Schweitz - Presentation 1

0:01 Welcome to my presentation on my leadership and decision-making journey. When I started this course, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of how I made decisions as a leader. What I didn't fully understand was why I made those decisions or the blind spots that influenced them. Throughout the course, I had the opportunity to step back, reflect, and better understand both my strengths and where I can continue to grow.

0:31 At the core of my leadership philosophy is a belief that success rarely happens by accident. Whether I'm coaching athletes, managing staff, or working with clients, I believe preparation creates opportunity. My responsibility as a leader is to create an environment where people are prepared, held accountable, and given the best chance to succeed. One pattern that became very clear throughout this course is that I naturally begin with the desired outcome. Before I think about the the details, I ask myself, what am I trying to accomplish? Once I answer that question, I work backwards to determine the best path. That approach has helped me stay focused, anticipate obstacles before they happen, and make decisions that support the long-term objective instead of simply reacting to whatever is happening in the moment.

1:33 Although I naturally focus on achieving results, I also place a high value on relationships. Throughout this course, I realize those two things don't have to compete with one another. I believe the best leaders achieve meaningful results while building trust, earning respect, and developing the people around them. Without strong relationships, success is often temporary. With them, people are willing to follow your leadership long after the immediate goal has been accomplished.

2:07 As I reflected on my leadership style during this course, I found myself thinking back to the Thomas Kilman conflict mode instrument I was introduced to many years ago. I've always identified most closely with the owl because I don't believe leadership is about choosing between people and performance. I believe both matter. achieving the goal is important but so is earning trust. maintaining relationships and creating an environment where people want to continue following your leadership.

2:40 That's the balance I strive to achieve every day. Throughout this course, I recognized a consistent pattern in the way I make decisions. Experience allows me to recognize situations quickly, identify what I believe is the best outcome, and begin building a plan almost immediately. That ability has served me well throughout my coaching career. But I also learned that making decisions quickly isn't always the same as making the best decision. Sometimes the best decision requires slowing down first.

3:14 As I reflected on my leadership throughout this course, I realized that my decisions are guided by a consistent standard. I naturally begin by asking what outcome will be will best support long-term success. Then I work backwards from there. That approach has helped me stay consistent throughout my coaching career, but it also became clear that even a consistent process can produce different decisions depending on the situation. The Dominic scenario challenged me to balance what was best for one individual against what was best for the team. My initial instinct was to protect the team's opportunity to win because that's where my experience naturally led me.

3:57 Looking back, I realized my decision wasn't just based on the situation itself. It also had reflected the leadership pattern I had developed throughout my coaching career. I recognized that same decision pattern in a much more personal situation involving my daughter's gymnastics. I found myself weighing what I believed would create the greatest long-term opportunity against what would make her happiest in the present. That experience reminded me that leadership isn't always about finding the perfect answer.

4:31 Sometimes it's about thoughtfully navigating difficult trade-offs while recognizing there may never be a completely perfect solution. As I reflected on my decisions throughout this course, I realized that my Clifton strengths helped me explain why I lead the way I do. Belief gives me direction. Individualization helps me coach each person differently. Realtor allows me to build trust. Learner keeps me growing. And harmony reminds me to value relationships. Together, those strengths shape both my leadership philosophy and the way I approach nearly every important decision I make.

5:15 One of the biggest insights I gained from this course was recognizing that one of my greatest strengths can also become one of my biggest blind spots. Once I believe I've identified the right direction, my confidence naturally increases. The problem is that confidence can sometimes reduce my curiosity, causing me to stop looking for information or perspectives that might strengthen my decision. That realization changed the way I think about leadership. As I reflected on my decision-making, I realized that my initial assessment isn't always complete. Even when I feel confident, there may still be information, perspectives, or questions I haven't considered. That missing piece doesn't mean my instincts are wrong. It simply reminds me that better decisions often come from gathering more information before committing to a final direction. That became one of the biggest lessons I took away from this course.

6:14 My biggest chain, the biggest change I made throughout this course wasn't abandoning my confidence. It was becoming more intentional about staying curious. Instead of assuming my first assessment is complete, I now want to ask more questions, seek different perspectives, and challenge my own thinking before making a final decision. Curiosity doesn't replace confidence. It gives me the opportunity to make stronger, more informed leadership decisions. One of the biggest leadership tensions I I identified throughout this course was balancing present circumstances with long-term opportunity. As leaders, we often have to make decisions that may not produce immediate happiness, but create greater opportunities in the future. That doesn't make those decisions easy, but it reminded me that leadership often requires thinking beyond today's emotions and focusing on tomorrow's potential.

7:14 Another leadership tension I recognized was balancing individual development with the needs of the team. Throughout my coaching career, I've always wanted every athlete to grow and succeed. But leadership sometimes requires making decisions that benefit the entire group. Even when those decisions may limit an opportunity for one individual, those moments are never easy. But they remind me that leadership often requires serving something bigger than any one person.

7:45 The final leadership tension I identified was balancing confidence with curiosity. Experience allows me to recognize patterns and make decisions quickly. And that that's been a strength throughout my career. But this course taught me that confidence should never replace curiosity. The strongest leaders continue asking questions, considering other perspectives, and remaining open to information that may improve their decisions. That's the choice I want to make moving forward.

8:16 One of the biggest lessons I learned is that every leadership decision has cost. Every choice involves a trade-off. Choosing one direction usually means giving up something else. As a leader, my responsibility isn't to avoid decisions, but to understand what I'm gaining, what I'm sacrificing, and whether that tradeoff is best supports the long-term outcome I'm trying to achieve. That's what's thoughtful. That's what thoughtful leadership requires. The most important lesson I learned throughout this course is that my initial assessment should be the starting point of my decision-making process, not the finish line. Experience still allows me to recognize patterns quickly, but I've learned that taking the time to ask more questions, gather additional information, and consider other perspective leads to stronger leadership decisions. That insight will influence every important decision I make moving forward.

9:13 Although this course changed the way I approach decisions, it didn't change who I am as a leader. I still believe in preparation, accountability, and creating opportunities for others. What has changed is my commitment to slowing down, remaining curious, and making sure I've gathered enough information before I commit to an important decision. I believe that commitment will help me become a more thoughtful and effective leader in the future. This course didn't give me a new leadership philosophy. It gave me a better understanding of myself as a leader. I know my strengths. I recognize my blind spots and I have a clear understanding of how I make decisions.

9:52 Leadership isn't about always being right. It's about continually learning, growing, and becoming a better for the people who trust you to lead. I believe that's a journey worth pursuing.