We all want to be the best leaders we can possibly be. Some of us may even have a level of competitiveness within side of us that we want to be the very best there is in our chosen profession. If they are keeping score, we want to win. If they are handing out trophies, we want to hold them high. And if they are handing out awards, we want our names on the plaque.
Mike Trout is the centerfielder of the Los Angeles Angels. He is also major league baseball’s best player. Trout is a two-time Most Valuable Player and seven-time All-Star. I recently wrote about Trout’s leadership in the post One Major Reason Why Your Vision Can Never Gain Traction. There is even more here to glean from this great athlete.
In July 16 edition Sports Illustrated, the great write Tom Verducci profiled the Angels’ superstar. As I Verducci’s article, I gleaned 9 Leadership Lessons And Quotes From Mike Trout – The Best Player In Baseball.
- Apex Leaders Want To Control Their Own Destiny – They want the results in their hands. Trout said, “The best of hitting? You have control of what you’re doing. You’re in the box. It’s your box.”
- Apex Leaders Are Incurably Positive Thinkers – They always see a brighter tomorrow. Trout added, “So you have to just go in that box and own it. Think positive, and it’s yours.”
- Apex Leaders Have Great Passion And Love For What They Do – You get a sense they would do this whether you paid them or not. Angels coach Dino Ebel said, “You come to the ballpark every day and you smile. You love to be out there.”
- Apex Leaders Are Consistent Leaders – Consistency and faithful are the foundations of a great leader’s success. Ebel added, “You never change. That’s what you bring to the park every day.”
- Apex Leaders Connect With Everyone – People are the only appreciable asset in your organization. Everything else depreciates. Ebel continued, “I’ve never seen this guy come in, look at somebody and be down. He says hi to everybody and smiles at everybody.”
- Apex Leaders Are Resilient – They do not allow temporary setbacks to become permanent. Ebel concluded, “A bad mood? Even on a bad day – we lose, he’s 0 for 4 – and he’s the same guy. I’ve never seen this guy not being Mike Trout.”
- Apex Leaders Keep Things Simple – Complexity is often the enemy of success. Trout noted, “My philosophy is ‘Keep it simple.’ I think too much information for me is bad… Less is more for me. That’s why I call timeout a lot. If I’m in the box and I start thinking, I’ve got to clear my mind. Reset mode.”
- Apex Leaders Continually Improve – The best leaders know they never arrive. There are always more mountains to climb. Their humility gives them the insight to know there are always things they need to work on. Trout acknowledged, “I’ll just try to get better each and every day.”
- Apex Leaders Have Great Preparation – You will either prepare or repair. Also, the level of expectation determines the level of your preparation. Trout has an extensive pre-game routine. First, he signs autographs for young fans. He then loosens up by sitting in a hot tub. Then he retreats to an indoor facility to hit approximately 80 balls using a tee, pitching coach, and pitching machine. This portion of his pre-game work takes 15-30 minutes.
What is one thing you learned from Mike Trout which will make you a better leader?
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