Put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a moment.
How about LeBron James’? Yes, that’s a good idea.
You made a promise to your hometown of Cleveland, OH. You told them that you’d earn them an NBA Finals win following 53 years of existence without a championship title.
This promise is significant. You’re also down three games to one in the final series for the championship against the Golden State Warriors.
Stephen Curry and his team are fighting for another ring. They want this. You want this.
What’s going through your mind? Do you throw in the towel? Have you already been beaten by the odds?
No. You’ve embraced the power of will.
You invite the challenge. You push your teammates and win the game that puts your team back into contention.
But, now you have two more to go, and you have to win all of them. How do you do it?
You ‘will’ it.
That’s what LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers did. They disregarded the media, the naysayers, and against all odds, they won the championship he promised his fellow Clevelanders.
Following the win, he was asked about the obstacles faced during his down-three-games-to-one championship win. We can all learn something from this memorable quote.
“I was calm. I was focused. I was locked in. Once we got to a game seven, I was just confident. I knew what I was capable of doing. I knew my guys would allow me to lead them throughout the 48 minutes, and they did that.”
James shares three lessons on the power of will. You might not see them right away, and that’s fine. They are subtle teachings that we’ll address below.
Keep reading; we’re going to break each down so you can apply them to your operation – and how you can execute the power of will.
How to Execute the Power of Will Like LeBron James
It’s interesting; many of us overlook the power of will. We think it is impossible. We’re all guilty of making ‘quitting’ an option.
Yes, it does take proactivity and hard work to achieve your goals. But, you can reach Proactive Operations – if you ‘will it’ and work hard at it.
Here are three lessons from LeBron James’ famous quote on executing the power of will in your operation.
- “I was calm.”
- “I was focused.”
- “I was locked in.”
Willing an achievement is only half the battle. You must have confidence in yourself and your team, the ability to execute efficiently, and the discipline to stick to the proven processes.
“I was calm.”
You are calm when you’re confident. Learning, practicing and optimizing your abilities yields unmatched confidence.
Confidence results in you and your team’s ability to perform at the top of your game. You make fewer mistakes than before, and nothing slips through the cracks.
Calmness comes from knowing you have an industry of experts behind you too. You have resources like the ISS 24/7 blog, industry associations, and your peers to advance your knowledge, test your theories, and contribute to operational evolution.
Practicing what you’ve learned via role-playing allows you to test your strategy without fear of consequences. Find out what works and what does not. Then, improve and optimize your operations effectiveness.
Your technology supplements this. Through the use of solutions like text communication and incident management systems, you create an environment conducive to positive outcomes.
Relying on these systems ensures nothing gets missed, and your team performs like the ‘champions’ they are.
You are calm.
“I was focused.”
Whether you oversee a daily operation or several events a year, each day or event must be your center of interest. To succeed, you must be present.
Proactive Operations keeps you laser-focused on the global task at hand: keeping your staff and guests safe. The mistakes of yesterday cannot be errors of today.
Employing Proactive Operations ensures all bases are covered. How? You know how information flows through your operation, how staff handles everything, and how to manage it as a leader.
You are focused.
“I was locked in.”
One of the greatest challenges operations face is not being crippled from inefficiencies. Inefficiencies lead to bottlenecks that take your operation down a dangerous path. For reactive operations, it is a battle of keeping everyone’s head above water. Be proactive.
Strategy, infrastructure, and technology establish a disciplined approach to achieving maximum operational performance. Discipline removes errors because you trust the process and focus on the goal. Do not become swayed by bumps in the road.
Proactive Operations removes this challenge because nothing changes your proactive state of conquering what lies ahead. It is how everyone achieves peace of mind.
You are locked in.
Over to You
One lesson to learn from LeBron James is that you will be challenged throughout your career. There is no way to hide from it. But, you can ensure most outcomes fall in your favor using the power of will.
If you’re an operation, use Proactive Operations to achieve success. Stay calm. Stay focused. Lock in, and be a champion at your game.
