Top Ten Leadership Lessons

Photo by Damir Orucevic

I have been in a very rigorous training program. One of the toughest.

It has reworked my point of view on leadership, mindset, and perseverance. It is not a curriculum I imagined taking. It found me. As someone who has dozens of certifications and decades of training this may be among the best I have attended.

It’s expensive. It’s time intensive. To some it seems insane. Unreasonable. Excessive.

For me, it is perfect. Unexpectedly perfect.

My current leadership training ground is 15U Club Volleyball.

Yep, that’s it. Dozens of hours a week in a windowless box with piercing whistles, heavy breathing, lots of shouting, and processed food at premium prices. High levels of adrenaline followed by endless idle time. Late nights and early mornings. Driving. So much driving. Protein shakes. Food prep, lots of food prep.

This is my world these days. I have become a full fledged volleyball mom. Didn’t expect it. Wouldn’t have predicted it.

Yet here I am.

Her name is Caroline, my 15 year old daughter. She has caught the volleyball bug and is now playing at a very competitive level.

You may be rolling your eyes, chuckling, and preparing all the reasons why this fanatical level of youth athletics is problematic (you may have a point!).

But I want to tell you what I LOVE about traveling with young women in volleyball and all that I am learning.

Here are my Top Ten Leadership Lessons from Young Women in Volleyball:

1. Young women appreciating the size and strength of their bodies is paradigm bending. Imagine at 15 falling in love with your towering frame, thick thighs, strong butt, and big feet—game changing.
2. Young women owning their power and capacity is a revolutionary act—bumping up against limitations and going beyond what they think is possible develops neural pathways that change the world.
3. Young women spending hours on drills and strength training creates physical mastery and discipline. Most success comes from the practice that no one ever sees—training in excellence is underrated.
4. Young women learning how to navigate disappointment and keep showing up is fundamental to navigating the ups and downs of life.
5. Young women developing the mental muscle to lose a point and immediately move on to the next point is the best kind of presence—focus on the next point.
6. Young women wildly, unabashedly, and aggressively celebrating their accomplishments and those of their teammates is invigorating. It’s so countercultural it rewires what we think is normal.
7. Young women fiercely advocating for what they need on the court from their teammates and coaches creates power in communication.
8. Young women learning the value of rest and recovery in their success creates women that understand self care.
9. Young women producing unpredicted success establishes inner confidence.
10. Young women realizing that their growth is measured beyond a scoreboard supports a sense of agency.

I am endlessly inspired by this team of twelve young women. At 46 I am:

1. Appreciating my body.
2. Owning my power and capacity.
3. Developing physical mastery.
4. Showing up.
5. Moving on.
6. Unabashedly celebrating myself and others.
7. Powerfully communicating what I need.
8. Resting and recovering.
9. Producing success.
10. Always growing.

No matter where you find yourself right now, you’re surrounded by opportunities to develop. If I can find my best teachers in a loud windowless box, imagine what teacher may be right next to you.