Wayne Gretzky, also known as “The Great One” amongst Ice Hockey fans, exudes leadership qualities worthy of concerted study. The following story illustrates a good starting point.
I was honored to share the stage with Wayne at a leadership conference in Alberta, Canada. Presenting with Wayne was a treat, and doing so … In Canada … was very special. Wayne is worshipped in Canada, so his participation ensured many thousands of attendees filled the seats at our conference … held in (where else?) an ice hockey arena!
The time I spent backstage with Wayne, plus listening to his presentation, offered me glimpses of why he is known as The Great One. Despite the countless records he holds and Stanley Cups he has won, Wayne embodies a quality demonstrated by far too few leaders:
- Humility
- Other centeredness
As part of his presentation, Wayne recounted an experience he had as a member of the Canadian Hockey Team during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. His description of an interaction he had with the coach of the Canadian team proved riveting for the audience and profoundly affected me.
We were getting ready for a shootout during our last game of the Olympics. The Canadian team coach approached me to inform me I wouldn’t be taking the ice to participate in the shootout. Even though I was getting along in my career, coach was clearly tense and didn’t enjoy telling my the bad news; I wouldn’t be taking the ice.
I responded, “Coach I’m honored simply to represent Canada during the Olympic Games. Every player has to earn his ice time and I haven’t earned mine. Heck, I’m happy to just carry the other players’ sticks and sit on the same bench.”
This is where Wayne demonstrated his Greatness:
- No temper tantrums.
- No blaming.
Thousands of Canadians, and I, Iearned what makes Wayne The Great One:
Ice time isn’t bestowed, it’s earned.
Now it’s time to bring this message to life.
Who on your team has recently demonstrated the “Wayne Gretzky Style” of Humility and Other-Centeredness? I know it’s rare, but I’m sure you can think of someone. Next, take a moment and thank them.
There isn’t a simpler, (and entirely free!), way to build a culture of mutual respect.