What made Muhammad Ali a good leader?
Champion boxer Muhammad Ali was considered one of the greatest boxers in the world. His successful career gave him a unique platform to be an ambassador, a champion of social causes and a role model: one of the greatest characteristics of a leader. He stood by his values and believed in his abilities. He was able to envision his future, in order to make it a reality. Cultivating these same values within a team is at the core of leadership.
Ali has inspired people all over the world and from all walks of life. Not only did he take the boxing world by storm, but he taught us all a few lessons. When it comes to leadership, there are a number of different lessons we can learn from Muhammad Ali. So, let’s take a look at some of them…
Value diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives
Having a high level of respect for other cultures is a necessity if you are going to be a good leader. Although Ali was a champion inside of the ring, his biggest fights were outside of it. His approach to economic and racial unity was not always popular. However, the message of mutual respect is one that we can all relate to. His message about diversity does not just relate to race but geographic background, gender, age, and any other differences people have within the workplace. You cannot be an effective leader if you treat people differently because of who they are.
You can’t cheat hard work
This is one of the greatest lessons you can learn from Muhammad Ali or any sportsman that reached the pinnacle of his/her sport. They did not get there by luck. Ali hated every minute of training, but he told himself that he should suffer now so that he could be a champion for the rest of his life. You can adopt this attitude to all walks of your life.
Don’t be afraid to challenge and even change your company culture
Muhammad Ali once said that if you view the world at 50-years-old in the same way as you did when you were 20-years-old, you have wasted 30 years of your life. One of the biggest killers when it comes to employee engagement is hearing the words “well, this is the way it has always been done.” Your team and your company are living, breathing, and evolving, and there are so many factors that influence the manner in which you work, from cultural influences to new technologies. If you stay stagnant, you get left behind. You should never be afraid of change.
Promote resilience rather than punishing failure
Last but not least, another great leadership lesson we can learn from Muhammad Ali is to promote resilience. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. It is about the lessons you learn, and not making the same mistake twice. Give your team the resources they need to bounce back from errors.
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