“Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
At one time, leadership was considered simply a position of authority. Over time, that viewpoint has chanced considerably. The new paradigm of leadership implies that leadership involves a position of responsibility — responsibility for setting the vision of an organization; responsibility for putting into place a process whereby the vision can be achieved; responsibility for motivating and inspiring other s in the pursuit of greater goals than they themselves might have believed possible; responsibility for establishing a value system and an institutional culture that reflects the organization’s vision and the strategic plan for achieving that vision; and finally, responsibility for providing both momentum and urgency for achieving the organization’s goals.
My professional experiences and observations have led me to believe that leadership might best be defined as the ability to influence the behavior and actions of others to achieve an intended purpose.
In my opinion, sound leadership is exhibited in three fundamental ways: mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is important to note that each must be adhered to in appropriate measure in order to maintain the overall balance that leadership requires.
First, in order to be a leader you must have a basic knowledge of the environment in which you are expected to lead.
“While you go about learning the tricks of the trade, don’t forget to learn the trade.”
Next, you must have a passion for the work you do. All leaders have passion for their calling in life.
As a leader, your goals and aspiration must be strong enough to sustain you through the toughest of times. And trust me, if your goals are set high enough and your aspirations are worthy enough, there will be tough times.
When I came to the Baltimore Ravens in 1999, there were two major ingredients missing from the team: passion and accountability. It is the very first thing I addressed as their new head coach.
Anything worth doing is seldom achieved without passion.
“Far and away, the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
You must have a level of physical energy that will not only sustain you through your endeavors, but will also set the pace for those around you as well.
“The personal physical exertion of leaders must not be overlooked. It is as important as any strategy or tactic.”
-Karl Von Clousewitz
If you are not prepared to exhibit a constant level of energy, those around you will respond in kind.
...everyone in a leadership position should have a consistent conditioning routine to maintain their physical and emotional health.
I don’t have the time not to work out.
There are countless times when an individual can find a thousand reasons during the course of a day to not take the time to work out. In the short term that may seem to be a reasonable option in your opinion.
What has evolved in the league is the realization that teams should focus on the concept of working more intelligently in order to get their players to the game healthy and fresh. This process must be monitored and gauged by leadership, which itself must also be healthy and fresh for battle.
...the best way to become a skillful leader — whether as a coach, an executive, a politician, or whatever — is not to set out to become “perfect,” but rather to aim to be effective all of the time.
...it is interesting that the most successful of all coaches did not list “winning,” “championships,” or “success,” at the top of the pyramid. Instead, he used the term “competitive greatness.” That term is brilliant in its simplicity, yet limitless in its interpretation.
-Billick on Wooden
