The best leaders are believed to surround themselves with the brightest talent. Former South Texas athletic director Ray Trdla is my uncle. When I was a head coach, he offered the best guidance. He claimed that the best coaches surround themselves with people who are more successful than they are. Not until I held a leadership position in a non-profit organization did I really comprehend what he was getting at. It is only normal to want members of your leadership team who concur with all the choices you make and suggestions you make. However, people that are genuinely committed to you and your vision will disagree by offering their own set of experiences, viewpoints, or lenses.
I was so emotionally committed to my team that when this occurred, it hurt a little. I discovered that the diversity of viewpoints and experiences is what makes leadership teams successful. It is comparable to windows and mirrors. Windows, on the other hand, offer the chance to “see” options and viewpoints from others’ perspectives, whereas mirrors reflect our objectives, understandings, and frames of reference. Do you have any windows or mirrors in your office?
The process of developing professionally never stops. As the captain of your ship, try to have an open mind. Even in the executive position, there is much to learn. I genuinely try to help others succeed because I’ve had the chance to lead from a variety of positions, whether as an organization’s president, a board member, an on-duty administrator, a department chair, a head coach, an assistant coach, a teacher, or just a teammate. That occasionally necessitates difficult dialogues. My own objective has always been to grow personally and professionally. What strategies have you employed to assist the ship’s captain?
