Make Leadership The New Cool

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Make Leadership The New Cool
Is leadership cool?

We absolutely believe so!

Many times leadership isn’t viewed as cool, but when we stop and reflect on the best athletes and coaches in the world, the vast majority of them exhibit tremendous leadership ability.

It’s time we address the coolness of leadership with today’s youth. As leaders, it is our duty to train the next generation of leaders. We must help them see the big picture and understand the small acts of leadership are cool, because they make the leader!

When “coolness” takes over a locker room or program things begin to deteriorate quickly. Performance begins to decline and inevitably as a result success takes a hit as well. Our friends at PGC Basketball have a saying we believe in, “Don’t be too cool or too shy.” As coaches we must encourage our athletes to come out of their shells and take action.

More so than many things, “coolness” is contagious among youth. At Lead ‘Em Up we believe that which gets praised gets repeated. Kids naturally do more of the things which bring them recognition, good or bad. As coaches we should make it a habit to praise the small acts of leadership we see. When we celebrate these acts, we make them cool!

Transforming a culture into one fulll of leaders is no easy fix. It takes intenional work. We can’t wish for it to happen. We can’t hope the next group of seniors are good leaders. As with fundamental skills, we either coach it or allow bad habits to rule. Leadership and character are the same. We must intentionally teach leadership and character, or we are choosing to have a bad culture.

So…how do we make leadership cool? We believe in starting with these four steps.

First, develop a consistent approach. This is why we recommend using our drills and exercises on a weekly basis. Consistency helps us fight against complancency and coolness.

Secondly, remove the bad apples. This is difficult, but necessary. Having bad apples will bring the ship down. When players or coaches refuse to jump on board and be a part of the vision for our culture, we have to let them go.

Thirdly, praise vulnerability. Being vulnerable is most definitely not seen as cool, especially for middle and high school athletes. Make it a priority to praise any athlete who demonstrates vulnerability to their peers.

Lastly, praise the “non-cool” acts. Start by encouraging athletes to pick up trash, clean the locker room, serve the community, support teammates, showing up early, stay late, and ask questions. When we witness athletes doing these things we must celebrate them in front of the team.

It’s part of our vision and mission to “Make Leadership The New Cool”!

Will you join us?

 

Have fun and #LeadEmUp

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Other Posts

Podcasts

Real Leadership Talk for Today’s Athletes

Green Room Ep. 6: Earned, Not Given – The Leadership Battle

Watch the full video here: leademup.com/greenroom

In this episode, we dive into what it really means to fight for leadership on a team, not with words, but with actions, consistency, and courage. Leadership isn’t a title you’re handed; it’s something you earn every day by how you show up, hold others accountable, and protect the standards that define a winning culture.

Download the Green Room Player Reflection Template, a simple PDF that coaches can use to have their players reflect on the episode. It’s perfect for sparking discussion and capturing key takeaways.

Download here: leademup.com/the-green-room-player-reflection-worksheet/

Real Leadership Talk for Today’s Athletes

Green Room Ep. 5: Leading The Unleadable

Watch the full video here: leademup.com/greenroom

Some teammates don’t listen. Some challenge your authority. Some drain the energy out of the locker room. But real leaders don’t back down, they learn how to lead those who may seem unleadable. Whether you’re a captain, aspiring leader, or just the one who cares the most, you’ll get real strategies – 4 ways to lead challenging teammates, you’ll learn how to bring out the best in players instead of calling out the worst in players, and the critical mindset tools to help you lead through resistance, build trust, and change team culture from the inside out. It’s not about waiting for perfect teammates. It’s about becoming the kind of leader who can handle anyone.

Download the Green Room Player Reflection Template, a simple PDF that coaches can use to have their players reflect on the episode. It’s perfect for sparking discussion and capturing key takeaways.

Download here: leademup.com/the-green-room-player-reflection-worksheet/

Get Part 1 Free

Get access to part 1 of the Green Team Framework FREE!