You look into the court stands.
It is Saturday, July 9th, and you’ve won the 2016 Wimbledon final. You’re flushed from fatigue and overtaken with excitement.
You’ve marked another notch on your racket. Today is number 22. Yes, your 22nd Grand Slam.
It’s the record-tying win that ties you with Steffi Graf for obtaining the most major championships in the Open era.
Your latest and greatest achievement comes with the conclusion of the 139th year of Wimbledon, notably the world’s oldest tennis completion.
You’re proud. You’re exhausted. But, you’re thirsty for more.
Why?
Even after all of her glory, she will not stop.
This drive is something we could not pass up. We had to know what it takes – mentally – to push forward. To never stop pursuing excellence; even when you are already excellent.
You want to be a proactive leader, right? Keep reading then.
We’ve compiled a list of seven share-worthy quotes from Serena Williams that we believe relate to proactive operations.
Go ahead; learn a few tricks from one of the greatest athletes of all times.
Powerful Advice From a Proactive Champion
It’s time for a little self-reflection. We’ve heard and seen them all before. Excuses.
“I’ll get to it.” “I don’t have time.” “I’m too busy.” “That will never work for our operation.”
Do these sound familiar? They do to us because they are the excuses we hear throughout the industry. Not always, but more frequently than we want to accept.
Our response is this: would you rather be reactive to issues and incidents or be proactive and ready for what comes?
Here’s the thing; when the time comes to prove your operation’s ability – not doing anything is worse than doing nothing. Do you agree?
It is time to be proactive.
Serena Williams has 22 Grand Slams – no excuses. You must be a proactive leader. We’re going to help.
We believe Serena can show you the way to greatness. That way, you can ensure your operation has the strategy, infrastructure, and technology. This framework is Proactive Operations.
Overcome Fear
“I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.”
We all fear what is known and unknown. That fear is also what keeps you from achieving proactive operations. Fear of failure forces you to remain complacent. The status quo is a ticking time bomb.
To get over fear, you must ‘jump.’ Start with your strategy – the first aspect of Proactive Operations. Use the ACDA Principle™ to build a plan that will remove fear from your operation.
The Principle forces you to face your fears. Address your strengths and weaknesses to reduce long-term fear. This process makes you stronger.
You can learn more about the Principle by reading this article we’ve created.
Visualize Proactive Operations
“I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position.”
From an operational standpoint, Proactive Operations is the top position. There is no question of this. Being a proactive operation is what makes your property world-class.
Believe that you can be the best. You have the resources. From the ISS 24/7 blog to the many industry associations and experts you surround yourself with – you can achieve what most find unachievable.
Trust us.
Never Give Up
“I just never give up. I fight to the end. You can’t go out and say, ‘I want a bag of never-say-die spirit.’ It’s not for sale. It has to be innate.”
Recent events have proved to all of us that you are always faced with challenges. Many of these are unforeseen. Many of them you will expect.
From triggered bombs to active shooter incidents, your operation is continuously tested. You must accept that. When you do, you can focus on to a successful resolution.
Put processes in place that empower your team to develop an innate ability to overcome potential threats to the safety of your guests and staff.
Keep pushing through the rumble. It will pay off.
Luck is the Result of Preparation
“Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.”
If you read our articles often, you know that we are advocates of preparation. Yes, this seems obvious. However, it is often overlooked. It’s easy to pass on development when you’re behind the eight-ball and must “put out fires.”
You protect hundreds to thousands of people. You need to know what you’re doing. So does your team. Run exercises and practice and then do it again.
Proactive operations institute role-playing and tabletop exercises to prepare for potential hazards. Read this article on tabletop exercises for a perfect example of its importance.
Practicing is crucial. You don’t want anything to slip through the cracks.
You Are Accountable
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.”
Believing in yourself means holding yourself accountable. As a leader, you know that accountability is a challenge for many operations. Finger pointing is common, and the ‘fault’ will land on your shoulders.
To be successful, you must put the onus on yourself to ensure everything is looking good and running smoothly. Your team is a reflection of your leadership. Be accountable for that.
You must own the responsibility of improving your operation, whether your rapid response teams took seven minutes to respond to a medical incident or your security guards missed a suspicious package.
Being accountable is being proactive.
Champions Always Rise
“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.”
We strive to help all proactive leaders become Champions. We even call our clients Champions. Because they are. Our clients are the individuals that want – more than anything – to employ Proactive Operations throughout their property.
Champions know that they will fall, not fail. They shape a foundation to reduce their chances of falling substantially.
They do these three things:
- Establish strategy that increases communication, enhances awareness, ensures reliable documentation, which leads to comprehensive analytics.
- Build an infrastructure that generates a streamlined flow of information throughout all operational departments.
- Implement technology that maximizes performance, from front-of-house to back-of-house operations.
Do this and you will always recover from a fall.
Your #1 Priority
“Tennis is just a game, family is forever.”
Do you work endless hours? Do you feel as if you never have time for your family? You can’t hide it. We know about those 120-hour work weeks. We are aware of the nights you spend sleeping on cots or your office couch.
Wouldn’t you rather be home with your family? Your family drives your success. So, they should always be your number one priority.
Being a proactive leader means employing Proactive Operations. Doing this allows you to be home every day at a reasonable time.
How? Because you have the confidence and peace of mind knowing that your team has everything handled. Your operation is humming with efficiency.
Yes, this is your career. But, your family is your ‘life.’
Over to You
Did you get a surge of motivation from this article? We certainly did. We encourage you not to take the words of Serena Williams lightly.
We challenge you to be a proactive champion. Employ Proactive Operations so you can spend more time with your number one priority – family.
