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From Good to Great: 4 Ways World-Class Leaders are Wired!

From Good to Great: 4 Ways World-Class Leaders are Wired!

“A leader of one, a leader of many…if you can’t lead ONE, you can’t lead any.” Leadership is everything, baby. And it starts with you.

From training Super Bowl champions and NFL MVP’s to picking the brains of Fortune 500 CEOs and inspiring average Joes, I’ve found world-class leaders think alike. May these thoughts be your guiding light on the road to world class.

 

#1.  The Bigger Your Dream…The More Important Your Team

Kevin Plank, the CEO of Under Armour, hit me with this rhyme years ago, and it is one of the driving forces behind the incredible culture we’ve built here at Fitness Quest 10. When I first opened the doors of FQ10, I was a one-man wrecking crew. I trained, performed bodywork, and “managed” the place on my own. Since then, my original facility (“The Roots,” as I like to call it) has expanded exponentially, and my team has exploded from one to more than 38 members while earning numerous accolades along the way. I owe those awards to my team. Had Kevin not made me understand the value of surrounding myself with the right people, I’d be lucky to afford rent on The Roots; and I’d be bleeding clients to this day.

If you take only one nugget out of this piece, understand that to fulfill your dreams, you need to build your team. Heck, if Fitness Quest 10 isn’t proof enough, take a look at Under Armour’s track record since 1996. World-class leaders invest whatever it takes — and then some — into building world-class teams.

 

#2.  Problems Create Beneficial Rearrangements

Believe it or not, I had to fire the first GM I hand-picked for Fitness Quest 10… and I loved the guy! Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right fit, and the problem was this: Without him, I was back to being a one-man wrecking crew in dire need of help. I’d have prospective clients come in the door, and I couldn’t even acknowledge them because I was knee-deep in sessions. Instead of dwelling on this “problem,” I sought a resolution. That whole no-manager situation eventually led me to finding Julie Wilcox (we just so happened to pluck her from Nordstrom of all places), who is a client-turned-manager and has been an integral part of what I’ve done for more than 10 years now.

The road to world class is not perfectly paved. From speed bumps to stop lights, obstacles will get in your way. It’s how you react to them that defines you as a leader. World-class leaders view problems as opportunities for beneficial rearrangements and put the pieces together to maximize those new arrangements.

 

#3.  90% of the Battle Is Showing Up

While you may see me as a persistently positive guy, I have my down days, too. My Dad died when I was a 20-year-old college kid, my best friend passed away in a tragic motorized scooter accident, and my lifelong dream of becoming a professional football player was crushed before my eyes when two linebackers demolished my back. We all have our struggles and I’m no different than you or anyone else.

What sets world-class leaders apart from the pack is they always show up — especially when they don’t want to. They understand that 90% of any battle, no matter how big or how small, is simply being present. Whether it’s a difficult conversation, a crazy client, or a life-changing event, world-class leaders will always be there.

 

#4.  Be Humble, Be Hungry

I’ll leave you with this, my friends. Be humble, be hungry. When your world-class ways take you to the top, you and your team will set new goals to achieve. Rather than continually celebrating your success and resting at the peaks, it will be time to elevate to new heights and make fresh dreams realities.

As a world-class leader, you need to be equally humble and hungry… this is the lethal combination of characteristics to continue down the road to — and through — world class. I can’t wait to see you there.

Much love and much leadership!

Todd

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