Confidence and Commitment

Hi! Welcome back.  I’d like to close my discussion of The Lombardi Rules: 26 Lessons from Vince Lombardi by looking at commitment.  As some of you know who have been reading this blog I am in the process of launching a consulting practice that offers problem solving and training advice to small and medium size companies.  As I walk farther off that pier of employment conformity (Paid employment) into the waters of employment unconformity (self-employment), two things keep entering my mind and consciousness, confidence and commitment.

I have been talking with many individuals lately who have taken the path less traveled and earn a living selling their skills and expertise on the open market.  One friend of mine Hal, made a comment that has stuck with me he said “that you need to get to the point where you have the confidence to step out and work on your own; once you have that confidence you can make it.”

In reading this book Lombardi talks about confidence and success, the two are intertwined you can’t have confidence without success and success breeds confidence. 

“You defeat defeatism with confidence.  The man who is trained to his peak capacity will gain confidence.  Confidence is contagious, and so is a lack of confidence.”

                                                                                                                Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi Jr. the author of the book writes “confidence is catching, and so is a lack of confidence.  If a leader exudes confidence, his troops will follow his lead.”  How does one gain the confidence to start a new project or activity?  Well one must be committed to the process and have faith that their efforts will be fruitful.

Lombardi writes that “total commitment implies doing whatever it takes to reach your goal.  The essence of commitment is the act of making a decision.”  Vince Jr. further states that “In the Lombardi code, mental toughness is the ability to hold onto one’s goals in the face of the pressure and stress.”

“Mental toughness is the willingness to keep commitments you make to yourself.  It’s singleness of purpose.  It’s the ability to stay motivated, no matter what obstacles arise in your path.”

What obstacles have arisen in your path as you started your business or developed your career?  Where did you find the confidence to keep showing up each day and learn those hard lessons that everyone must learn in order to find some success and purpose in life?  How have you helped an employee or friend reach for their goals?

I’d love to hear your comments, please leave me one if you are so inclined.  Thanks for reading my blog I’ll close with one of my favorite Vince Lombardi quote until next time all my best!  Jer

“I would say that the quality of each man’s life is the full measure of that man’s personal commitment to excellence and to victory—whether it be football, business, politics or government, or what have you.”

                                                                                                                                Vince Lombardi

Lombardi on Character

Hi! Welcome back.  Today I’d like to continue with some excerpts from the Lombardi Rules a great short book written by the late coach’s son Vince Lombardi Jr.  Vince Jr. writes “Character is the first requirement of Vince Lombardi’s leadership code.  Combined with good habits and competence, character creates the building blocks for leadership.”

Character Lombardi writes “ is derived from older words that mean engraved and inscribed.”  “Character is founded on unchanging principles.  It is your underlying core…it is solid and resolute.”  He goes on to say that “character is a series of decisions and choices that you make as you grow and mature.  Character is not something that is handed to you; it must be forged through years of hard work and discipline.”  And I’ll add defeats as you learn to bounce back from those setbacks great and small that everyone in life experiences.  Character is unique to each individual. 

Lombardi also writes that “as a leader, you can’t build a team, department, or company that’s a whole lot different from yourself.”  As I reflect on that statement and think back over my work life and those individuals that I worked for I must admit I believe that’s true!  Perhaps one of the reasons that many older workers are having such a hard time finding employment these days is that the leaders that many companies have today don’t reflect the values that older workers were brought up with or learned to incorporate over the length of their careers?

“The Successful man is himself.  To be successful, you’ve got to be honest with yourself.”

                                                                                                                                Vince Lombardi

“Bad habits are eliminated not by others, but by ourselves.”

                                                                                Vince Lombardi

As a business owner how do you react to this post?  Do you believe as Lombardi and I do that “as a leader, you can’t build a team, department, or company that’s a whole lot different from yourself?”  How do you inject your character into the fabric of your business?  I’d love to read your comments, if you have one please free feel to post one here and thanks for reading my blog until next time all my best!  Jer.

The Lombardi Rules

Hi! I’m back.  I’ve been busy preparing and going on interviews and finishing the contents of my “Training for Organizational Effectiveness” program on structured on-the-job training.  I can’t think of a better subject for me then Vincent Thomas Lombardi the late coach of the Green Bay Packers who won 5 titles in 9 years while the Head Coach and General Manager of the Packers from 1959-1968.

While buying some training material a few weeks ago at a local book store I happened upon a book written by his son Vince Lombardi Jr. entitled “The Lombardi Rules: 26 Lessons from Vince Lombardi The World’s Greatest Coach”.   Well as some of you know I’m a die-hard Packers fan and a disciple of the late coach, needing a little “pep” talk of my own I decided to purchase the book.  In the next few posts let me share with you what I read and learned about leadership and life from Coach Lombardi as told by his son Vince Jr.

“In the Lombardi model, leadership starts with a simple premise: only by knowing yourself can you become an effective leader.”  Crucial attributes to leadership according to Vince Lombardi are character and integrity.  “Lombardi’s leadership model is about being a person of character, finishing what you start, never compromising your goals, and giving everything you’ve got to achieve your goals.”

“Leadership rests not only on outstanding ability but on commitment, loyalty, pride and followers ready to accept guidance.”          Vince Lombardi

The first steps towards Lombardi’s road to leadership begin with self-knowledge.  Some questions penned in the book include is there an overriding purpose to your life?  What are you committed to?  What purpose makes sense of everything you do?  I thought the best question was Am I going to allow my life to be controlled by the crush of daily activities, or will I live my life in accordance with my purpose?

Vince Jr. writes “Don’t run for the sake of running: make sure you’re headed somewhere.  If you’re going all out without a clear destination in mind, slow down and ask some more questions.”

“I’m no better nor less than the next man.  But the thing about me is that I always knew what my acts would mean.  I was lucky…I found a singleness of purpose early on.”               Vince Lombardi

Do you have a singleness of purpose in your life?  Are you running for the sake of running?  Or as another great coach the late John Wooden, said “Do not mistake activity for achievement.”

If you lack singleness of purpose and who doesn’t from time to time I think you might find the next series of posts on the Lombardi Rules quite useful.  Thanks for reading and until next time all my best! Jer