THE ART OF EXCEEDING: Building High-Performance Athletes
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The following post is an excerpt from THE ART OF EXCEEDING: Building High-Performance Athletes. Enjoy, Frank
From Champions to Leaders
Sports and Leadership
Let’s peek into Jake and Katie’s past. Fifteen years ago, they were battling to the top of the national tennis scene. I asked them to try something revolutionary as they developed strokes and athleticism. I asked them to buy into developing their life skills, character traits, and moral compass. Their process is what I want to share with you. I asked these two youngsters if I could train them like they were already an 18-year-old college star. They agreed, and here’s their story:
1.1 Transferrable Skills
Jake wasn’t just an athlete; by age 13, he was already a strategist, problem solver, and decision-maker. A future leader was born as he honed these transferable life skills through years of practice and competition.
1.2 Beyond the Game: Life Skills
Sports, like life, demands resilience in the face of setbacks, perseverance in the pursuit of improvement, and grace in both victory and defeat. These qualities, instilled in Katie, were the building blocks of character that extended far beyond the boundaries of her tennis career.
1.3 The Foundation
Developing skills to compete successfully on the court also sets a foundation for success off the court. Skill sets such as discipline, time management, and the ability to handle pressure are foundational skills that lay the framework for sports and life.
1.4 The Moral Compass
Honesty, integrity, and respect for opponents are not just empty words; they are the guiding principles of sportsmanship. Each day, Katie nurtured the importance of fair play. This moral compass, developed and reinforced throughout her tennis career, transitioned her to her spot as the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
1.5 The Vision Ahead
There are incredible similarities between Jake and Katie’s tennis and their future leadership success. Let’s look deep into the principles, ethics, and responsibilities that accompany leadership in sports. You’ll explore the skills that champions acquire, and leaders live by.
1.6 Developing Soft Skills
The following lists a dozen hidden skills that winners like Jake and Katie possess. Throughout your years developing your athletic skills, it’s wise to look into these invaluable tools to help you along your journey from an athletic champion to a happy, successful leader in life:
- Active Listening and Empathy
- The Ability to Inspire Others
- Flexibility and Adaptability
- The Ability to Build Trust
- Strong Communication Skills
- Positivity And Reliability
- The Ability to Motivate Others
- Connecting With Others Authentically
- Recognize Others’ Achievements
- Leading By Example and Creating Unity
- Open And Transparent Communication
- Gratitude, Appreciation, Caring and Kindness
Take a few moments to think deeply about these soft skills and how they’ll help you maximize your potential.
As you look into the past of Jake and Katie, this playbook will inspire and empower you to be accountable because you’ve got the potential for this type of future as a top leader. Look into your future. Fifteen years from now, these experiences will have shaped the course of that amazing leader that you’ll see when you look in the mirror.
YOUR TAKEAWAY CHALLENGE
Look back to 1.6 in From Champions to Leaders, Developing Soft Skills. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you grade yourself on these skill sets? Being a leader in sports and life requires these invaluable tools.
