The Tribe Gathering - Mental Prep For The Week Ahead

“When you believe in someone you profoundly increase their ability to have faith in themselves and achieve. When you love someone you imprint on their heart something so powerful that it changes the trajectory of their life. When you do both, you set into motion, a gift to the world…because those who are believed in and loved understand the beauty of a legacy and the absolute duty of paying it forward. ~ Jason Versey” A Walk with Prudence

What does it mean to be a “Mental Monster of Leadership?” For us at The Tribe it takes 3 key components with one common foundation, integrity. If you attempt to lead without integrity then you are the blind leading the blind. Your integrity is the foundation of your leadership. The skills associated with being a good leader are things you see in both common “everyday” behaviors, as well as in moments of needed inspiration.

“The supreme quality of leadership is INTEGRITY”

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Being a “Mental Monster” of a leader is akin to being Bruce Banner & The Hulk. Bruce is a good guy everyday. The Hulk is extraordinary, fights evil, and it’s really cool to see him throw things. Good leaders lead in the ordinary and when called upon to make a life-changing impact on others. They are up to the task and have the needed abilities within themselves to “save the day.” And just like Bruce Banner, they’re humble. They don’t need their ego stroked. They walk the walk everyday but can also “hulk out” and help others because it’s been within them all along.

So, what key components help create this superhero leader? No it’s not gamma radiation and a cool green tan. We like to refer to these 3 key components as a “Triumvirate of Values.”

These 3 elements of a leader are not only what make them capable and reliable, but are also the things they demonstrate daily and most importantly pass on to the people they lead.

Belief

It’s a simple question. Do you sincerely believe in yourself, the people you lead, and then demonstrate that? Now more than ever the term “imposter syndrome” is making it’s way into the psyche of leaders. It’s a phrase that now carries with it fear, reluctance, and doubt. But it also serves as a warning sign to leaders. Something to steer clear of and protect against. At the heart of “imposter syndrome” is simply a lack of believe in ones self and what they can accomplish. The condition isn’t terminal. The easiest way out of this mental snare is simply to love the people you lead. If love is your “North star” many issues with belief take care of themselves without much intervention. We serve those that we love. What better way to lead than to be a “water-carrier?” A “washer of feet,” is a leader that doesn’t have time to contemplate and exacerbate their failures. They’re too busy leading. If you desire to see a positive change in someone, specifically the people you lead, try serving them and demonstrating your belief in them. Talk about a shot of gamma radiation!

Commitment

Commitment is a promise to be dedicated to a cause. Our cause is loving and leading others. Quick exercise: List 1 thing you do daily to demonstrate commitment to the following:

1) Your Family

2) Your People

3) Your Craft

Got a list? Commitment isn’t flashy. It’s the mundane. It’s standing in the grocery line at 8pm so your spouse doesn’t have to. Coaches, it’s noticing a player’s body language is off at practice even though you’re sleep deprived because you’re a widower and have to raise a baby all alone, the baby’s been sick, and you got into bed at 4 am from the ER but are at school by 7:30 because you’re all out of sick days. But….. you pull your player aside to find out their parents are getting a divorce and they have to choose which one to live with. So you hug them and let them know you love them and lean into their trauma to just be with them. You don’t have a solution and you don’t have to have one. You just stay there with them so they feel safe even though inside you’re shattered into a million pieces and thoughts of your own children swirl in your head. But you’re there and you wouldn’t leave them for a second. It’s not super human but to that kid you are a super, human. Upper level admin… it’s saying the heck with your bottom line and realizing that grocery prices and gas have tripled in the last year and you have a team member whose wife has cancer. So you get up from behind your desk and go find out how you can support them emotionally and if need be financially. Commitment and Sacrifice sure look a whole lot like each other.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

If your mantra has been “I demand respect,” it’s time for an upgrade. YOU can’t demand respect, but your ACTIONS & ATTITUDE can. Listen to the people you lead and then act. Do you make time to hear their concerns, ideas, and feedback? That demonstrates respect. Do you hold yourself accountable first? Do you live by the same expectations that you set for your people? A lack of respect for yourself demonstrates to your people that you don’t even care what you think or have to say. A lack of respect for your people is a killer of culture and buy in. Hold roundtables, gather interest surveys, check in on your people, find out about what they value, know their “why”, their dreams, and their skills. Tap into them and give them some shared ownership of tasks, objectives, and goals. Give them creative freedom and gather system ideas from them. If they feel valued, heard, and important then they’ll feel respected. If you help guide them to self realization and accountability the impact is so much more powerful than standing over them and pontificating to them. Want to see someone “hulk out” like Bruce when they’re angry? You don’t want to see Bruce when he’s angry. Disrespecting them is a sure way to set that off.

These three means by which to value others and demonstrate their value CANNOT be left out when you’re a leader. If there’s a crack in one, then the others can be lost as well. If you can effectively live out these three virtues then you can be an absolute BEAST of a Leader. A Mental Monster that can lead people through any adversity.

If you’d like some tools I use to help respectfully lead people to self-realization, or ideas for how to help your people realize their value in your organization and to give them shared ownership then email us at [email protected] and we can set up a call or video meeting and share some tools with you. If you’d like more of our content please follow and subscribe to us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44EvGGHCnz6OMAWs92S09w