“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you.”
– Derek Jeter
There are countless quotes like the one above that talk about the importance of hard work and perseverance. You have likely heard the saying “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Leaders know that working hard is important, but not every one of them puts forth the energy required. We all know of that leader who takes long breaks, goes home early, and seems to be playing on their computer rather than working. It is questionable whether they are actually a leader or if that was just a title given to them. Leadership, as we have explored in this series, can be tough and can require a lot of work. Developing others is very time intensive and Mission Accomplishment does not come without work.
Some of the best leaders I have known are also some of the hardest working leaders I know. That does not mean they had no work-life balance, though. These leaders were willing to get dirty and work hard to accomplish this mission. Some of the best subordinates I have had were also ones that were willing to work hard and push through challenging times. Their examples are too numerous to mention in a short article like this. They have inspired me and pushed me to work harder myself. A smart leader who does not work hard will eventually reach a point where they fail. However, a hard working leader will find a way to overcome whatever obstacle lies in their path.
Working hard is a simple concept to understand and intuitive for leaders. It is only the application where a leader usually trips up. After all, hard work is just that… hard. Peter Daland, former USC and Olympic swimming coach once said, “The secret to swimming is not how far you swim, and it’s not how hard you swim. The secret to swimming is how far you are willing to swim hard.” This same idea is true for leadership. A secret to leadership is about how long you are willing to work hard. Will you be the one to give up and quit or will you keep going? Will you be the leader who will find a way or will you say “it was impossible?”
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In this series we will explore characteristics of successful leaders. Here is our list of traits so far:
Character
Mission Accomplishment
Be the Example
Decision Making
Developing Others
Which characteristics do you think are the most important? Do you agree with our list so far? Comment below and tell us what we have right, what we have wrong, and what we should add.
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Chad Plenge teaches leadership psychology at the United States Military Academy and develops high potential leaders with the US Army’s Center for Junior Officers. He holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, a Master of Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy. Chad is a certified Project Management Professional and an active duty officer in the US Army. In his free time, he serves as the President of the board of directors as well as an Assistant Director for a non-profit organization.
