All leaders want (or should want) long-term success. No one wants to be limited in their influence. So the question begs, is there something a leader can do to position themselves to have success and influence on a continual basis?
A Record-Breaking Leader
During the first quarter of Sunday night’s game against the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to tight end Noah Gray. But it wasn’t just any touchdown pass.
Mahomes had just thrown the 200th touchdown pass in his professional career. But even more significant was Mahomes accomplished this milestone in just 84 games, a NFL record. The previous mark was held by Dan Marino who took 89 games to hit the 200-mark.
In this article from The Athletic’s Nate Taylor and their staff, they make the following observation about why Mahomes is such a special player:
“Throughout his career, much of Mahomes’ brilliance has been a combination of creativity, improvisation and accuracy, skills that led him to be a phenom the moment he became the Chiefs’ starter in 2018. … As he has progressed in his career, Mahomes has blended creative throws and his scrambling ability to be elusive enough to often outwit opposing defenses while on the run, even when defenders believe they have an advantage. The newest trend is Mahomes’ mastery of the position from inside the pocket.”
The Personal and Professional Growth of Patrick Mahomes
Notice the ascension of Mahomes’ skills over the course of his career from the words above:
- Early in his career, Mahomes used “a combination of creativity, improvisation and accuracy.”
- Then “as he has progressed in his career, Mahomes has blended creative throws and his scrambling ability to be elusive enough to often outwit opposing defenses.”
- Now his “newest trend… mastery of the position from inside the pocket.”
The #1 Thing Leaders Must Do To Have Long-Term Success And Lasting Influence
What Mahomes teaches leaders is to have long-term success and lasting influence you must embrace personal growth and continually add new skills to your leadership toolkit.
I would recommend following Mahomes’ trajectory when evaluating yourself in this area.
- First, I would inventory what you were doing as a leader early in your career.
- Second, I would review what you added as you progressed in your leadership.
- Finally, what are you doing now that’s new!
John Maxwell often says, “The only guarantee tomorrow will be better than today is personal growth.” Patrick Mahomes would agree.
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