by Greg Kozera | Aug 6, 2015 | Blog
Many of the world’s most powerful leaders could probably use a refresher course in what they’re supposed to be best at – leadership, which largely has to do with engendering confidence in a group effort and getting individuals to take responsibility for their role. High-powered government officials and well-funded CEOs have attained so much power, resources and privilege that many could learn a few things from successful leaders in less-privileged positions. As a successful volunteer leader and high school soccer coach, I know. A leader who volunteers time for a charitable cause, for example, can’t afford to fire people who underperform, because eventually there’d be too few volunteers. High school coaches also work with a limited pool of talent. How do some leaders with major limits on resources become successful? Inspiring leadership within the team is how it’s done. As a soccer coach at a small Catholic high school in West Virginia, I led an unlikely crew of boys to their school’s first state soccer championship game, later winning the state’s AA-A title. In the last six years they have won five (5) State AA-A Championships and were ranked 11th in the country among ALL high schools by Max Preps (Part of CBS Sports). More importantly, these kids learned leadership within their own lives. It turns out, years later, that one of them wound up as the doctor who successfully treated my wife at the local hospital after a bad car accident. Volunteer organizations always need help, and a person can move into a leadership position in very little time. Remember, volunteers will leave...
by Greg Kozera | Jul 15, 2015 | Blog
Have you ever thought about being a leader? The sooner you start the better. First, I want to start with adults who may be getting by with a middling job, paying the bills and are generally okay with things – but they could be better. Leadership in this sense doesn’t have to mean taking over your company’s department or coaching a youth sports team; it could simply mean doing those things that you’ve been putting off. Many adults do just enough to get by. Someday, they tell themselves, they’ll pick up all the pieces and be the person they were always meant to be. Unfortunately, that day is never today. That day is always in some vague period in the future, perhaps a few weeks or a month or so. I am a man of hope. I don’t believe leaders are born, but rather they’re taught. Ideally, children are taught lessons in leadership at an early age, but not everyone has that luxury. We don’t always choose the lessons we learn or the teachers, coaches and other leaders we are given. This can set us on a trajectory that is less than idea. But, as adults, we have greater freedom to choose what we do and who we can be. With that in mind, why not take the first step today? It can be a baby step, and tomorrow can be two baby steps – whatever it takes to get some kind of momentum. That baby step could be doing something in an effort for a healthier diet. Who knows, sooner or later you may contact that relative you’ve...
