A Leader Must Accept Full Responsibility
This is Part 3 of a 5 Part Series of Notes from a Leadership Academy provided for a school’s student Athletes.
You can read all 5 parts at this link: Leadership Academy Notes
- A leader is responsible for all that his or his team does—or fails to do.
- You have to take responsibility for yourself, and you have to take responsibility for your team.
- The word “if” should be eliminated from a leader’s vocabulary. “If I were bigger; if I were faster; if I had more strength; if I had a better coach; if I had more experience”
- The day an athlete takes complete responsibility for him or herself and stops making any excuses is the day he starts his climb to the top.
- If you make excuses for yourself, you are telling yourself that everything is all right.
- Utilize whatever physical characteristics YOU have been blessed with.
- No other course exists except to take responsibility for your own destiny.
- Never let yourself be satisfied “When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it” Coach Bear Bryant
#8 The Law Of The Scoreboard
“The Team Can Make Adjustments When It Knows Where It Stands”
The scoreboard provides a snapshot of the game at any given time.
For any type of team, the scoreboard is essential in the following ways.
1.The scoreboard is essential to understanding.
2.The scoreboard is essential to evaluating growth, which equals change.
3.The scoreboard is essential to adjusting.
4.The scoreboard is essential to winning.
During any point in the game if you want to know where you stand just look up at the score board, Grade book, excet Scores, etc..
If you know what to do, then you can do what you know.
#9.The Law Of The Bad Apple
“Rotten Attitudes Ruin A Team”
ATTITUDE:
- It is the “Advanced Person” of our true selves.
- Its roots are inward but its fruits are outward.
- It is our best friend or our worst enemy.
- It is more honest and more consistent then our words.
- It is and outward look based upon past experiences.
- It is what draws people to us or repels them.
- It is never content it is expressed.
- It is the Liberian of our past.
- It is the speaker of our past.
- It is the speaker of our present.
- It is the prophet of our future.
Good attitudes among team members do not guarantee a team’s success, but bad attitudes will guarantee its failure.
Most bad attitudes are the result of selfishness.
Attitude will impact our performance, regardless of talent, track record, or circumstances.
Truths about attitudes clarify how they affect a team and teamwork
Five truths:
1. Attitudes have power to lift up or tear down a team.
2. An attitude compounds when exposed to others.
3. Bad attitudes compound faster than good ones.
4. Attitudes are subjective, so identifying a wrong attitude can be difficult.
5. Rotten attitudes, left alone, ruin everything.
Abilities + attitudes = results
Great talent + rotten attitudes = bad team
Great talent + bad attitudes = average team
Great talent + average attitudes = good team
Great talent + good attitudes = great team
#10 The Law Of Accountability
“Teammates Must Be Able To Count On Each Other When It Counts”
One of the greatest compliments a person can receive is being counted on.
We don’t work for each other, we work with each other.
Your Character + Your Competence + Your Consistency + Your Cohesion = Accountability
There’s and old saying when it comes to teams; either you are pulling together or you’re pulling apart.
Questions we must ask ourselves when determining accountability:
- Is your integrity unquestioned (Character)?
- Do you perform your work with excellence (Competence)?
- Are you dedicated to the teams success (Commitment)?
- Can you be depended upon every time (Consistency)?
- Does your actions bring the team together (Cohesion)?
- Any time you desire to build a team, you have to begin by building character in the individuals who make up the team.
#11 The Law Of The Price Tag
“The Team Fails To Reach Its Potential When It Fails To Pay The Price.”
Four truths about this law:
1.The price must be paid by everyone.
2.The price must be paid all the time.
3.The price increases if the team wants to improve, change, or keep winning.
4.The price never decreases.
Most people who quit don’t give up at the bottom of the mountain; they stop halfway up it.
Our team only reaches its potential when the individual reaches his/hers.
When our personal goals conflict with the greater goal of our team, we have three choices:
1.Put down the goal (because the team is more important then the individual).
2.Put off the goal (because its not the right time).
3.Part with the team (because its better for everyone).
This is Part 3 of a 5 Part Series of Notes from a Leadership Academy provided for a school’s student Athletes.
You can read all 5 parts at this link: Leadership Academy Notes
About the Author of this post:
Jerry Campbell has over 30 years of high school and college coaching experience. He has experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, and various position coaches. He has written numerous football coaching articles in various publications, is the author of over 30 books on coaching football, and has produced 12 coaching video series. Additionally, he is a nationally sought after speaker on the coaching clinic circuit.