In this post, I want to discuss a quote that makes no mention of leadership but that is all about leadership. The quote is as follows, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” And the person quoted … Michael Jordan.
There are several key lessons in this quote. First, there is no such thing as perfection in life. We all have our failings and we all fail at one time or another. Looking at the half-full part of the glass in those circumstances and helping others to do the same is what propels people forward no matter how dismal the day. And reacting to failure or a supreme test in that way is what leadership is all about.
Second, win or lose … we need to take chances in life. To religiously take the safe fork in the road is to eliminate the opportunity for a more enlightened experience and potentially more significant end result. To always make the safe decision sidesteps the real issue … making it all the more difficult to impact that issue. Taking chances breeds success.
Third, success is all about failure. Although we need to learn from our failures, we should not expend energy dwelling on them. It is much more important to maintain our focus on the task or challenge at hand. Overcoming and learning from failures along the way is what ultimately gets us to success.
Fourth, leaders are expected to lead the way because they have led the way successfully in the past … they have achieved success. Leaders are what they do. And this is what draws others to them … a belief built upon past achievement. And this leads me to another quote, one by Colin Powell, “You have achieved excellence as a leader when people will follow you everywhere if only out of curiosity.” Leaders do not need to ware a label, you know them when you see them. And they do not need to create a following … this comes about naturally.
Fifth, leaders are fully willing to lay it all on the line … to take that buzzer-beating last shot. Leaders do not shy away from challenges.
Author Cross-references:
Michael Jordon: None
Colin Powell: Also see post 2/28/09
Key Word Cross-references:
Optimist/Positive Attitude: Also see posts 2/19/09, 3/16/09, 7/7/09, 2/24/10
Chance Taking: Also see posts 12/12/08, 7/7/09, 3/12/10, 3/29/10
Failure – Dealing With: Also see post 7/7/09
Tags: Leadership
on Leadership ... by Steven Davis, CAE 
April 1, 2009 at 2:31 pm |
Steve, just wanted to let you know I am enjoying your posts here. If you don’t mind, I would like to include this particular post in my “Best of Chamber Management” blog carnival at http://chambermanagement.blogspot.com, because I believe it will be an excellent motivational piece for the chamber management professionals who read the carnival. (This only entails me writing up a quick preview to your post and including a link to it from my blog.) You are welcome to contact me at info (at) edmchamber (dot) org if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you! ~ Janet Green
April 2, 2009 at 2:23 pm |
Janet,
Thank you for your positive response to my blog. My sole intention with this blog is create a level of dialogue on leadership that might benefit anyone who would give it a look. What you propose would certainly contribute to that intention, so please do share this with others.
Thanks, Janet; and, have an outstanding today!
Steven
April 2, 2009 at 4:02 pm |
Steve, thanks for the quick reply. Would you drop me an email at the address above? I have a couple quick questions that will help me properly credit you in the preview for this article. Thanks! Janet Green