Eric Boles: Effective Leadership Capitalizes on the Resources at Hand

CHANNEL FUTURES LEADERSHIP SUMMIT — “You probably already have everything you need to achieve greatness — you just aren’t using it.”

That was the message to Channel Futures Leadership Summit attendees in Miami Beach from Eric Boles (pictured above during his keynote), NFL wide receiver-turned-leadership coach and business consultant. As founder and president of The Game Changers, he teaches organizations the principles of team dynamics and leadership that he learned during his football career. Boles delivered his comments during his keynote, “Moving to Great,” on Tuesday afternoon.

Acknowledging the ongoing changes in technology and the evolving demands of clients, Boles stated that, “Whatever you were doing a year or so ago to exceed your customers’ expectations is probably only meeting them today.” And working harder is not the answer, Boles said. Energy, time and other resources are finite. It’s up to leaders to make the most of resources they already have.

“Our next opportunity is going to require a level of energy that’s multiplied by our ability to influence and engage others,” Boles said.

Leaders must identify and utilize employees’ talents, then combine those talents into a team that works together to tackle challenges and achieve goals. And that doesn’t mean just handing out tasks. No one is inspired by work assignments. And they do nothing to propel forward motion.

“The scoreboard doesn’t change just because you know the play,” said Boles.

The play must be executed successfully. Everyone on the team must understand the goal and the role they will play in achieving it.

Leaders must increase their effectiveness, Boles said.

“We need leaders to help us move toward the uncomfortable.” Change is uncomfortable. It frequently meets resistance because of a lack of understanding or sense of direction. Leaders can help overcome this by providing clarity.

“Confusion diminishes effectiveness; clarity strengthens it,” said Boles.

5 Steps to Clarity

Clarity can be achieved by answering five questions:

Having the answers to these five questions will put the team and its leader into alignment. “And when that works, we can’t be stopped,” Boles said.