032: “A” players want to play with other “A” players

A couple weeks ago, I talked about leadership and alignment, and how Indiana football changed quickly because everyone understood the goal and the standard.

There’s another reason that success becomes sustainable, and it has nothing to do with schemes or talent alone:

“A” players want to play with other "A" players.

People who like challenge. People who want to improve. People who actually enjoy hard work.

They want to be around others who raise the bar, not lower it.

This is where leadership gets uncomfortable.

Most teams don’t lose their best people because expectations are too high. They lose them because expectations are uneven .[That one stings a little.]

When we keep team members who avoid challenge or discomfort… When we lower the bar to keep things “easy” or comfortable… When we protect "C" or "D" players at the expense of standards…

Our "A "players notice.And over time, they disengage, or they leave. [First mentally. Then physically.] Not because they’re dramatic. But because they don’t want to spend their energy carrying people who don’t want to grow.

This is one of the hardest leadership lessons: You don’t lose "A" players by pushing them too hard. You lose them by asking them to tolerate mediocrity. [Yeah… ouch.]

Coach Cignetti didn’t build momentum by trying to make everyone happy. He built it by being clear about what the program requires, and letting people decide if they wanted to be part of it.

That kind of clarity is actually respectful.

It gives people a choice.

And it protects the culture for those who want more. Let’s go, - Casey 

🎯 Real Talk - Every gym has ‘em.

The coach who shows up early, brings energy, wants to grow. And the coach who shows up… technically.

And leadership is basically deciding which one you’re building the culture around.

Because hard work doesn’t burn out your best people.

It’s doing hard work while someone else is casually along for the ride. "A" players want teammates, not passengers.