The Leader’s Mind Is Infectious

They were part way through hell week, his knee was so injured and mangled it had swollen to the size of a grapefruit – rendering his leg nearly useless, and he still refused to limp. 

In his mind, if he had so much as winced, his team would have seen the mental weakness. 

And the leader’s mind is infectious. 

So by not limping, they saw the grit. And that’s infectious too. 

As David Goggins says (and this is his story),

The less you think about yourself and focus on everyone else, the less you think about yourself. 

When you’re leading, you’re signaling to your people. Whatever you signal – it infects their minds. 

Signal what you want them to receive. 

Ps. this is not an anti-self care message, obviously. Carl in accounting doesn’t need you coming to work with an untreated bullet wound and showing him how you balance the p&l NO MATTER WHAT. What Carl does need is unshakable confidence that there’s a plan and process for all things related to his and the company’s mutual success. 

Pss. h/t to Laurie H., David G., and all the others who told me to read Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins and thank you! I finally listened and I LOVED this book.