The Leadership Lesson from an Extraordinary Young Athlete
22-year-old Caitlin Clark, regarded as one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, and now going pro, has a powerful lesson for business leaders.
Caitlin is getting tons of media attention both for her astounding talent and her major impact on the sport. With profound emotional intelligence, she credits where she is to the great players who came before her, and in her words, “kicked down the door so that I could walk inside.” That’s greatness with humility.
In your leadership role, you too, can manifest the extraordinary blend of greatness and humility. It doesn’t mean you have to be the all-time best in anything, and it doesn’t mean you need to diminish yourself in any way.
It does mean you need to fully step into your potential and be your very best. It does mean you build on the existing foundation and make it even stronger. Then, when the accolades you earned come your way, accept them, take them in, and recognize and honor those who paved the way for you. This is the leadership lesson from young Caitlin Clark. Greatness includes humility. It is love in action.
Here’s how you can lean into it, step by step:
1. Consider: Who laid the foundation for your success? Anyone else?
2. Within yourself, recognize their contributions to your success without diminishing your own accomplishments. Feel your gratitude.
3. Notice if you feel resistance to sharing the credit or if you’re denying your part and giving away all the credit.
4. Create a concise message that acknowledges these contributors to your success and decide when to express it.
5. Think about who you support or want to support, and who you want to stand on your shoulders. Make sure to let them know.
When you think and talk about your successes, acknowledge those who opened the doors that you eventually walked through, those who saw your worth and helped you see it, and those whom you get to uplift.
Like Caitlin Clark, your personal example of greatness plus humility will profoundly influence not just your leadership team and organization. You will also inspire countless others who are touched by your commitment to building their greatness. That’s just about the best thing you can do as a leader.
A Different Path to Fulfillment
I coach and advise executives and leadership teams on succeeding and finding fulfillment through the Amare Way of love-powered leadership. For more information, contact me here.
Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
—Isaac Newton
Acknowledgments: Deep gratitude to Barnea Selavan and Jim Case for their insightful feedback on the structure and content of these newsletters. That led to this week’s revamping experiment. Let me know if you like it!
Click here and read more Amare Wave Wednesday newsletters on related topics:
Great Coaching: The Winning Athlete’s Blueprint for Business Leaders
The Incredible Gift of Peak Experiences: Six Ways You Can Have More Transcendent Moments
7 Ways to Become a Better Leader by Listening Deeply
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