ALL-STAR Mentality

Every once in a while you will see someone who has the swagger of an all star. I observed the NBA all star game yesterday with my son. He, only 9, spoke of dreams of playing in that game someday. As I listened to his dreams, I helped point out good defense, bad defense-which in that game comes often, great shot selections, and bad ones. I also observed the mentality of the players involved. Each player out there knew why they were there. They are the best. They are the one's who have the ball in their hands when the game is on the line. The question that comes to mind, is are you that type of person? Not necessarily in sports terms, but in life terms. Are you walking through life with ALL-STAR swagger? Some of you recognize that God is in your life, and that you are a child of God. If that is the case, you should walk with a different mentaility, a swagger if you will. Not the swagger of cockiness, but with the swagger of confidence-that God is for you, and with you. I'm naturally confident in most things I do. It comes with personality and leadership, but most importantly it comes because of faith. I know I am not invincible, but I also know that God has placed me at this time, in this position of leadership, to be confident in Him to those who I come in contact with in my family, my profession, my city, and all people my path intersects.
If we walked in Christ and had the All-Star mentality that we are God's creation, His children, and we are walking through life just as God planned for us-would we not want to walk with the confidence of Christ? Christ has positioned you right now for today. So, have the all-star mentality, because if you follow Christ, He will want you to step up and have the confidence to close out the game strong. The question is are you ready for the big time? If you are good enough to make it in the NBA, you better believe that they are ready to step up when the game is on the line. The same should be true for us in our efforts for Christ. I tell my son, shooters keep shooting-even if they miss a few. Christ followers keep following, even if a few things don't go out the way they may have hoped for. They still trust in God.

LEADERSHIP Lessons Learned from Ball Hogs

I am 35 years old and I have been playing on organized teams since I was 6. I remember most teams really well, especially from 5th grade on. I played on some great teams over that 29 year span-some only lost as many as 1 game a season, other times we lost more than we won. On each team there were teammates/players that were looked upon as great team players, and on every team there were BALL HOGS. I have been friends with every teammate I ever had, on every team I have ever played-yes, even the ball hogs. Some are still great friends today. This is not just limited to sports-this spans teams I've been on from classes, councils, projects, community & church related teams, and all team environments I've found myself on over the past 29 years. I will admit right off the bat, on some of those teams- I WAS THE BALL HOG. You can learn a lot about leadership from a BALL HOG.
Here are some characteristics and observations of BALL HOGS (below you will find how you can learn from them):

• BALL HOGS are the teammates that feel like they have to make every play, decision-bad or good, call the shots (even if a coach is in play).
• Simply put-playing with ball hogs is not real fun.
• Most ball hogs are despised by some portion of the team.
• BALL HOGS sometimes carry a persona that they are the best one on the team-sometimes when they make the assumption, more often than not(at least my experiences)they make it with an ego trip attached.
• BALL HOGS are territorial, & want the ball in their hands all the time.
• When new teammates come to the team, they are normally threatened-this is out of fear of not being the MAN(or WOMAN)-85% of the time.
• BALL HOGS also scoff at the idea that someone else could or may challenge them for ideas, talent, ability, and betterment of the team.
• Some BALL HOGS are unaware they are actually BALL HOGS.
• BALL HOGS can limit the growth of others.
• BALL HOGS are selfish, and lack team mentality.
• Under pressure BALL HOGS can lose control and get sloppy.
• No one likes a ball hog!

LEADERSHIP LESSONS LEARNED:

• Getting team involves is way more fun and even more special if the team is victorious!
• Sometimes fresh teammates will push the team to new heights.
• Ball Hogs can learn how to play team ball from teammates.
• The best teammates are the ones who know when another teammate needs an opportunity to get in the game.
• If a BALL HOG ever challenges a coach publicly or privately, the coach should remove them from the team, or find a place where they can learn to play with others-which is normally back on the playground.
• BALL HOGS need leadership fed into them as much as the rest of us do!
• BALL HOGS need to remember there will always be younger, fresher, and different ideas/thoughts/people, and game plans that will shift paradigms.
• When the ball is someone else's hand it is important to be an encouragement.
• When the game/decision/plan is all on the line, the team approach is better than the "I" or "ME" approach.
• TEAMS when games, not BALL HOGS- even the greatest team champions had help-just ask MJ.

So, look at the teams you are currently on. Can you identify the BALL HOGS? Maybe they can identify you. This is for sure-ball hog or not-teams have a better chance of winning or succeeding than a single all star who takes on everything.

Here is the ACTION PLAN for you: Look at the teams you are on. Do you need to step up, pass, take a shot, bring in a sub to give you a rest, tell the coach you need to learn, or ask for a trade from the current team you are on?

Take it from a former BALL HOG- what ever you need to do-there is always teams looking for help, and there are always a short supply of great help needed.

The most important thing you can take away from BALL HOGS- they want to be in the game, and they want the ball in their hands. So should YOU!