Remember when you were little and learned about George Washington chopping down his father’s precious cherry tree, and then fessing up? This lesson was shared so that we, as kids, wouldn’t tell a lie. I think 200 years from now, in some Ancient American History course, a teacher will tell kids about a Little Big Man and proclaim, “He wouldn’t let anything stop him.” Kids will say, “I won’t let anything stop me, either!”
Recently I was asked by Clint Carlos of Soar.com to tell my “best strengths story” about how I help teams reach their full potential. But I don’t want to talk about strengths. I want to talk about how I build a home for my teams – a place for them to thrive and grow. And, I want to convince you to build a home for your team, too.
I was walking toward Coach Weidenbach’s office when I saw Michael Brown coming off the ice. He had a big grin on his face. I threw him a friendly wave, all the while marveling at his height (6’ 7” without skates and he’s a FRESHMAN). He waved back and then bellowed, “You’re too old!” I wasn’t sure I heard him right. “Pardon me?” I said. He smiled and eagerly repeated, “You’re too old!” Then it dawned on me – he was investing in my success! I burst out laughing and thanked him. Before you dismiss us as crazy, read on.
Whew! That was a close one! The Christmas spirit was nearly crushed by an offensive song written in the mid-1940’s! It leads me to ask the question: Do words matter? They do, and we have cause to be deeply alarmed, but not for the reasons you might think.
“Can I give you some feedback?” (Insert groan and the thought that a root canal is preferable.) The word “feedback” is loaded with negative connotations, yet we all need feedback to perform well. Every professional athlete has a coach for just that reason. No worries – I have some tried and true tips for you!
