Often I do what is called a Leadership Flush. I just compile all of the great leadership quotes I have heard lately and pass them along to you. We all love quotes because they capture in language what we feel intuitively in our gut. Here are some incredible insights from some of the greatest athletes in the world that you and your team need to wrestle with:
Sports Illustrated – April 23rd
- Uniqueness – “I’m a different kind of athlete. I want to fight without fighting. Other fighters say, ‘I want a war.’ No, I train not to do that.” – Jon Jones, the best MMA fighter in the world on what he calls “the combat spirit.”
Sports Illustrated – April 30th
- Body Language – “There are a lot of things about leadership that are intangible. But one tangible thing is body language. In Dustin’s case he was trying so hard and getting frustrated, and it manifested itself in bad body language. Nobody should be doing that anyway. But if you’re going to be wearing a ‘C’ and doing it, it really affects everyone.” – Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi on team captain Dustin Brown
- Production – “The ultimate form of leadership is rising to the occassion…They go and score, and he goes and gets us a shorthanded goal. Scores a goal. You can talk it, but it all comes down to what you do at critical moments. That’s leadership.” – Lombardi once again on Brown.
- Accomplishment – “I think if you were to explain her to stroke to most swimmers, they’d say that’s not going to work for them. I know it wouldn’t work for me. But for Rebecca, it works.” – Eric Shanteau on American championship swimmer Rebecca Soni
Sports Illustrated – May 14th
- Focus – “I stay focused for nine innings. Until you get that 27th out, you can’t lose your focus.” – Albert Pujols
- Patience – “This game is about making adjustments and being patient…Every player, whether a position player or a pitcher, goes through it where sometimes you try to do too much.” – Pujols
- Blue Ocean – “He has become the most popular fighter there since Mike Tyson.” – Lou DiBella on Floyd Mayweather’s decision to mine the African-American boxing market.
- Communication – “The biggest thing in the NBA is understanding people and how to communicate with them.” – Kobe Bryant on NBA coaching
- Imagination – “I think you need imagination to accomplish great things in life, and it has to be vivid. Regardless of what Kobe accomplished, it was never enough.” – Jerry West
- Happiness – “Joe Bryant may never be great, but he is happy. Kobe Bryant (his son) may never be happy, and perhaps that’s what makes him great.” – SI writer Chris Ballard
Sports Illustrated – May 21st
- Respect – “He commands that type of respect because he doesn’t demand it, if that makes sense?” – Gregg Popovich on Tim Duncan
- Self-Image – “He’s always known who he was and been comfortable in his own skin. In 15 years he hasn’t changed.” – Sean Elliott on Duncan
- Legacy – “Legacies are made in the playoffs.” – New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella
- Perspective – “When you have a puck coming at you at 100 mph, how old you are is the least of your worries.” – New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur
- Identity – “Basketball is what I do. It’s not who I am.” – Jabari Parker, the best high school basketball player since LeBron James
- Tone – “Jabari makes my job a lot easier as a coach. The best player sets the tone for the team. He’s clean-cut. He prefers to remain out of the limelight. And he’s the ultimate team player.” – Simeon head coach Robert Smith
USA Today – May 23rd
- Character – “”It’s just something, a gift that I want to give to my husband. But please understand, this journey has been hard. It there’s virgins out there, I’m going to let them know, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life – harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college.” – USA track star Lolo Jones on remaining a virgin. *Personal note from a father of a teenage girl - Thank you Lolo for the example you are setting!
- Popularity – “Reggie Jackson, I quote: ‘They don’t boo nobodies.'” – Bryce Harper
Leaders, what other great quotes have you come across recently?
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