Building Better Careers Newsletter

Football, Leaders and Chili

tina@builduup.net

www.builduup.net

 

Hello Tina,

Welcome to my newsletter!  I get it, you're too busy to read it.  So click the link that interests you and jump to that section only.  Its quick.  It's easy.  I'll share a quote, a recipe, maybe even a joke and of course something helpful for your career.  Enjoy and let me know what you think.

Make today your best!

Tina   


This month’s topics

Tina’s Two $ense – a quick note for career minded people

To Read – a recommended book or article

To Eat – a recipe to try

To Inspire – an uplifting quote or topic

To Laugh – a silly quote or topic

To Consider - training, coaching or free downloads


 Tina’s Two $ense:  Comparing football and leaders.

Football’s in session. Time for team gear, chili and shouting at the tv. (By the way don’t forget to scroll down for my favorite chicken chili recipe below). 

Truth be told, I’m a fair-weather fan, but I do love a good, close game. I’ve scared the dog a few times from shouting at the referee, hoping the tv has ears. Can anyone relate?

The sport is fun to watch because there are many moving parts. Each player is impactful to the team, yet who gets the most press coverage? No matter how many stations you flip to, the camera is focusing on one key player, the quarterback. 

Guess who gets the least coverage? You rarely hear much commentary about the center on the offensive line. You know the one, he's in the middle of the pack hiking the ball. 

Companies can be compared to football games. They also have a lot of moving parts. Departments with different functions all have an impact to the team. The leaders of those departments may have different styles, but they all are aiming for the same goal. Just like in football.   

It takes a great leader to run an effective company and it takes an effective team to get results. The way a person leads may be different, but one behavior style is not better than another.   

In my opinion, the two key leaders in football are the quarterback and the center. One gets most of the glory and the other stays in the background with the rest of the team, barely noticed.   

How do they differ as leaders? 

Which one is more important? 

Let’s compare. 

The Quarterback Leader gets results by:

Leading the play standing apart from the pack

Communicating to the team

Taking the ball and sometimes running with it

Finding the right fit to hand off for the win 

The Center Leader gets results by:

Putting things in place to get started off right, smack in the middle of the action

Aiming at the target and passing it to get things rolling

Repositioning after the release to lean in with teammates for collaboration

Blocking and tackling for safety and protection to get the win

Can the quarterback do its job without the center? Can the center do its job without the quarterback? 

For companies; both types of leaders are essential. We need leaders that aren’t afraid to take control, step out and take charge to get things done, but we also need leaders that know how to set people up for success and then rally around their team to get things done. 

Both are effective.

Both are needed. 

What kind of leader are you? To see where your strengths are as a leader, download my free Manager Assessment Wheel.

Share what you loved most about your favorite leader; I’d love to hear what made them successful. 

To your success,

Tina


 To Read:  

This is a classic. A great quick read on how to lead teams. If you haven't added this to your collection, go grab a copy, you'll be glad you did.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

 


 To Eat: 

A friend of mine made this amazing White Chicken Chili for me when I visited her in North Carolina.  I make it several times a year. Try it and let me know what you think. 

Click image for recipe.


 To Inspire:  

“Success isn’t measured by money or power or social rank. Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace.”

Mike Ditka, Head Coach, Chicago Bears (1982-92), New Orleans Saints (1997-99)


 To laugh:

Football Exam

Two Florida State football players, Bubba and Tiny, were taking an important exam. If they failed, they would be on academic probation and not allowed to play in the big game the following week. The exam was "fill in the blank" and the last question read, "Old MacDonald had a____." Bubba was stumped -- he had no idea what to answer, but he knew he needed to get this one right to be sure he passed. Making sure the teacher wasn't watching, he tapped Tiny in the shoulder. "Tiny, what's the answer to the last question?" Tiny laughed, then looked around to make sure the professor hadn't noticed. He turned to Bubba and said, "Bubba, you're so stupid. Everyone knows that Old MacDonald had a FARM." "Oh yeah," said Bubba, "I remember now." he picked up his No. 2 pencil and started to write the answer in the blank. Then he stopped. Tapping Tiny on the shoulder, he whispered, "Tiny, how do you spell farm?" "You are really dumb, Bubba. that's so easy," hissed Tiny, "farm is spelled, E-I-E-I-O'."

source: http://www.jokes4us.com/sportsjokes/footballjokes.html


 To consider:

If your job isn’t building you up for success, or you’re a leader and you’d like a boost with your teams for better communication or development, let’s have a conversation. 

Click here to schedule a time to connect.

MANAGERS: Want to manage better? Download this free guide and discover where you might be out of balance so you can become a better boss.

CAREER HELP: Unsure about your job?  Download this free tool to assess your career and see where you might be out of balance. 

COMMUNICATION TROUBLE?  Want to communicate better with family or co-workers? Try my self-study course on "Building Better Communication".


About Tina

Career Coach/Trainer/Facilitator

 

With 20+ years in leading, training, sales management and coaching, Tina brings a broad skillset to helping busy professionals elevate their success. She holds certifications with one of the world’s leading sources for science-based, validated assessment and coaching tools.  Tina's passionate about serving others to reach their full potential while balancing a full and productive life.