Influencing Your Team

Fast Friday Five
"Using Principle Centered Leadership philosophies to improve your team"

1. "So Can I" - Modeling by example is the most powerful avenue to leave an imprint on others. When you choose to be ALL-IN towards your pursuit of what you want; positive things will start to happen for you. I guarantee you the world will take notice. Light is always attracted to light. And you, my friends, are the light. When you love, it is easier to be loved and when you give great effort you will reap a reward be it physical, mental, or emotional. If you're a coach and you want your athletes or team to work hard, you must first put in the work. If you want them to be intense and aggressive, than be a spark that ignites their fire. If you want them to buy in and commit to their program--You must earn their trust and be their for them. If you want to gain a promotion or move up the ladder than learn, help the team, and don't hesitate to self promote. If you have never checked out Erik The Hip Hop Motivator --do so. I met him last January at Rofous Sport Academy. He talked about the idea that your "ethos" should bleed out of you. Erik gave me the chills, but he inspired me to leave their saying, "If he can do it, than so can I." I want my athletes to be enthusiastic, healthy, committed and consistent leaders - I must be that first!

Every time you are around another you have the ability to bleed into them your best qualities-

get them to say "SO CAN I !!!!!!"  

2. Be a friend - If you are reading this you value education. Coaches, teachers, leaders, business men/women, and many others who work their tails off know that a base of knowledge is needed to perform  successfully. Often times, we miss the boat on influence because we never take the time to genuinely build TRUST. I can attest to this line with my athletes, "I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care." If you're a friend first and foremost, influencing will be all the easier. If our goal is to lead, communication is a must. The number one way to create a lapse in communication is to not have a foundation of trust. Use these principles offered by renowned author Stephen Covey to earn friendships: assume the best- seek to understand - reward and facilitate honesty - take the initiative on dealing with offenses -apologize/admit mistakes/forgive - don't take things to personally - find one on one time- accept others, have fun and let them influence you too!!!

One of the best parts of coaching is building friendships!

3. What and HOW you tell me - Delivery is a key component in leadership, story telling, and comedy alike. Comedian Jim Gaffigan kills it with his punch lines and shows control in use of mannerisms, tone, and timing. As an "influence-r" it may be a good idea to use more tact than him. All laughing aside, how you deliver a message has a certain cementing affect. You can win or lose some in this regard. My mother always taught me in times of frustration or anger to wait a day. Often, people act in terms of how they feel disregarding what they know. Sometimes it is best to detach yourself. Motivation and inspiration is a much greater function of the heart than it is the head. If you need to get a message across in times of frustration-  take yourself out of the equation. I want my young athletes to know that they need to give great effort so they can get better. Often times many coaches let their athletes leave a practice thinking, "I need to give better effort other wise coach will get mad and punish me." You want to establish the will to and want to in your athletes out of love and desire not out of fear. Fear can be a good motivator, but I know love and positive passion for something will have an abundant, timeless quality.    Lastly, what you say has to have truth. You need to believe and hopefully have some evidence in your personal theories. Do your research!

4. Practice and live according to the principles of ABUNDANCE - Never operate from a scarcity mentality. Believe that no one can ever take from you when you operate at your highest calling--there is always enough to go around. Realize that your life as you know it is a mere matter of your perceptions. Find sources of internal security by identifying your strengths, by cultivating great meaningful relations, by recognizing you're not perfect, by loving unconditio ALL Winnally, by trusting yourself, and by  involving others.  Don't be a victim of the "win-lose" lifestyle.  Live by the "WOW WAW" principle-- "When One Wins We ALL WIN ."

5. Serving your mission - "For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22:27) This passage speaks of the idea that the leader must really be the servant to others. How would you serve someone greater than you? You would likely be attentive, positive, willing to sacrifice for them, resourceful, proactive, and willing to take a back seat for their "greater" cause. How phenomenal would the people you want to influence be if you served each and every one of them as if your message and mission depended on it. Leaders know when to lead, they know when to follow, and they more importantly know how to  serve. 

Thank you for reading, please re-post if you enjoyed, more importantly, apply what you liked today and 

BE THE INFLUENCE