Personal Best

     As Captain of my club soccer team, I ran into a lot of uncomfortable scenarios; however, there was one which stands out in my mind because it was a time, as high schoolers, that we were all - including myself - beginning to enter that weird rebel, partying, reckless stage. It was an early morning Saturday game and three of our best players showed up late, not wearing their equipment, with severe hangovers. Our coach was so mad that she wouldn't talk to them (not the best leadership tactic, if you ask me) and one of the three was my co-captain. I was furious and wished at the time that I could have reacted like my coach, but it just wasn't an option. I was the only available authority and I had to step up. I knew we needed their skill on the field, but also knew they wouldn't be on their top game anyway and there must be some sort of consequence, right? Sure, making them play might have been a severe enough punishment, but it would have hurt the rest of the team. So I sat them on the bench. I looked at second string and told them I knew they could play as well as anyone else; I asked for their best and reminded them that there was an entire team standing with them. I left the hungover trio on the bench, delegated the stern talking-to to our coach, and ran onto the field. The hardest part was riling up the rest of my team while my mind was distracted by my anger, but we managed. I asked that those three remain on the bench for the second half and they did.
     Looking back, I don't even remember if we won that game. At this point in my life, it doesn't matter; what do matter are the lessons in leadership that were shoved upon me that day. With my two co-leaders incapacitated by their own individual conditions, I was given a choice whether or not to step up. That's the lesson: leadership is a choice. I wasn't forced to step up. I could have done nothing, let my anger win over, yelled a little bit, but instead I chose to organize, to commit to my leadership role, and do something constructive. I didn't have to, but I did. I also learned an important lesson about team leadership in that, the best of the whole should always come first. I could have put myself first by letting my anger out and screaming, but that would have brought the whole team down. I could have put the hungover three first and punished them immediately, but the whole team would suffer. To the best of my ability, I tried to do what was best for the team's morale and the team's success - which included delegating the stern talking-to to our coach. This is a lesson which Kouzes speaks to: "it is okay to rely on others to get the job done" (18). There was far too much responsibility for me to handle right in that moment. I had to be on the field, so I encouraged our coach to calm herself so that she could speak to those three on our behalf.
     The above happened all in the span of about 60 minutes. These were all lessons I could learn so quickly myself because they were lessons I had seen used by my foremost inspiration: my grandpa. He has always been the best leader I know because simultaneously he can encourage, teach, befriend, trust, and enliven any situation - with any person, whether he's in a leadership role or just walking down the street. If I had to choose a single person who inspired leadership in me, who taught me what I know, it would be him. He has taught me the most, including (but not limited to) his motto, "We don't sweat the small stuff, and everything is small stuff." As a person, but especially as a leader I think this is a vastly important lesson. It keeps one from overreacting in a negative manner (much like in the above instance when my coach wouldn't speak to her players). It reminds a leader to calm down (don't sweat) and therefore provides time and the peace of mind needed to reach solutions.
     So, if, in all of this, there is one lesson in leadership that is the absolute most important it is this:

Don't sweat the small stuff, and everything is small stuff.