the sliotar and camogie as we run down the pitch or simply protecting the wicket behind us. We also must take time to look up and see the entire field.

Think about how learn sports and how your role evolves over time. Think about learning the play book (X’s and O’s), think about learning multiple positions, think about the intangibles – pad level, calling a different play (e.g. audible), making adjustments when you are in the game (e.g. how to read a defense, maybe a positional shift or putting in a new bowler, etc.) and then coaching others around you. I worry at times we continue to just learn the play book (X’s & O’s) but we don’t spend time on the other parts of the game.

Change The View Point

As leaders, we need to teach our teams to see the entire field vs simply worrying about the here and now; put on the coaching whistle, play a different position or sport (e.g. to see what our competition doing) and sit in the stands and think about what our customers are saying about the game they are watching. Are we playing our best game and continuing to innovate?

So, the question I would offer to each of you is how do your teams get to the second level?

Are you spending enough time at the second level or simply blocking what is in front of you?

Remember that life is a game never won or lost, only played.