As much as I enjoyed business school, I believe many programs don't succeed in teaching leadership. Leadership is among the most important skills you can have. Leaders set
direction. Leaders change the way we think. Leaders change the world. Today’s
discussion is about 3 leaders and the way they changed (are changing) the world. These
leaders are very different from one another. But they share a common thread that's made their leadership journeys truly
special.
Jesus, undoubtedly,
is the most popular person that ever lived. He’s the central figure of
Christianity and is considered an important prophet of God in Islam. During his
life, he impacted thousands
of lives through his ministry and teachings. He spread hope and
inspired people to believe and have faith. He became such a popular leader
during his time that he was a political threat and was eventually executed. He’s
the main character in the Bible, the most popular book ever
written. Mike Kryzyzewski (also known as “Coach K”) is the all-time winningest coach in
Division I men’s college basketball. To date he's
coached Duke University to 4 NCAA championships, 11 Final Fours, and 12
conference titles. He was the coach and leader of the US’s gold medal-winning
2008 Summer Olympics men’s basketball team. Jimmy Buffett is a
singer-songwriter, film producer, and businessman. He’s best known for his musical talent and has released 30
albums: 8 gold and 9 platinum or multiplatinum. Buffett has written 3
best-selling books and he owns 2 successful restaurant chains: “Margaritaville”
and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”
Besides having impressive resumes, what
do these 3 leaders have in common? They built tribes. Tribes are groups of
people united with a common purpose. They challenge authority and the way people think. Tribes change the world. Seth
Godin, author of the best-selling book Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us offers
this definition: “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are
connected to one another, a leader, and an idea.” Jesus, Coach K, and Jimmy
Buffett connected people to an idea. They built tribes.
Jesus is the
founding father of Christianity, a religion practiced by more than 2.2 billion people today. Every Sunday, people
congregate in churches around the world to worship and spread the message he
preached over 2000 years ago. Jesus built his tribe one at a
time, from Galilee to Jerusalem, preaching to anyone who would listen. He challenged authority and spread
hope throughout the land. He gave people something to believe in,
gave them faith, and as a
result built the biggest tribe in history.
Coach K has a tribe too. While not quite as big as Jesus’, it is pretty sizeable nonetheless. In a college sports era
marred by recruiting scandals and lacking a focus on education, Coach K built a basketball program
based on fundamentals and sound principles. Although many of his
players went on to have successful careers in the NBA, he coached 19 seasons
before a player left school early to pursue a professional basketball career. 19
seasons! His dedication to excellence has garnered him many awards…and a tribe!
Duke University named the floor in their basketball arena “Coach K Court” in his
honor. The grassy area outside the arena is titled “Krzyzewskiville.” Duke also
named the brand new basketball practice facility after him:
“Michael W. Krzyzewski Center - Dedicated to Academic and Athletic Excellence.”
His tribe members include the Cameron Crazies (members of the student body who
organize cheers at the games), former players and staff members, and the alumni
and fans of Duke Basketball. Nine of his former players and assistant coaches
became head coaches at other schools. Three former players now work for him as
assistants at Duke. His program has produced more leaders than any other college
sports program.
Jimmy Buffett united his tribe under the idea of “island escapism.” He created “Margaritaville,” a
place for his listeners to escape
the hardships of everyday life. His tribe, “the Parrotheads,” comes together at
his live performances to take pleasure in and celebrate the island lifestyle. Typical
attire for a Parrothead includes a Hawaiian shirt, “board shorts”, and
flip-flops for men or a grass skirt and coconut bra for ladies. Buffett built
his tribe through his catchy tunes and magnetic personality. His idea has helped
him sell over 20 million albums, sell out concert venues, and form the
Parrothead tribe.
Your Turn? Everybody has a story to tell, a movement to
start, and a tribe to lead. However, only a few people believe in themselves enough to speak up,
organize the group, and lead. There are people out there, on the fringes, who
share your beliefs about how to make the world a better place. They need you to
speak up and lead them. They need you to form the tribe.
To get our smart goals worksheet please visit our blog.