Although I’m not a New York Yankees fan, I tip my hat to Derek Jeter. Regardless of whether you’re a Yankee fan, a baseball fan or a fan of Derek Jeter the baseball player, it’s hard not to be a fan of what Jeter represents.
As Derek Jeter brings his baseball career to a close as a player, I salute his leadership.
At Tru Access, we have what we call our Tru Access 5 C’s of Diamond Leadership. Those 5 C’s are Competence, Confidence, Commitment, Consistency and Concern. Jeter embodies all of those attributes.
Now that Jeter is on his “retirement tour”, there are a number of conversations and debates that have emerged about where Jeter ranks historically among players in his position. Some say that based on his stats, it’s hard to consider him among the top in his position. And depending on your criteria, that very well may be the case.
Statistically, Jeter may never be considered among the best at his position, but his impact as a leader will never be forgotten.
It’s Jeter’s impact on his team and his teammates that are almost impossible to quantify or measure.
He may not have been the best statistically, but you don’t have to be the best to be a great leader, you just have to be your best. When you think about those 5 C’s of Diamond Leadership, Jeter gave his best in every category.
The one leadership attribute among the 5 C’s that stands out most to me about Jeter is how he displayed his Confidence.
Throughout his career, Jeter possessed a quiet confidence that both impacted and impressed us all whether we want to admit or or not. I believe it was his humility that made everyone less critical of any errors he may have made but also more willing to amplify his accomplishments.
I believe it was that same humility and quiet confidence that helped humanize him and make him so approachable. Fans and players alike felt like they could trust him and rely on him.
If you were a Yankee player or fan, no matter how many times Jeter struck out, or no matter how many errors he made during a game or a season, when there was a big game situation, and the game was on the line, you felt better about your chances of winning if Jeter was out there.
He always made you feel good about the team’s chances of winning because he was out there with you. He never came across as arrogant, or over confident. He never appeared uncertain or unsure of himself. And he never made it about himself, even if others tried to make it about him.
Derek Jeter’s track record of success speaks for itself. His body of work represents true Diamond Leadership in every way. He displayed Competence, Confidence, Commitment, Consistency and Concern at the highest level.
Thank you for a great example of true Diamond Leadership, #2.
Re2pect!