5 ways to be a 'LET'S GOOO!' leader

'LET'S GOOO!' This is a primal yell often seen in the sports world as a player races out to face an opponent or a coach tries to excite a crowd. Few things raise the hair on the arms of a sports fan as this super-charged moment. Deep down, leaders sense a need to lead this way. We know that we need to be charging the next hill, generating the next thought, developing the next project, or launching the next program. But how? Here are 5 ways to be a 'LET'S GOOO!' leader

LET GO - Life is difficult. It has a way of putting you on you heels and making you want to hunker down and protect what you have. Safety becomes your number one priority. We all want to guard what we've collected. CS Lewis in his book, The Four Loves, says the only way to keep truly valuable things safe is to lock them away...in a coffin. 'Safe, dark, motionless, airless.' he continues. This is what happens when put our focus on safety. Hold loosely, even to the point of letting go so you can be a 'LET'S GOOO!' leader

LEARN AS YOU GO - Times are moving quickly. Industries, markets, culture, and institutions are changing fast. The most important thing a leader can do is lead the learning. Stop worrying about what you don't know. Start chasing it down and sharing it with your teams.

TELL THEM WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GO - A person that jumps into a plane, RV, or cruise ship without knowing the intended destination would be whimsical at best, or a lunatic at worst. Leader, stop treating people like they are lunatics. Tell them where you are headed. And remember, sometimes where you are headed is as much about what you are going to stop doing as start doing.

TELL THEM WHY YOU'RE GONNA GO - People only get fired up for 'LET'S GOOO!' if they know why to be fired up. Tell people why the mission matters, and what's the purpose of their efforts. If they know why it matters, they'll make a contribution to the effort that matters.

KEEP GOING - President Calvin Coolidge is the author of one of my favorite poems. It begins, 'Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence...not, talent, genius or education.' President Coolidge closes it with a resounding, 'Persistence alone is omnipotent.' If you are going to be. 'LET'S GOOO!' leader, you need to keep going.