There are few things I enjoy more than watching my kids play sports they love.

I believe deeply in the value of what team sports can teach our kids; resilience, mental toughness, selflessness, handling failure and success.

But this football season, unlike any other I’ve experienced, brought new insights and powerful reminders for me around leadership.

Earlier this year, our head coach’s wife, Da’Nelle, was diagnosed with glioblastoma. It’s a rare, aggressive, and deadly brain cancer with no cure.

Kurt planned to leave his head coaching position to focus entirely on helping support his wife through this journey. However, Da’Nelle told him he was GOING to coach this year & let me tell you, Da’Nelle is not someone you want to argue with! 😊

In that moment, it was clear to Kurt that if he was going to lead this team, his leadership would need to look radically different. He simply could not operate the same as he had in the past.

He would need to trust and empower the other leaders on his team: his assistant coaches, his coordinators, and the players.

Were they ready?

That’s often the question I hear leaders ask when we talk about empowering their people –
“I’m not sure they’re ready.”

You’re asking the wrong question…

• Were you “ready” when you started this business or stepped into the leadership position you’re in now?
• Were you “ready” when you had your first kid?
• Were you “ready” when you took that big risk last year?

The question isn’t if they’re “ready.”

The question is,

“Are they hungry for an opportunity?”

Kurt developed a senior leadership council and empowered the seniors to lead devotionals and speeches before games and at halftime.

He turned over 80% of his responsibilities to his assistants and put his trust in their execution, not because they’d be perfect, but because it was best for the team as a whole.

What did he find?

He said “I didn’t realize how much I was getting in their way. When I allowed them to step up, I realized they WANTED that opportunity to contribute more. And that’s exactly what they did.

The outcome?

A near perfect season followed by a state playoff berth.

How would you run YOUR business differently if you were in his shoes?

What if you had to suddenly give up 80% of what you currently do?

How would you go about doing that?

What if you could only work one day a week?

What if you could only work one hour a week?

How would you spend that time?

THAT will focus you on what’s TRULY most important.

Perhaps, like Kurt, you have a team of leaders just waiting for an opportunity to contribute at a higher level. Perhaps your job is to get out of their way just a little more.

As a side note, I’m happy to report that by a miracle of God, Da’Nelle’s cancer is in remission as of a few weeks ago!

It’s been a hard road for sure, but I’ll never forget what Kurt said at the football banquet the other week:

“We should all be so fortunate

to have gone through what DaNelle and I have this year.”

If you’re interested in hearing more about their inspiring story, here’s a link to a radio interview they did recently on My Bridge Radio Network: https://mybridgeradio.net/2024/11/14/morning-conversation-with-kurt-earl/