I have always loved the Olympics. From summer to winter, every two years I tune in to watch amazing athletes push themselves to achieve their dreams. As the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver come to a close today I can’t help but think of all the wonderful stories we have heard, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Ordinary people achieving extraordinary results. Competing with injuries, broken hearts, hopes, dreams and passion.
Each story I heard revealed what I believe it truly means to be a person of character. I have spent a lot of time thinking and talking about Character Based Leadership as part of the Lead Change community on LinkedIn and Twitter. What does it mean to be a person of character? What does it mean to be a character based leader? I can’t help but see the attributes of what it truly means to be a person of character in the Olympic Athletes.
A person of character makes a Commitment.
Every athlete made a commitment many years ago to their craft, to their practice, to their fans, to their coach and to their country. You can see that commitment as they practice and compete. You can hear their commitment in the interviews they do. You have to start with a commitment in order to achieve extraordinary results. What commitment are you willing to make?
A person of character has Passion.
The athletes have practiced for years, months, weeks, hours on end, all in pursuit of their passion. Passion is what keeps the fire burning. Passion is what gets you out of bed every day. Passion is what allows ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results.
A person of character Perseveres.
I can’t help but think of Lindsey Vonn when I think of perseverance. Lindsey has a list of injuries almost as long as the ski run she faced each day. Yet she didn’t let that stop her. She kept going, pushing through the pain in pursuit of the ultimate prize. Her perseverance paid off and she took home the Gold Medal. You see the ice skaters miss a triple lutz and fall. That doesn’t stop them. They get back up and keep going. Sometimes in life you are going to hurt. Sometimes in life you are going to fall. What matters most is how you persevere and rise to the challenge in pursuit of your purpose.
A person of character is Disciplined.
Olympic athletes are extremely disciplined. They know they have to practice. They know they have to workout. They know they have to eat right. They know they have to take care of themselves. And they do. They have realized the payoff of being disciplined leads to better results. When it comes to leadership are you taking a disciplined approach to your purpose?
A person of character is Open to Feedback.
Every time an Olympic athlete performs they receive feedback. Feedback from coaches, from judges, from family and from the media. Whether they want it or not, they use that feedback to fuel future performance. The athletes know they can’t take that feedback personally. They realize the intention of the feedback is to help them and make them stronger. The athletes actually take the feedback and incorporate into their routine, their run or their game. We need feedback from others if we want to improve. The key is openly receiving feedback and doing something with it. You may not always like the feedback but you have to know it will help you in fulfilling your purpose.
A person of character puts forth an unwavering Effort.
Olympic athletes know that they have to put forth unwavering effort everyday in pursuit of their dream. If they give up for one day, the competition may pass them by. The athletes sacrifice time with family and friends. They rise early and work hard. They are constantly thinking about their routine, the next jump, the next run, the next game. They are putting forth effort every minute of everyday knowing just how important it is to achieving their goals. What if as leaders we put forth that same kind of effort? If we never took our eye of our vision, our mission, our purpose? If we helped our employees and ourselves everyday and invested the effort it takes to accomplish our goals?
This list is just a start in defining the attributes for what I believe it takes to be a person of character. I know there are many more and I would love to hear your thoughts. Above all, I encourage you to review the list and honestly ask yourself how do I display these attributes in my character? What do I do that reflects these attributes? Or maybe what can I do to ensure my character reflects these attributes?
We are all a work in progress. Embrace and celebrate your character that is helping you fulfill and live your purpose. Recognize and work towards those things that will help you fully live your purpose and let your character shine.
Join the discussion on Character Based Leadership with the Lead Change Group on LinkedIn. We would love for you to participate! http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1875191&trk=hb_side_g
Or follow the conversation on Twitter by searching #Leadchange
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We have seen character being acted out all the way through these games. Bodie Miller was a jerk and hotdog in the last Winter Games, but became an example of a professional athlete in Vancouver. Apolo Ohno was just as happy with Bronze as he was with Gold and never complained about being out raced. Lindsey Voss never quit and was just as excited when her German friend, Maria, won as when she did herself.
Thank you so much for your comment Bob! There were so many excellent examples of character in the Winter Games this year. Too many to even count. It was a fabulous 2 weeks of competition and I can’t wait for the next games!
Best wishes,
Kelly
I have to say this is impressive Kelly. Just wanted to check it out, very cool. The best story I remember about the Vancouver games was that poor ice skater who lost her mom and skated 2 days later. Awesome . Keep it up kid, love ya ….Frankie
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