An illustration that has always Stuck with me is, “Garbage in, garbage out.” What we get out of something is the direct result of what we put into it.
Garbage In, Garbage Out
I don’t recall when I heard it, where I heard it, or who I heard it from, but the concept is simple and memorable. Whatever space I’m leading in, it has always been applicable.
I have had the opportunity to lead in the public service space for more than 25 years. Paralleling that timeframe has been my service to coaching and developing young people through sports.
The garbage in, garbage out concept is applicable in both arenas. As we lead people and players, here are a few pieces of garbage that impact our performance trajectory.
Inconsistency
In coaching, I will take a good, consistent athlete over an inconsistently, great one any day of the week. Especially when it comes to team sports. Inconsistent performers create uncertainty in the coach’s mind. It produces concern of whether the athlete will be in the right position when the play needs to be made.
In leadership, the same is true. Inconsistent performers usually don’t make the full journey. The level of peaks and valleys in performance produce inconsistency. They struggle to string together a series of solid, sustainable successes. As a leader, we can’t be certain of which performer is going to show up on which day.
Inconsistency in, produces uncertainty out. In coaching and leadership, our best performers are the most consistent. Their consistent performance in, produces certainty out.
Ill-Prepared
In coaching, preparedness matters when the game is on the line. There is no worse feeling than the results of being ill-prepared. It doesn’t take long into the game to realize it either. Usually, it comes through the first thing that doesn’t go our way. We fall back to our level of preparedness in those moments. When we are ill-prepared, it’s hard to find our Foundation.
In leadership, the same feelings apply when we are ill-prepared. These moments can produce embarrassment and setbacks. Unfortunately, once the point of realization hits, things are too far gone to recover in the moment. In these moments, we realize our shortfalls in the process of preparedness.
Ill-preparedness in, produces poor quality out. In coaching and leadership, we cannot afford to be ill-prepared. Games and careers are on the line. Prepared in, produces quality out.
Lack of Focus
In coaching, there is a trend for players to “accessorize.” While all sports are equally guilty these days, I’ll pick on baseball. The accessory that wears me out are sliding mits. The players would arrive to me at first base, pull out their sliding mit, and fiddle with it while they got their lead. The result, getting picked off. There was a lack of focus.
In leadership, busyness is our form of accessorizing. Calendars, to-do lists, commitments, and social media leave us unfocused. We become spread thin, burdened by everything, focused on nothing. The things that deserve our attention are overshadowed by the things that don’t.
Lack of focus in, produces distraction out. In coaching and leadership, focus matters. It requires an all-out effort to stay on track. Focused in, produces prioritization out.
Conclusion
Consistent, prepared, and focused. Imagine if we could say that about every player or team member that we have. If that was what got put in every day, imagine what would get put out. Our teams and organizations would be running smooth on all cylinders. Sustainable success!
Well…here’s “The Mirror Moment” for us as coaches and leaders. What if we put in consistent, prepared, and focused performances? Influence starts at the top of a team and the organization. If we desire quality outputs, what are we putting in?
Inconsistency, ill-preparedness, and lack of focus are garbage inputs. Garbage in, garbage out.
Consistency, preparedness, and focus are quality inputs. It’s a simple message. What we choose to put in, produces what comes out.
