Leadership: The Power to Make Me Feel Important

Leadership is a multifaceted role that transcends titles and labels. Whether you go by the name of coach, executive, manager, educator, or parent, your responsibilities extend far beyond the mere recognition of your position.

The heart of leadership lies in the ability to connect with individuals on a deeper level, fulfilling their intrinsic needs while striving to create a positive and thriving environment. In essence, we all wear an invisible mask that silently communicates a universal message: “Make me feel important.”

Let’s delve into the core principles that make an effective leader, exploring how our teams and players reveal our leadership skills through their responses.

Wearing Multiple Hats

As a leader, you must embody the roles of a manager, a leader, and an educator. Each role carries its unique set of responsibilities:

• Manager: Organize, strategize, and keep the team on track.
• Leader: Inspire, guide, and empower your team.
• Educator: Foster growth and transformation through knowledge, feedback, and skill development.

What Your Team Wants from You

Your team desires more than just a title; they seek a leader who can:

• Love Them: Show care and compassion.
• Know Them: Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations.
• Inspire Them: Motivate them to reach their potential.
• Empower Them: Delegate responsibility and autonomy.
• Serve Them: Support, provide resources, and remove obstacles.
• Help Them: Offer guidance and foster growth.
• Respect Them: Treat every member with respect.
• Lead Them: Set an example with your behavior and values.

Evaluating Your Leadership Effectiveness

The effectiveness of your leadership can be measured by how your teams and players respond to your guidance. They reveal whether you are:

1. An Effective Communicator: Your ability to articulate your vision, expectations, and feedback clearly and concisely is crucial for effective leadership.
2. An Effective Listener: Actively listening to your team members and valuing their input fosters trust and collaboration.
3. An Effective Motivator: The capacity to motivate and encourage your team through both challenges and triumphs is a hallmark of a great leader.
4. An Effective Salesperson: Convince your team through the art of storytelling of the worthiness of your vision, ensuring they willingly invest their energy and commitment.
5. To Be Trusted: Trust is the foundation of strong leadership. Your actions and decisions should consistently reinforce your team’s trust in you.
6. Patient, Compassionate, and Giving: A leader who shows patience, empathy, and a willingness to give their time and support creates a more unifying and productive environment.
7. Fun to Work / Play For: A great leader adds an element of enjoyment to the team’s work, making it a rewarding experience that goes beyond mere professional obligations.

Leadership is the art of recognizing and nourishing the fundamental human desire to feel important, valued, seen and supported.

As we embrace today and conclude this final quarter of the year, let’s commit ourselves to a thorough evaluation of how we and our teams communicate.

This will guide us in identifying areas for personal and professional growth as we continue to champion positive change in the days to come.