Expect the Unexpected! Quarterback Tom Brady Has Nothing on Me

As a leader, it's critical to adapt to unexpected changes with a positive attitude. How you handle these changes directly reflects on your team's resilience and adaptability. Your team takes their cues from you. You can't always control changes like unexpected layoffs, senior leadership changes, a competitor's new product, or other market factors impacting your business. What you can do is keep your team focused on their mission and remind them of their role in the company's success. Additionally, you can't assume everyone on your team will respond the same way to unexpected changes. Be an open ear, whether in a group setting or an individual call, and provide a judgment-free space for them to express their emotions and concerns. I once had a boss who said, "Get over it and just buckle up your big girl pants." You can imagine how I felt after that meeting. 

Tom made big plays and delivered huge passes to win big games. One of his most famous moments was when he was down by 25 points after the first half in Super Bowl LI and won the game in overtime 34-28. While Tom got much of the fanfare and glory, he wouldn't have done it without his teammates, excellent coaching staff, and the countless others in the Patriots organization that year. 

Collaboration is key. As a channel leader, your job is to bring together people from within your organization and partner organizations to create "plays" and actions that deliver mutual success. This could involve negotiating a contract with a new partner that meets both business needs or working with your channel marketing team to create new co-marketing assets and programs to drive increased leads and new revenue streams. These are just two examples of how you need to collaborate within your organization and with your partners for mutual success. 

Continuous learning is critical to your success. Remember when the Eagles adopted the "tush push"? The league, the news, and many people made fun of the play. As an Eagles fan, I laughed every time they executed it in the first season. Several years later, this play has been adopted by other franchises as a go-to play. The same is true for channel leaders. You can't keep running the same "plays" you did 10 or 20 years ago. The channel has changed rapidly. It's key to stay on top of trends, new best practices, and market changes. Be adaptable and bring those best practices to your company. If you're uncomfortable or need to understand something in the market, don't be shy to reach out to your network. Learning from others is something to embrace. Many industry associates have provided valuable information and supported me as I've grown in my channel career, and I've done the same for others. Keeping a strong network helps you in your current role or if you unexpectedly need to look for a new one. 

So why do I think Tom Brady has nothing on me? Because, like Tom, I've learned to pivot, twist, and turn when something unexpected comes my way. I always lead with empathy and understanding for others in my organization, my partners, and those directly reporting to me, which has led to positive collaboration and mutual success. I don't stand for the status quo and am always looking to learn new things or take on new approaches, even if they're "scary." Ultimately, you need to wake up every day and bring your "A game" to the field. You won't always "win" in everything you do, but if you work hard, stay positive, and pivot when needed, you'll have successful teams and drive success for your organization, your team, and your partners.