The era of COVID-19 was one of reflection…and many podcasts!
I enjoyed still having contact, albeit via Zoom or Teams, but I was asked many questions about my career – over and over again! How it started and ended, what I achieved and how I achieved it.
It was then that I started to reflect on my journey in a far more profound manner. Why did I achieve a certain level in my career when many others, given the same opportunity, did not? What were the differences? I’ve played in outstanding and terrible teams – what were their traits and learnings from all these experiences?
During this period, I knew I had more helpful information and experience to impart to others. Hence, my speaking career began. I’ve also been part of the business world, having developed an 84-unit resort in the Algarve, taking it from a brownfield site to completion. The lessons in sport and business align so well for the simple fact that we are all part of a team in one way or another.
I concentrate on two areas:
- The Team – understanding team dynamics and leadership
- The individual – how can I maximise my abilities and achieve my goals?
Of all the people I’ve worked with or encountered in business, one outstanding trait runs through the very best at what they do – and that is their MINDSET. Football was great at training physically and tactically but was late to the party when training the mind. My first experience was with England at the Euro 92 Championship and then at club level with Derby County in the Premier League in 1998 – but this was not the norm.
After devouring many team and leadership books, I found one that aligned with my experiences and beliefs. It’s imaginatively called “Mindset” …..by Stanford University Professor of Psychology Carol Dweck. Her concepts of a Fixed and Growth mindset are fascinating and so true. Well worth a read, but I’ll delve into this in future posts.
I’ll leave you with one of her quotes:
“You don’t know what your abilities are until you make a full commitment to developing them”
#Mindset #Teamwork #Leadership #DreamTeam