Excellence Doesn’t Happen Overnight: Development is the Key

Peyton Manning was a beast. Hall of Fame quarterbacks don’t come along every day. That’s why they are in the Hall of Fame. Even Peyton had to develop, throwing 28 interceptions his first year. As a long-suffering Chicago Bears Fan, with our own new QB, Manning is a bit of an inspiration.

If Peyton was drafted in today’s NFL, it’s not entirely clear he’d have made it after that first season. His 28 interceptions was a rookie record. Manning also set rookie records for passing yards. So, maybe.

?It takes time and patience to develop into the best version of yourself; personally and professionally. This idea was brought home by famed college football coach Nick Saban when he showed up on the first episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks featuring my beloved Bears.

?During the first episode, famed college football coach Nick Saban visited and gave some advice to Bears coach Matt Eberflus on Williams.

Saban described the need to develop a player, a person. Peyton Manning in his rookie year threw 28 interceptions. Not a great start. He still became the Hall of Fame quarterback we know today. He did that through development.

?When we step into a new role, a new position, we have to give ourselves time to develop. Don’t expect to go out your first week or month and just crush it. That’s not just an unrealistic expectation, it’s a recipe for failure. The same goes for those around you. Whether it’s those who report to you or coworkers.

?All of us need time to develop as we get invited to new and more pressure-filled positions. We are supposed to want to grow, stretch, and learn. With those steps and stages come times of pain and development. If you don’t allow for that, you are setting yourself up for a letdown. Same goes for those around you.

?The NFL is a whole world different than college football. It’s faster, players hit harder, and the game is more challenging. With time, effort, and patience a gifted college athlete can become a world-class player. That development takes time.

?Take the difference between the giant sequoia of California and bamboo. Bamboo grows incredibly fast. Some types grow as fast as 3 feet per day. But you wouldn’t mistake bamboo for a hardwood. Sequoia trees take years to grow to maturity. Within that time, the tree develops deep roots, wide trunks, and tall canopies. One takes the time to develop, the other is pushed over by pandas.

Your development will take time. Have the patience with yourself to learn and evolve into the new role, and the new environment. Surround yourself with those who understand the role of time in growing into a new role. And support those around you with that same commitment. ?