https://youtu.be/MZVic-L5xm4
Leadership is many things and and requires much from you. However, there is one thing which will establish you as a leader more than anything else in the eyes of others. This one quality is the ability to problem solve and even thrive during times of crisis.
This past Wednesday, USC quarterback Sam Darnold established himself as the top pick in next month’s NFL Draft during his pro day. If you are unfamiliar with pro days, these are orchestrated workouts on college campuses designed to showcase the skills of potential draft picks.
The key word is “orchestrated” because these controlled environments show off only the best skills of athletes. As a result, talent evaluators are always left with wondering how potential draft picks would thrive in times of crisis.
Darnold and the scouts present were given a “gift of crisis” when torrential downpours began. Rather than moving the workout indoors, Darnold embraced the challenge! He wanted to show how he would respond to a wet ball, wet field, and less than ideal situations. Darnold wanted to prove he could handle crisis situations. He then thrived, impressed all in attendance, and solidified himself as the would-be top pick.
In the NFL Network interview above, Darnold gives us 9 leadership lessons on thriving in crisis. All comments are from Darnold.
- Experience Helps You Thrive In Crisis – “Having played games in the rain before I knew I wasn’t going to have a problem with it.”
- You Need Help To Thrive In Crisis – “The managers did a nice job keeping the balls dry.”
- Thriving In Crisis Is A Chance To Prove Your Leadership – “I wanted to prove what they see on the tape.”
- If Handled Properly, Crisis Can Be A Gift – “It was really cool to throw in the rain. It was awesome.”
- Crisis Reveals The Best Version Of Yourself – “I showed them the best version of myself.”
- Successful Leaders Have Trained For Crisis – “I trained really hard for this.”
- Leadership Is Hard But Where Would You Rather Be? – “I’m living out my dream. When things get hard I think… where else would I rather be?”
- Thriving In Crisis Requires Authenticity – “I’m trying to just be myself.”
- People Must First Trust A Leader Before They Follow Them Into Crisis – “(Leadership) first comes from building trust with your teammates.”
As a bonus, the following are 5 additional leadership quotes Darnold gave to Matt Leinart during a September 8th Fox Sports interview:
- Successful Leaders Focus On Doing Their Job – “Once I was named the starter, I just focused on doing my job.”
- Successful Leaders Value Community – “Have a close group of friends and family to keep you grounded.”
- Successful Leaders Embrace High Expectations – “If you don’t embrace it (high expectations), you sink down.”
- Successful Leaders Surround Themselves With Winners – “It’s easy to lead when you have a group that wants to win.”
- Successful Leaders Are Continual Learners – “You can always learn stuff in the film room.”
What is one thing you learned from Darnold which will make you a better leader?
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