I was talking to a seventh-grade baseball player the other day about their last game. They had unfortunately lost 4-2. I knew they had lost the game, but was looking to create some conversation with the young man.
I asked: tell me about your game? He responded with: “We played well and we played hard. We were winning 2-0 and then we made a couple of errors.”
I asked who made the errors?
He said “WE DID… as a team.”
I loved his answer. He did not name names, did not point the finger at anyone, or place blame. He didn’t hold resentment towards anyone. He answered in such a way that meant the whole team. He also spoke joyfully about the team.
What a great leadership tip for such a young man. He spoke highly and respectfully of the other team, even in defeat.
What can we as adults learn from this? A few points:
* Take ownership in your organization or school.
* Focus on the positive. When you look for a negative, that’s what you’ll find.
* Take criticism and pass the praise for your group.
* Kudos to this young man for carrying himself with respect and class for his team, and teammates, even in defeat.
* Keep rolling friends! I love that we can learn about leadership in life in all of our interactions, including one with a seventh grader.
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#LeadershipSparks: Be Warm and Friendly
Quote: “Everybody makes mistakes; that’s why they put erasers on pencils.”
– Tommy Lasorda.
