 Simply MagicWhen it comes to personal growth, the balance between order and complexity is a tricky one.
Bill Eckstrom created his growth ring model after documenting and researching over 75,000 coaching and leadership interactions. The model has four rings: Stagnation, Order, Complexity, and Chaos. The two extremes are easy to understand. Stagnation is exactly what one would think. It’s the pool of water with nothing coming in and nothing going out. Very little grows in stagnation and anything that does, quickly dies due to the lack of flow in and out. Growth is non-existent because discomfort is non-existent. Chaos is also what one would think. In an environment with a complete lack of order, the foundation for growth is never allowed to settle. Constant change never allows for the consistency progress requires. Growth in chaos is also non-existent. Neither order nor complexity provide much growth in isolation. Complexity is more manageable than chaos, but not stable enough for consistent growth. Order provides more challenge than stagnation, but not enough to stretch us regularly. It’s the combination of the other two that provide the magic. Why Should We Care? Stagnation needs to be off the table. Save it for vacation, which, even then, I would argue it has no place. But we can say vacation is the one acceptable time for stagnation. Order allows for repetition. Sustained growth is unquestionably tied to repeated actions. Order consists of daily habits, work routines, and family traditions. All are tremendous at cementing behaviors into our lives. Repetition is what separates order from all the other growth rings. The only problem with order is that it doesn’t produce much failure. Complexity however does. As much as we hate it, and try to avoid it, failure is critical for growth. And, complexity is the ring that injects the necessary failure into our lives. The struggle to figure out our purpose, how things work, and the best path to success stretches our edges and fosters progress. We may not like it, but we know we need it. Our willingness to embrace complexity will play a major role in our future, primarily whether or not we reach our goals and aspirations. Complexity alone, however, is missing the consistency that only order can provide. It’s this balance, or consistent bouncing back and forth, between order and complexity where significant growth exists. Introduce a little complexity, stay in it long enough to create some order, introduce a little more complexity until it becomes order … repeat. A shot of chaos now and then isn’t the worst thing in the world either. Sometimes that can make us appreciate the order and complexity more. REAL TALK - Action Steps This all applies to our performance in an important way - our ability to keep things simple. Simple for me and simple for you are two different things in regards to our behavior and actions, but they are exactly the same when it pertains to our growth rings. Simple always resides squarely in the center of order. Here are a few reminders for keeping it simple.
While our training and practice should stretch us into complexity, our performance should be in order. The goal is to continue pushing our order ring to higher and higher levels of performance. Contrary to popular belief, greatness is not complex. It’s simple. For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. We would love to know how we could help!
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 The OutcomeThe outcome is definite. We’re going to die. Stop spending your time and energy concerned with it. Too many people live their life as if the sole purpose is to arrive safely at the end of it. There’s way more to life than that.
Each year in our Leadership 101 class we watch “Patch Adams”, a movie that is based on the true story of Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams’ life. Robin Williams plays Patch in the movie and depicts him as an eccentric, aspiring genius of a medical student that operates to the beat of his own drum. In one of the final scenes of the movie, Williams is pleading to the medical board in an effort to remain in school and continue his dream of becoming a doctor. He says “What’s wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can’t we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity, and decency, and God forbid, maybe even humor. Death is not the enemy gentlemen. If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight one of the most terrible diseases of all, indifference.” He continues, “The purpose of a doctor or any human in general should not be to simply delay the death of the patient, but to increase the person’s quality of life.” If there is any arena in which the importance of the process is paramount to that of the outcome, it’s in life. Sure the gravestone may be in the same place, but how we choose to live will determine the sentence on it. Why Should We Care? We care so much about what people think about us. So much. It’s as if we forget each day that we don’t get this one back. We allow the opinions of others to determine how we talk, what we say, the clothes we wear, the places we go, the risks we take, the foods we eat … for what? So we can not ruffle the feathers of people that wouldn’t come to our funeral anyway? The outcome is inevitable. How we get there is not. Consistent and faithful would be my suggestion. Discover who you are and how you were meant to live your life, then show up and do it day after day after day. Excellence is in the mundane. It’s persistence that produces brilliance. Often we are mesmerized by the charismatic leader that delivers the eloquent speech to a standing ovation. Though they aren’t necessarily exclusive, I find the quiet diligent servant more inspiring. Perhaps not at first but with time, he’ll win you over with his faithfulness to what is really important. And, that is the key - he knows what is actually important. He is anything but indifferent. Committed and loyal, he is on fire for the path he has chosen. Though the talks may not flow as well, the daily behaviors and actions speak louder than any speech ever could. REAL TALK - Action Steps When we choose to dispel indifference, we are also choosing to offend people. We must choose who we’re going to offend. That’s right, no matter how you live your life someone will be offended. The good news is, you get to choose who. Here are a few things that should NOT matter when deciding who to offend.
The outcome is known. We should spend our time focused on taking the risks, honoring our values, and living the life that is set before us with passion and urgency - free from indifference. We must stand for something or we stand for nothing. For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. We would love to know how we could help!  The End ... KindaBasketball has been an outlet for our family from the start. It’s woven into all aspects of our lives and has provided lessons and experiences we could’ve never imagined. Our identity has not been swallowed up by the game, but it has certainly impacted the people we have each become.
Our family - Betsy, Ally, and Gabe - has enjoyed a whirlwind beyond our wildest dreams as we’ve traveled along Gabe’s side throughout his grassroots basketball experience. What began as time together in the basement breaking ballhandling drill records for stickers ended this weekend in Lissone, Italy as winners of the Jit Lissone International Championship featuring eight different countries. In between we’ve won AAU National Championships and an Ohio D1 State Championship; we’ve played on ESPN, NBAtv, and FS1; we’ve traveled all over the US and into Europe; we’ve suffered heartbreaking losses and enjoyed unbelievable victories. Each of our perspectives throughout our journey is inevitably different. Gabe, as the main character, always plays and does what he loves while inspiring others to use their God-given talents in the process. Ally, as the ever-supportive #1 fan, will drop anything and everything she is doing to go watch, and cheer loudly for her little brother. Betsy, of course, is the true support system behind the scenes, allowing everything to work and making sure her family could ‘survive in the wild’ as she likes to say. And, myself, so fortunate to be in many of the arenas with Gabe, doing the best I knew how to provide him and his teammates with the best experience possible. But, most importantly, it’s been together. Why Should We Care? Life is a team sport, at least lived fully it is. Those fortunate enough to grow up in a connected, loving family experience this firsthand. Unfortunately, they don’t always appreciate it because of their lack of experience with the alternative. And, those not raised in a family unit don’t know what they don’t know. As adults, however, we get to choose. It’s our choice where our family will rank in our list of priorities. I clearly remember making my choice. Sitting on the bench during the awards ceremony in Lissone, Italy I thanked God again for the clarity and resolution He revealed it to me with. I had been the Athletic Director at Graham HS for about four years, a position I had taken following eight years of classroom teaching. I loved the job as it provided an avenue for me to impact student-athletes other than just our boys basketball players, where I was also the head coach. The Athletic Director position at Graham was an administrative position and required an incredible amount of time in order to do it well. Mowing grass, painting lines, putting up fences, draining fields, mailing contracts, answering phone calls, sending emails, securing officials, hiring coaches, scheduling trips … were just a few of the duties handed over to me by one of my mentor’s Mr. Ludlow. Fortunately, Mrs. Sells, the Athletic Secretary, was always there to help with anything and everything. While Ally and Gabe were young, the time was challenging but with both of our families nearby it was manageable. The conflict arose when Ally and Gabe began participating in youth sports and 4H. My moment of realization came on a Saturday morning during a Junior Varsity Girls Soccer game. I was at the high school event - supervising, taking care of the tickets, concession stand, and on this day, running the clock because we didn’t have a volunteer to do it. At the same time Gabe was playing soccer at one of our local parks, one of his first competitive sporting ventures. While sitting there running the clock, missing Gabe’s game, I clearly remember saying to myself, “What are you doing?!” I finished the year and not long after that took a significant pay cut to go back to the classroom to teach and coach, freeing up my time and schedule in order to watch Saturday morning youth soccer games. Few decisions I’ve made have been better than that one. Not to leave Graham, I will always love St. Paris, OH and Champaign County. For me, the decision wasn’t about moving or changing jobs. It was about choosing my family as my first team. That decision provided the start to a journey that ended this weekend - me coaching Gabe. The end of one season always marks the beginning of another. And, as we transition from one season to the other, whether it’s in business or life, we learn very quickly that it’s all about the people we share it with that matters the most. REAL TALK - Action Steps Often we think the people we spend time with are coincidental. While we can allow that to be the case, we do not have to accept chance. Who we surround ourselves with is one of the most important decisions we make as a leader and parent. It’s far too important to leave up to chance in my opinion. Here are a few people we have been intentional with allowing to pour into our family.
The underlying leadership lesson throughout this season in our lives has been presence. I can’t imagine a more tragic regret than to have spent this time running the rat race society calls success - climbing the ladder leaning against the wrong wall. The journey is the success. The experiences are the success. The relationships are the success. I’m thankful for the presence and clarity to have not missed it. For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. We would love to know how we could help!  Suffocating OurselvesIf we only breathe in we will suffocate.
Seems pretty clear, but we sure do like to forget it. In a time of individualism, self-improvement, and personal achievement we are lured towards this nepotistic definition of success that places us firmly on center stage. If we’re not very, very careful, life becomes all about us. The push for individualism seems positive enough until we understand exactly how much we are focusing on ourselves throughout that journey - ignoring, or neglecting, the impact of all the people around us. In a hunt for ourselves, we disregard others. Self-improvement is a consistent effort to make ourselves better. When that journey includes the ability to better serve our network of influence, it can be extremely positive. However, it often turns into an image race in which we care more about how we are viewed by others than who we are actually becoming in the process. As the self is improved, it’s easy to lose sight of one’s purpose. And, personal achievement is the societal benchmark for success in our world. While it may seem obvious that this is a pursuit centered on self, we continue down the path pounding our chest and demanding our status. At some point we will realize the hollowness of the awards. Hopefully, it’s when we still have time to appreciate the exhale. Why Should We Care? To truly live we need to exhale - for ourselves and for those around us. The exhale turns individualism into understanding and appreciation. No longer do we need to oppose others or condemn another group of people’s way of living. Different becomes ok, even welcomed. It’s not about us, it’s about all of us. In the exhale we realize the futility and ignorance of judgment and appreciate the richness of diversity and freedom of choice. When we are only breathing in, self-improvement is only about ourselves. When we exhale, we realize the value of service. Improving ourselves becomes a means to better serve those around us. Rather than bolstering our personal brand, we turn our focus to lifting others. The exhale is the true fulfillment of life. And, in regards to personal achievement, the exhale is the only thing that perspective to the continuous pursuit of more. As we continuously breathe in, we become more and more consumed with collecting accolades and badges of honor that elevate our status while pulling us further and further away from the meaning and purpose our lives were meant for. It’s a precarious situation - continue breathing in and gain all the recognition and acclaim we’ve been trained to desire or exhale and release yourself of the need to struggle to hold on. Because that’s exactly what we’re doing - holding on. REAL TALK - Action Steps For most, we are thrust into a position of forced appreciation for the exhale that eventually leads to the honest appreciation of its value. Of course, we can choose to make that shift, we just don’t very often. Here are a few cues that you may be ready for the change.
If you’ve ever taken a deep breath in an effort to hold your breath as long as you can, you understand the exhilarating feeling of the exhale. In the moments before it’s taken, we begin to long for the relief it will provide. Our life is very similar. At some point we grow tired of the inhale and turn our focus, and desire, to the exhale. Enjoy. For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. We would love to know how we could help!  Suffocating OurselvesIf we only breathe in we will suffocate.
Seems pretty clear, but we sure do like to forget it. In a time of individualism, self-improvement, and personal achievement we are lured towards this nepotistic definition of success that places us firmly on center stage. If we’re not very, very careful, life becomes all about us. The push for individualism seems positive enough until we understand exactly how much we are focusing on ourselves throughout that journey - ignoring, or neglecting, the impact of all the people around us. In a hunt for ourselves, we disregard others. Self-improvement is a consistent effort to make ourselves better. When that journey includes the ability to better serve our network of influence, it can be extremely positive. However, it often turns into an image race in which we care more about how we are viewed by others than who we are actually becoming in the process. As the self is improved, it’s easy to lose sight of one’s purpose. And, personal achievement is the societal benchmark for success in our world. While it may seem obvious that this is a pursuit centered on self, we continue down the path pounding our chest and demanding our status. At some point we will realize the hollowness of the awards. Hopefully, it’s when we still have time to appreciate the exhale. Why Should We Care? To truly live we need to exhale - for ourselves and for those around us. The exhale turns individualism into understanding and appreciation. No longer do we need to oppose others or condemn another group of people’s way of living. Different becomes ok, even welcomed. It’s not about us, it’s about all of us. In the exhale we realize the futility and ignorance of judgment and appreciate the richness of diversity and freedom of choice. When we are only breathing in, self-improvement is only about ourselves. When we exhale, we realize the value of service. Improving ourselves becomes a means to better serve those around us. Rather than bolstering our personal brand, we turn our focus to lifting others. The exhale is the true fulfillment of life. And, in regards to personal achievement, the exhale is the only thing that perspective to the continuous pursuit of more. As we continuously breathe in, we become more and more consumed with collecting accolades and badges of honor that elevate our status while pulling us further and further away from the meaning and purpose our lives were meant for. It’s a precarious situation - continue breathing in and gain all the recognition and acclaim we’ve been trained to desire or exhale and release yourself of the need to struggle to hold on. Because that’s exactly what we’re doing - holding on. REAL TALK - Action Steps For most, we are thrust into a position of forced appreciation for the exhale that eventually leads to the honest appreciation of its value. Of course, we can choose to make that shift, we just don’t very often. Here are a few cues that you may be ready for the change.
If you’ve ever taken a deep breath in an effort to hold your breath as long as you can, you understand the exhilarating feeling of the exhale. In the moments before it’s taken, we begin to long for the relief it will provide. Our life is very similar. At some point we grow tired of the inhale and turn our focus, and desire, to the exhale. Enjoy. For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. We would love to know how we could help! |
About bcI'm a teacher, coach, and parent seeking excellence while defining success on my own terms. Archives
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