1. Be Honest and Clear with your Expectations –
When Dabo recruits a high school player he tells them that he will not promise him playing time. He says, “If you want to play at Clemson you will have to earn it. You will have to compete and work hard for it. We won’t promise you playing time but if you come here no one will love you like we do.” Dabo clearly and honestly shares what he expects from the player and what the player can expect from him and his staff. As a positive leader you want to meet with your current and future team members and share what you expect from them and what they can expect from you.
2. Be an Over Believer –
When Dabo became the head coach in 2008 he knew Clemson had talent but lacked belief. So the man whose father left when he was young, was homeless for a time growing up, made the Alabama football team as a walk-on, and had come to believe anything was possible, knew his number one priority was to inspire his team to believe. He brought in two signs on his first day as head coach to share with his team. One sign said “Believe.” The other sign said “I can’t” with the “t”crossed out. Since that moment Dabo has believed in his team more than they believed in themselves. I’ve seen how his belief raises the level of belief in his coaches and players. When asked if he was an over achiever he said, “No. I’m an over believer.” It’s amazing what your team will accomplish when you believe in them.
3. Be a Better You –
What makes Dabo so great goes beyond the coach he is and has much more to do with the man he is. Authentic, faithful, appreciative, giving, caring, loving, full of integrity and tough. He loves his players and they know it. He wants them to be their best so he gives them his best. He’s the real deal. The truth is to be a better leader you need to be a better you. Who you are determine show you lead and how you lead determines the culture and team you create.
4. Be Demanding but not Demeaning –
Dabo is known as a fun coach who likes to have a good time but he is very demanding. If his players are not giving their best effort or doing the right thing they will hear his voice. He demands that his players strive for excellence but he does not demean them in the process. He may call one of his players out but he’s doing it to call them up to greatness. As a leader it’s okay to demand excellence. But then it’s your job to lead in a positive way to help your team achieve it.
5. Be a Leader Wherever You Are –
After giving a speech where I mentioned Dabo, a gentleman came up to me and said he had worked with Dabo the few years he left coaching and worked in real estate. He said Dabo was the same leader in the real estate office that he is as a football coach. He showed up every day with a positive attitude, worked really hard and believed they were going to conquer the world. He said not surprisingly Dabo quickly enhanced the performance and success of the company while he was there. I loved hearing this because people think they have to wait for a certain position before becoming a leader. But Dabo was a leader in real estate and as an assistant coach and that lead to his current prestigious leadership position. Wherever you are decide to be a positive leader. Don’t wait for the title or position to do it. Lead where you are in a positive way and your influence will grow and so will your opportunity to lead more people.
The above document touting Dabo’s positive leadership for any aspect of life was provided me by Jonathan Dunn, my personal coach and co-founder of Dream Leader Institute. Not having heard of Dabo prior, I “DuckDuckGo’d” him and watched a 1:57 min clip from a TCI interview with Dabo Swinney learning his son Will will graduate from Clemson this spring and that both he and his brother Drew evidently play football under their father at Clemson. That too speaks well of Dabo!
I included the above for your inspiration and because it relates well to my past week in that I experienced Saturday two significant encounters in my life that I’d been praying about. Then today Pastor Carl’s sermon was again titled as a question, this time “What Does God Want For My Life?” or more specifically “Do I Really Want What God Wants For My Life?” (under girding the importance my will plays in determining anything of value) speaking from I John 4 highlighting four points God wants his followers to possess: Clarity, Companionship, Character, and Confidence (Boldness).
May I share a few insights that has taken me my entire life to realize that even though I may have wanted what God had in mind for me, I certainly didn’t follow thru to insure its occurrences. For example, I failed to focus on God’s resources to provide me the clarity I needed to succeed; I often refused his overtures for relationship / companionship from Himself and other Christ followers whom loved me; frequently I failed to reflect or give testimony or manifestation to the character and love of Christ, and lastly; the confidence in not only what God has accomplished, but yet in what God will do here forward thereby providing us the confidence or a boldness to live in love without fear.
For example, I try not to retreat from difficult situations for frequently the situation will change if I don’t. Becoming a looser in life isn’t difficult, and I believe the biggest losers in life are persons such as me earlier in my life, who refuse to live by the Four C’s of Carl’s sermon not believing in the potential God has given us and too often, even in the church, people just give up because they do not want to see ahead to what could be, if God’s resources were only facilitated.
With God, nobody and no situation is hopeless. I believe everyone has the potential to be an everyday visionary – to apply their faith in God and His Word to improve their lives. So folks, what do you want, and specifically cutting to the chase, what do you really want from whatever God wants for you to have? Whatever that is, if its burning in your heart, say that, speak it. Do not fall into the trap of just looking forward with your natural eyes. You must first look up to God, then deeply into His Word, and then ahead and imagine your future utilizing the 4 C’s! I heard someone say once “I never tell God what I have, what I can see, He already knows that. I tell Him what I want, what I can not see, and specifically what I believe He has given me the intense desire to want and in his timing, to HAVE!
I find the shepherd boy David’s comments quite revealing after assessing the balance of power between the Israelites and Philistines and their Goliath. After his brother Eliab’s rebuke to David in NKJV of I Samuel 17: 28 “I know of your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” (29) And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” (30) Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. (31) And when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. (32) Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this uncircumcised Philistine seeing that he has defiled the armies of the living God.”
It seems King Saul and his army had lost their passion and forgotten their cause! Perhaps the many people in the church today who fail to achieve their goals, either because of past events or future potential disasters or conflicts, are similarly afflicted. Success in life requires we must stay passionate and remember the “cause.” In other words “stay the course” and protect this principle at all costs. David’s passion to believe God made him a great king. He slew the giant with a cause, faith, and one small stone…. and everyone saw it.
And guess what? With social media today, your victories and defeats may assuredly appear quite untimely. .. especially the latter!
Blessings as you go forth richly endowed to enjoy your journey>>>>> merlin