Playing Time

"Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play."

Mike Singletary, NFL Hall of Fame linebacker

Even if an organization seems to be the perfect fit for someone they won't stay if they don't have a chance to make an impact. Talented players aren't very willing to sit on the sidelines for too long-they want to contribute in a way that makes them feel valuable. A healthy organization won't just identify and recruit talent, but they will find ways to deploy that talent. This builds a stronger team and creates learning & advancement opportunities for team members.

Are we giving people a chance to play? As a leader, are we developing young leaders and giving them opportunities to see what they are capable of doing? As parents, are we letting our children learn to make decisions or do we make all of their choices for them? At some point we have to let people step out and take risks if we want them to grow and to be part of the process.

We all want a seat at the table and a chance to use what we have. If we don't give people an opportunity they won't develop and they'll look for a chance to play somewhere else.