No one cares if you’re the boss or have the title or are the Founder’s kid. If you want to be a leader, you set the tone.
People talk about setting the example, and that’s right. But even more than faithfully doing the thing over time—which matters—I’m talking about setting the tone, inspiring the troops, and showing the way.
My college volleyball coach talked about being on the 1984 USA Olympic Gold Medal Team. In training, their coach introduced a new drill and no one could successfully complete it. It seemed humanly impossible to get from one side of the net to the other, hitting then blocking, in the brief moments allowed. The whole team failed. Failed again. And again.
The team took a water break. Most of the guys complained and mumbled under their breath about the drill being impossible and stupid. Except Karch Kiraly.
Karch stood off to the side, away from the grumbling teammates, sipped water and stared at the net, visualizing what it would take to conquer the seemingly impossible. He saw it first in his mind. Then, he did it.
He stood at the front of line after the break, focused and determined, and he did what seemed superhuman. He got from one side to the other and made the plays required in a time no one thought possible. But he did it.
He went first. He showed the way, and he set the tone. He did the thing everyone else thought was too hard.
After that, four more guys were able to do it, too, because Karch went first and showed them it was possible.
I recently heard someone say that their motto for the year was, “I’ll Go First.” In other words,
I’ll initiate.
I’ll start.
I’ll smile.
I’ll say sorry.
I’ll reach out.
I’ll take responsibility.
“I’ll go first.”
Going first sets the tone. Most people wait for someone else to take the initiative. Going first is harder because…
- it’s uncomfortable
- it requires strength
- it’s demands initiation
- it values the relationship
- it makes us vulnerable
- It might not work out
We can’t control other people. Some will follow and some will not. Some will appreciate our gesture, example, effort, and some will not. They will make their own choices. But we can go first. We can initiate with a smile… with a conversation… by setting the new standard… by doing the difficult thing.
That’s how we set the tone—in our family, in our business, our community.
We don’t wait for someone else to do the right or hard thing. We ask, “what’s required?” And we do it. We go first.
What is your opportunity to “go first” today?
