| Soccer Game #1 | | | | home stadium, the BoyChild was moved up to play |
| The GirlChild played in the first game of the day at a | | | | with the JV-A team. |
| park with 5 other soccer fields. You've seen these | | | | Somehow, I ended up sitting in a section of the |
| parks, right? We were sitting with our backs | | | | stands dominated by parents cheering for the players |
| practically touching the coaches and players from | | | | with the wrong color jerseys. As I allowed the sun |
| another game. | | | | equal time on the left side of my body, I had the |
| NOTE ON EAVESDROPPING: It's not eavesdropping if | | | | opportunity to listen to them complain about our |
| you are at least 5 feet away and the speaker is | | | | referees. |
| talking loudly enough to be heard in the next county. | | | | Leadership Tip #2 |
| Then it's just taking a polite interest. | | | | Everyone sees things from their own point of view. |
| The coach behind us called his girls together at | | | | Great leaders learn to see things from as many |
| halftime. "GREAT first half," he enthused, "We just | | | | points of view as possible. |
| need to make some minor adjustments." | | | | Leadership Tip #3 |
| He then proceeded to use the entire halftime to | | | | Great leaders know they have to develop a deep |
| outline wholesale changes. | | | | bench. You never know when someone will get |
| I turned to look to see how these girls (mostly 8th | | | | injured, change careers, or decide to move to |
| graders) were taking this. | | | | Oklahoma. |
| They were smiling and nodding happily. After all, | | | | Soccer Game #4 |
| these were minor adjustments; nothing to it. | | | | The fourth game of the day was the varsity game. |
| Leadership Tip #1 | | | | The goalie, who had been moved up for the day, |
| Great leaders know that how you say something is | | | | was phenomenal. Here's the kicker (ouch!)-he's a |
| infinitely more important than what you say. I'm not | | | | freshman who had no trouble at the varsity level. |
| saying content doesn't matter-we all know you have | | | | Leadership Tip #4 |
| to have the right content. But even perfect content | | | | Great leaders know that to get the most from their |
| won't be effective if the delivery gets in the way of | | | | teams, they have to look beyond resumes and really |
| the message. | | | | evaluate peoples' skills, abilities, and potential. |
| Soccer Game #2 | | | | I'm sure the varsity game was wonderful. But after a |
| After the girls' game, I drove halfway across the | | | | full day of sun and soccer I didn't argue at all when |
| planet so the BoyChild could ride the JV-B team bus | | | | the GirlChild suggested we leave at halftime. |
| and I could drive back to the same city we'd just | | | | Leadership Tip #5 |
| been in. It was not a winning day for | | | | Great leaders know that teams need to rest and |
| environmentalists. | | | | recover from time to time. Especially in today's world |
| While my right shoulder baked and sizzled in the | | | | where fewer people do the work of many, it is |
| stands, I listened to the parents on our team discuss | | | | critical to recognize when people pass the point of |
| the terrible job the referees were doing. | | | | being effective. (Ever read the same sentence 3 |
| Soccer Game #3 | | | | times and still not know what it said?) |
| Because of the number of injuries on the varsity | | | | Give your team a break, watch for sunburn, and |
| team, the JV-A goalie was moved up to play with | | | | provide plenty of extra water. |
| the varsity team. So later in the day, back in our | | | | |