In this final post I will highlight passion and being a life-long learner and team player.In the prior post I dove into how culture, vision and inspiration are key leadership attributes. In this final post I will highlight passion and being a life-long learner and team player.

Passion

Passion has been defined as intensity, drive, overmastering feeling or conviction and emotions distinct from reason. I have a business mentor who says if you light a man on fire and send him running down the street, others will follow. Passion is contagious. It is the fuel that leads leaders.

My teammate, Michael Sapper says that his passion in adventure racing comes from the experience of racing. Of knowing he can do it. And, it resonates so deeply in him that he thrives on getting others involved in the sport.

Life-long learner

Great leaders have mentors and are life-long learners. They are aware of the tendency to fall into a comfort zone and get complacent. They know that the knowledge, skills, gifts and talents that got them to where they are will not get them to where they want to go. They are constantly learning, stretching and growing.

Adventure racers look for the same – for opportunities to explore what is beyond their last challenge. Like leaders they ask, “how much farther can I go?”

And, finally the last leadership characteristic is being a Team Player – One of the biggest dynamics in adventure racing is TEAM dynamics – every race offers opportunities to discover and explore the complexity of working with others. Team dynamics is critical to the success of the racers and the race. It only takes one teammate with a poor attitude to bring the entire team down and in some cases cause a non-finish in a race. Teammates that are flexible, have a great attitude, and look out for their team are the best to work and race with.

The top companies to work for in America are, not surprisingly, big investors in their most valuable resource…their people. Leaders know how to lead and inspire teams, they are also team players who have an attitude of WE versus ME.

And while not everyone can relate to leadership in a racing arena, we all know how it feels to work with others, especially in an organization. It takes a tribe that sticks together to make great things happen. It takes great leadership abilities to make that tribe thrive.

What are the attributes of being a leader that you’ve experienced being on a team or working in a team environment?

Most leaders struggle with disengagement, dysfunction, and non-productive behaviors with their teams. We deliver training that develops leaders and engages teams to increase your company results.