I believe that sport provides a learning environment for leadership and life. As one of the guests on our podcast, Hugh McCutcheon said, “you can make mistakes in sports and learn from them without incurring the same level of collateral damage you might have to face in the ‘real world’.”
Recently I was reminded of this old sales training video from the iconic coach Vince Lombardi. It’s about your second effort, and not giving up so easily. In some parts it looks quite old (the brusque attitude and the language) but in others it seems fresh and up to date (the focus on rebounding).
Your second (and third and fourth) efforts define you in sport. And it’s no different in school or work. There does of course come a point when you must walk away and move on; but that is very rarely after the first try.
Figuring out the amount of effort you want to ask of people; or as coach Lombardi puts in; the price you are willing to pay; is a one of those leadership tasks that changes every day. It takes effort and poise and it’s never easy.
If finding that line is something you are interested in, drop me a message. I love to hear leadership stories from the sport and “real world”.