
WORK ETHIC. I do not follow women’s college basketball, but a quote caught my eye from South Carolina women’s basketball coach, Dawn Staley. Through her leadership, the team is catapulting into the national spotlight. The Gamecocks are contenders for SEC and national championships because of quotes like this, “Problem is, y’all got LEAGUE DREAMS with BACKYARD WORK ETHIC. And your parents applaud it”
This concept has an impact beyond the basketball court and into the arena of everyday life. It’s obvious that work ethic is often sidelined to make room for the fame of “the big leagues.” Coach Staley identifies this problem. It’s clear that when you practice sloppy, you play sloppy. When you take it easy instead of playing hard, the team suffers. Backyard work ethic in basketball could include: not following your shot, or working on drills. A basketball coach can challenge the commitment to a solid work ethic because of their tremendous influence in players’ lives. Leadership coaching leverages that same influence, but comes at it from a different angle. Athletic coaches are viewed as the expert. Leadership coaching leans on the expertise of the client’s ability to dream, plan, and act upon self-discovered and relevant actions steps. This creates an exciting atmosphere of awareness and action that really matters.
We all have big “league dreams.” Leaders desire to make a stronger impact and increase their influence. What often gets missed is the consistency of a solid work ethic to get us there. What would need to change for you to match your “big dreams” with “big work ethic”? What does a strong work ethic look like in your current project or assignment? Having a coach in your corner to ask questions and evoke awareness can make all the difference in pursuing the big dreams you were destined for. Mine is to coach leaders toward cross-cultural connections. What is your dream? I’d love to hear about it. Connect over FB or Insta @Leaning Forward Together
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