I recently touched on the importance of aligning yourself with influential people and establishing mentors. When seeking mentors, we must note that we seek the uncommon with the intention of building your winning team. There should be a significant desire to find others different from ourselves and those around us by embracing their uniqueness. We must become excellent at identifying uncommon behavior. I compare it to growing your professional scouting department. Every professional sports team has a group of scouts. It’s their job to identify and recruit the best talent for their team. A considerable amount of resources are dedicated to this task. We must scout for influential mentors and search for talent to build our organization.
Great scouts have a unique ability to read people, where they look for specific and uncommon behaviors. Uncommon behavior comes in many forms. We seek world-changers, people actively pursuing a better life for themselves and those around them. They are continually attempting to bring value to their space. This value steadily increases and radiates contagious energy. They are not moved by the world but by a higher power. They are students of life.
Let’s face it; we are all people watchers. It is in human nature to read and learn from others. Watching others interact from afar and see how they move through the day-to-day is fascinating. We all wish to comprehend people. If we’re to build our organization, there are key scouting categories we look at:
Scouting categories
- Personality
- Humor
- Emotional Intelligence
- Steadfastness
- Voice
- Embrace the weird
Within each category, a personal DNA exists. This DNA can be transmitted to others. It is contagious. We instinctively take on some of their mannerisms when interacting with someone for an extended period. We take on other’s sub-identities. We pick up on traits and apply them to our lives. Our lives are constructed through these interactions. By placing this into perspective, we must recognize the importance of being around positive influencers.
In the book 1776 by David McCullough, he examines the unique qualities of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He explains how Washington was in constant search for world changers. He knew the importance of placing influential men around him to support the cause, eventually leading to freedom. McCullough describes the quality of each man. One man he continually called on and respected was Henry Knox. He was an extraordinary man who was a bookseller before the war. Washington recognized his passion and placed his trust in him. Henry and his men moved 59 artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga, 300 miles over treacherous terrain, to Boston. A job that seemed impossible was accomplished by world-changers and later helped win the war.
Seek out the best! Allow them to infiltrate your life and influence your behaviors. Write a list of qualities that you wish to possess. These are foundational elements that can be built. Be the scout that brings you life’s championships. You should always seek to build your winning team.
Wrap Up
If you’ve found this article helpful, slide over to the Youniversalife Archive, where you’ll find extensive leadership help. You can also check out the Influences Page, which lists literature and podcasts that shape my winning team.
