5 TRAITS OF A GOOD LEADER

"Some people always classify you as a leader because you're the best player on the team.  That's not always the case."

- LeBron James

1. Be the hardest worker at practice.

Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your own work ethic.  Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team.  Not only does it set the tone for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a spark of energy and enthusiasm.  

Let your passion for the sport shine through.  Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates.  Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. 

3. Be the model of mental toughness.

Who do your teammates look to under pressure, adversity, and stress?  Be sure to model mental toughness.  Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations.  Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect with every teammate.

Leadership is all about relationships.  Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates.  Inquire about their day, challenges, and goals.  Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates.  The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road.

5. Compliment a teammate.

Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team.  Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through and recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc.  Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated.  As Mother Teresa once said, "Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless."

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