Believing the Impossible

Even if you’re not a college basketball fan, you may have heard the incredible story from this weekend’s opening round of the NCAA men’s tournament. UMBC defeated Virginia, marking the first time in the history of the tournament that a 16th seeded team beat a number 1 seed. Fans were left wondering how this could happen and what UMBC stands for? (The answer to the latter is University of Maryland, Baltimore County.) So how did such a monumental upset occur? UMBC’s win reminds any leader of 3 important lessons:

• You can’t win if you don’t show up. It’s an honor to play in the NCAA tournament. Of course UMBC was going to show up. It’s also an honor to serve in a leadership role in your church or ministry or non-profit. And yet I’m surprised at how often leaders seem to be “no shows” because they lack commitment or intensity.
• You have to believe in yourself. Athletic competitions are just as much mental as they are physical. An athlete (or team) that lacks confidence has no chance of winning. Throughout the game, you could see UMBC growing in their belief that they could win. The same kind of “we can do this” confidence is essential for leaders.
• Be prepared for the pressure. As the game progressed, Virginia applied incredible defensive pressure hoping that UMBC would turn the ball over. And while UMBC made some mistakes, they never buckled. Leaders that prevail are not the ones who had an easy road, but rather the ones who were able to handle adversity.

UMBC’s success was short-lived. They lost in the tournament’s second round. But even in defeat, they showed up and played like a team that believed in themselves. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>