What's at Stake?

Incentive is a complicated term to fully grasp. In Game On terms, as presenters, our incentive is to serve our audiences’ needs, focus on how we’re trying to positively make them feel, and help them find the incentive to CARE about what we’re sharing and REMEMBER the heart of the message.

But what if we’re not in a formal presentation? What if there isn’t a large crowd? What if there’s no structured agenda? How do we authentically motivate and encourage others to do something - take action - when we’re engaging with our colleagues at work, coaching a small group, and walking alongside one another in our daily interactions? What if there’s nothing to care about or remember because it’s just an ordinary meeting, a basic get-together, a practice, a rehearsal, and nothing seemingly at stake?

By exploring these questions and thinking about who in my work experience has been one of the most effective at motivating and encouraging others to do something, to take action, when the stakes are high or when there seems to be nothing at stake, I immediately discovered where I wanted to go with this blog…and I arrived at my friend Nick Bollettieri.

We just celebrated Nick’s legacy, and I had the honor of a lifetime to emcee this event. This incredible life spanned nine decades, and his epic story was full of beauty, complications, imperfections, contradictions, improvements, achievements, connections, and so much more. He was, like all of us, a beautifully complicated person, but the one thing this legendary coach could do better than anyone I saw, was identify your talent, claim it, share it with you, get you to see it, and then, per the definition of incentive; encourage and motivate you to take action and make it happen.

What a gift to see the gifts in others and get them to believe it for themselves. That’s a good coach, a solid leader, a sound director. If Nick’s life were a movie, it would be multi-categorical. He was an action film, a sweeping drama, a risky independent production, a comedy, an infomercial, an educational/inspirational video, an international film festival award winner, a musical with spontaneous, un-choreographed dance breaks, and so much more.

Because of Nick…we were always encouraged beyond our wildest dreams.

Because of Nick…so many lives, including mine, were changed for the better, forever.

Because of Nick…people found their forehand, their voice, their career path, their confidence, their potential, their purpose, their spouse, and their incentive.

With that, and to honor his legacy, I encourage and motivate all of us to do something - to take action - and to look for and see the potential, the greatness, and the giftings in others, just as Nick did with all of us. That’s a wonderful incentive…and that’s what’s at stake.