What Leaders Cannot Be Confused About

For several years I had the privilege of working for one of my spiritual heroes John Maxwell.  In his classic book The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, John talks about the The Law of Priorities which teaches that leaders never confuse activity with accomplishment.  Leaders can never be confused about this.  Leaders are about taking people somewhere.  They are about getting things done.

When evaluating the success of a leader, LSU head football coach Les Miles is the embodiment of this law.  Coach Miles is known more for his late game clock (mis)management, personality, and hat than the fact that he is an amazingly successful head coach in the sport’s toughest conference.  This is a mistake. 

Check out his incredible resume in six years as the team’s head coach:

• 1 National Championship
• 5-1 Bowl Game Record
• 4 Seasons with 11 Wins or More
• 62-17 Record – 78% Winning Percentage
• 4 Top 10 Finishes

Les Miles is a great leader and needs to be recognized as such.  Maybe you do as well.  If so, have people focus on your accomplishments, not subjective things that do not affect the bottom-line. 

As a bonus, the following are seven leadership quotes recently provided by Coach Miles in the August 15th Sporting News:

• “I require leadership and toughness and deportment at practice, the things that we have to have as a program from that (QB) position.  But I need a tough guy – a guy that represents not only our offense but who we really are.”
• “There’s a great mainstream of this state that frankly is about LSU and as long as I’m doing the job that we’ve done, that’s just what they want.”
• “I thought it (wrestling in college) gave me a physical confidence that I needed in football.”
• “There’s no way for me to make what’s on the field any better by taking home a loss.”
• “I really believe that if I was coaching a baseball team, we’d steal second a lot.  If I ever had to coach basketball, I would want to D somebody up from end line to end line and press.  That would be my mentality.”
• “The toughest thing about LSU and Coach Miles:  He’ll do anything.” – Alabama LB Dont’a Hightower
• “There’s an enjoyment of something accomplished.  I’m going to smile when a big play hits.  I’m going to enjoy a moment of a game that’s not quite final yet.  I cannot just wait to have emotion after the final tick.  I know a lot of wonderful coaches can, but I can’t.  When something good happens.  I smile.”

Leaders, don’t be confused.  People skills are important but it is not an issue of if people like you personally.  Movement is important but it’s not an issue of it a lot is going on.  The ability to communicate and connect with others is important but it’s not an issue of if you can give a great motivating speech.  None of these things are the most important. 

Bringing home the bacon.  Production.  Accomplishment.  This defines quality leadership.  Leaders, what have you and your team accomplished recently? 

For more posts on Coach Miles click here.

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