The post is so important I am going to share the big idea first. Statesmen will always be in high-demand. Practice the ten items below and you will never be without influence.
Curmudgeons Or Statesmen
Statesmen have a temperance, dignity, nobility, and sense of wisdom to their lives. They seem to rise above the noise and mundane. Statesmen bring calm to their organizations and have a feeling of destiny.
Sadly, there seems to be a death of the statesmen in politics, ministry, and every sector of life. Therefore, veteran leaders must decide in advance whether they want to be curmudgeons who will eventually be forcibly removed from their positions, or statesmen who gracefully hand the baton off to the next generation.
This past week we saw the actions of a statesman.
A Veteran Leader In Transition
At the beginning of this year’s baseball season, Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas was faced with a decision. After a very successful 2023 season, the 35-year-old was asked to move positions and take a back-up role with the team. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Levi Weaver asked for his thoughts on the matter.
The following is his extraordinary response:
“I feel the organization has been really honest, transparent and upfront. They explained to me the reason why they moved Mookie to short. Remember, when I came here last year, my role was going to be a utility guy, playing all over the field. We had a second baseman (Miguel Vargas) who had (not played much) second base before. Mookie was not ready to move to the infield yet. He was trying to switch positions during the year. He wasn’t completely adjusted to playing on the dirt. The organization felt comfortable plugging me in.
“Even though they acquired me to be a utility guy, they felt they needed a shortstop with a little bit of experience, to help Miguel Vargas with his transition. Now in this situation, they want Gavin Lux to be in the lineup (at second base). I totally understand. I’m at a point in my career where I understand where I’m at. I’m 35 years old. That’s why it was easier for me to digest what was going to happen.
“I feel like this is an opportunity for me to start what I want to do after my career is over. Helping Mookie, creating that relationship with him as a teammate, I’m thinking about how I’m going to teach others, helping them with my experience. This is a great opportunity for me, not just only to focus on myself, but to focus on helping others.
“I’ll always be ready to play shortstop, every single day. But there are others who are going to receive an opportunity, to show they can do the job. Gavin Lux’s bat is important for our lineup. I understand why they wanted to give him an opportunity. He was going to be the shortstop last year. He got the brutal injury. And that’s why I stepped up.”
10 Ways Veteran Leaders Can Become A Statesmen, Pass The Baton, And Successfully Transition To An Advisory Role
After reading Rojas’s comments, I gleaned the following ten ways veteran leaders can become a statesmen, pass the baton, and successfully transition to an advisory role:
- Statesmen Hold Their Current Position Loosely – Rojas said, “Remember, when I came here last year, my role was going to be a utility guy, playing all over the field.” He knew the plan was never for him to be a full-time starter. As a result, taking a back-up role was easier for him to digest.
- Statesmen Make Things Easy For Their Organization – No drama. Bloom wherever your organization plants you and place their success above your own. Rojas noted, “The organization felt comfortable plugging me in.” Wherever your organization places you, make them feel comfortable in the decision to put you there.
- Statesmen Help The Next Generation Transition Into Their Leadership Roles – Rojas acknowledged, “They felt they needed a shortstop with a little bit of experience, to help Miguel Vargas with his transition.” Part of the role of veteran leaders is to help those coming up to transition easier into their leadership positions.
- Statesmen Have A Mature Perspective – I love Rojas’s attitude and perspective. He sees the big picture of what the Dodgers are attempting to do as a team. Rojas noted, “I totally understand. I’m at a point in my career where I understand where I’m at. I’m 35 years old. That’s why it was easier for me to digest what was going to happen.” It is one thing to understand, it is another to know what to do with that knowledge. This leads to my next point…
- Statesmen Understand The Seasons – Everything has a life cycle, even your leadership. Things will eventually come to an end. The wisdom to know when your season is ending and position yourself for the next one is critical to maintaining influence. Rojas observed, “I feel like this is an opportunity for me to start what I want to do after my career is over.”
- Statesmen Continually Build Relationships – Maintain and cultivate relationships for the purpose of serving others. By doing so, you will always have a level of influence. Looking forward at his career, Rojas focused on, “Helping Mookie (Betts), creating that relationship with him as a teammate.”
- Statesmen Teach And Share – As a veteran leader, if you do not pass on all your years of experience, it dies when you do. Therefore, veteran leaders should be teaching what they know and sharing their experiences. Rojas continued, “I’m thinking about how I’m going to teach others, helping them with my experience.”
- Statesmen Focus On Others – It is a privilege to have lived a life worthy of sharing your knowledge with others. Not only is it a privilege, passing on your wisdom is wonderful opportunity. Rojas felt, “This is a great opportunity for me, not just only to focus on myself, but to focus on helping others.”
- Statesmen Stay Ready – Veteran leaders are not done yet. Your organization still needs you to produce. Rojas reminded us, “I’ll always be ready to play shortstop, every single day.”
- Statesmen Still Play A Critical Role When Needed – In many organizations, leadership is a “young man’s game.” But there will be times when veteran leaders need to do more than just stay ready. They will need to play a critical role in the team’s success. Rojas knows this and so does everyone in the Dodgers organization. He said, “He (Lux) was going to be the shortstop last year. He got the brutal injury. And that’s why I stepped up.”
You can read Rosenthal and Weaver’s full article by clicking HERE.
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