The Basics

I’m reading Tony Dungy’s autobiography, Quiet Strength. It’s a great read and focuses on his struggles and personal walk with God as it does his coaching career. As I read it I’m reminded and discovering some secrets of leadership that have helped Coach Dungy throughout his carer as a coach, father, husband, and Christ-follower.

Here are a few of them:

• Do what we do and do it better than anyone else - don’t try to be like someone else’s business or ministry and don’t let others dictate what you should do
• Do the ordinary things extraordinary - just do the small things well
• Focus on the fundamentals - focus on the basics of what you do, you don’t have to get fancy schmancy
• No excuses, no explanations - stop looking for and finding excuses why you can’t do something
• Focus on the job, not the surroundings - leaders don’t have to have the best, the greatest, nor the latest of everything to be successful
• Whatever it takes - do whatever it takes to be and do what God has called you to be and do
• Worrying about stuff is God’s job, just do what He’s called you to do - don’t worry about your job, finances, or what others think of you, just do what God’s called you to do
• Trust God that all things work together for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose, even when it doesn’t feel good to me - either you believe this or not, irregardless of your circumstance

I know some of these may be re-stated or redundant, but I like the way he says them. They seem to ring a bell with me. I’m still reading and as I find more leadership nuggets I’ll share them with you as I discover them myself.

Mike