Following Caitlin’s example, are you as a leader doing the following:
- Enjoy serving those you influence?
- Something extra (like long autograph sessions) to expand your influence?
- Connecting and relating to those you influence?
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are one of the teams I will be playing close attention to this year, but it is not because of what will be happening on the field. It will be because of what happens in the dugout and locker room.
The Athletic’s Chandler Rome wrote in this article about a potential challenge facing this year’s team. The Astros lost players Martin Maldonado and Hector Neris to other clubs, as well as Michael Brantley to retirement. These were three highly influential locker room leaders. They helped set the team’s culture.
Neris spent a great deal of time investing in prospects and other young Latino players. Maldonado became a team spokesman. During the team’s difficult stretches, he and Alex Bregman were the only veterans entrusted with talking with the media. Brantley would also led team meetings during the challenging 2023 season.
But the team is hopeful there will be a seamless leadership transition this season.
Astros manager Joe Espada said, “There will be other pillars stepping up. You know, that’s the way they’ve done it. They know when one of those guys leave, somebody’s got to step up and that organically will happen. We got guys in there that understand that they know that’s important to us to sustain our success.”
Leaders, if you have leaders exit your organization, have you developed the leadership pipeline necessary to replace them and seamlessly continue expanding your influence?
Los Angeles Clippers
In this article also from The Athletic, Marcus Thompson II and Shams Charania profiled the hottest team currently in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers. The team had a 27-7 from November 17, 2023 to the time of the article. This represented the best record in the league during that stretch.
There are multiple reasons why but two main ones stick out. First, the team’s superstars (James Harden, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard) are playing at an elite level.
But the second reason is the team’s bench. Norman Powell, Terance Mann, and Russell Westbrook have provided scoring, defense, and whatever the team needs. Because of their efforts, Thompson and Charania wrote the team’s “success feels sustainable.”
Successful leaders know great teams have great depth. Does your organization have the depth in talent and leadership necessary for sustainable success?
Conclusion
The following are questions leaders need to constantly be asking regarding the expansion or contraction of their influence:
- Are you constantly looking for marginal gains, distressed assets others overlook, or creative opportunities like underwater plots of land to expand your influence?
- Do you know why you and your organization are successful? If so, are you continually playing to your strengths?
- Do you enjoy serving those you influence? Are you doing something extra (like long autograph sessions) to expand your influence? Are you connecting and relating to those you influence?
- Have you developed the leadership pipeline necessary to seamlessly continue expanding your influence if people leave your organization?
- Does your organization have the depth in talent and leadership necessary for sustainable success?
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
