Inspire Others To Greater Things

Inspire Others to Greater Things

Jimmy Johnson, two-time-winning Super Bowl head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, once said, “Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a person as if he were where he could be and should be, and he will become what he could and should be.” Coach Johnson got it. He understood that it takes great insight, vision, and intentionality to move people.

In his book InSideOut Coaching, former Baltimore Colts defensive lineman Joe Ehrmann contrasts the leadership styles of transactional versus transformational coaches. He explains that transactional coaches move people with fear. The rare leader, the great leader, is transformational.

Ehrmann never had a transformational coach until he was playing lacrosse in the off-season at Syracuse University. An incredible athlete, Ehrmann wanted something more to do with his downtime. When he encountered the leadership style of his lacrosse coach, he knew that the leadership he had experienced up to this point centered on what the player could give the coach. When on the lacrosse team, he experienced what the coach could give to the player, which for Ehrmann was an entirely different outlook on life.

Jesus was a transformational leader. At his first encounter with Simon, the man we know as Peter, we see this exchange: “Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, ‘Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas’ (which means ‘Peter’)” (John 1:42). Cephas, in Aramaic, and Peter, in Greek, both mean “rock.”

Transformational leaders see the possibility in others and invite them to that place. Transformational coaches raise the bar of expectation and instill belief that greater things are yet to come. If you truly want to lead well, consider the challenge, opportunity, and outcome of transformational leadership.

Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).

John 1:42