20 Practices Of Leaders Who Lead Leaders

One of the signs of a maturing leader is they make a fundamental shift from leading followers to leading leaders.  This requires a different focus and an enhanced level of skill.

The Elite 11 QB Camp is run each summer by former Super Bowl champion and current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer.  The one-of-kind competition brings together the top 11 high school senior quarterbacks.  These are the best of the best.  However, Dilfer has a different set of intentions for these young leaders than just showcasing their athletic gifts.  He says, “They thought they were coming to a summer camp and they’re getting in-depth life lessons taught to them.”

Recently, ESPN did a one-hour special on the 2014 Elite 11 QB Camp.  As I watched Dilfer and his assistants coach these talented athletes, I gleaned the following 20 Practices Of Leaders Who Lead Leaders.  All quotes are from Dilfer unless otherwise noted.

1. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Change The Way They See The World – “This journey we take them on for a week, they start to see life through a different lens.”
2. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Help Others Discover Their Purpose – “Life is very unpredictable and at different times in our life God reveals to us what our purpose is.”
3. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Are Highly Competent – “The problem with the term ‘coachable’ is who is delivering the message.”
4. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Have Uncommon Influence – “Are you the type of individual who will be a future influencer?”
5. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Relentlessly Pursue Excellence – “The underdog intrigues me because of their fight and human spirit.”
6. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Have A History Of Facing And Overcoming Adversity – “Every quarterback here thinks they’re the dude.  They think they’re going to win the Heisman.  They think they’re going to play forever.  And they think they’re going to make it to the Hall of Fame.  What they have never done is face true, true adversity in this kind of environment.” – camp coach Yogi Roth
7. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Embraced The Journey – “The victory is in the journey you’re about to embark on.”
8. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Ask Others To Leave Their Comfort Zone – “At the edge of uncomfortable is where greatness happens.” – Roth
9. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Remain Calm In The Midst of Chaos – “When things get chaotic can you quiet your mind?”
10. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Have Organizational Skills – “The best leaders come with a plan.  We didn’t come in first because we didn’t have a plan.”  – high school quarterback Ryan Brand
11. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Teach Both Business Skills AND Life Skills – “They thought they were coming to a summer camp and they’re getting in-depth life lessons taught to them.”
12. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Own The Result – “It’s a combination of passion and perseverance.”
13. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Ask For Great Commitment – “What they’re being asked to do is buy into THIS system.”
14. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Keep Things Simple For Others – “I got myself in a lot of trouble as a player over-thinking stuff.”
15. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Prepare Them For Future Leadership Assignments – “We are trying to groom guys who will dominate at the next level and have a NFL caliber ceiling.”
16. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Handle Pressure Well – “It’s a big, big stage.  The lights are bright.  There’s a lot of pressure.”
17. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Properly Define Success – “Life is so much bigger than football…You’ll still be empty if you attach greatness to whatever awards you receive.  I truly believe the victory was in the journey.”
18. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Focus On Personal Growth And Continual Improvement – “I love seeing people change for the better.”
19. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Are Learners And Surround Themselves With Like-Minded Individuals – “I’m going to be a quarterback and I don’t care what other people say about me.  Just say, ‘Yes sir’ and keep getting better.”
20. Leaders Who Lead Leaders Are Not Overnight Successes.  It Was A Process – “All we really hope to do is plant that simple seed in all these quarterbacks about life being a journey.” – Roth

What other practices are needed to effectively lead leaders?

To subscribe to this site and get my latest FREE eBook 999 Leadership Quotes On Leadership: Wise Words And Timeless Truths From The 2014 ARC, Passion, Orange, and Leadercast Conferences (and others) clickhere or on the image to the left.