The Intelligent Leader

CHAPTER 6 Having the Courage to Execute with Pride, Passion, and Precision

My eldest son Nick’s passion growing up was basketball. And he was good. Really good. Thanks to a combination of natural talent and an intense work ethic, he became one of the top high school basketball players in the country, received a scholarship to play Division I college basketball, and eventually played professionally in Europe before an injury prematurely ended his career.

One of the things that I have always admired about Nick—and one of the qualities that made him so successful with his game—was his willingness to “show up” in the biggest moments, every time. He was clutch. He knew that when the ball was tipped and the game began, nothing else mattered except what was happening right there on the court. All the practice, all the past victories and failures, all the preparation in the world didn’t matter once the game started. At game time, he had to shift into a new gear and perform. No excuses. He knew that he had to execute.

As we begin our exploration of the fifth dimension of Intelligent Leadership, we are entering our own version of “game time.” This is the point in our journey where the rubber meets the road. It’s with this dimension, “Having the Courage to Execute with Pride, Passion, and Precision,” that we make a fundamental shift from perspective to action. Much of the work we did ...