Ch 11 Application and Action “Law of the Inner Circle”
Do you know who your inner circle members are? Before you have a leadership position, they are the people you seek out for advice, turn to for support, and rely on to help you get things done. When you lead a small staff, all of those employees are also part of your inner circle.
1. List the names of your inner circle members. Next to each name write what that person contributes. If they do not have a clear role or function, then write what you believe they have the potential to contribute. Justin, closest friend here at school. My most supportive friend. Can always make me laugh when I need it and we emotionally support each other. Aidan is all the same as Justin. Very close friend, we have complete trust for each other. Jack is a senior and I look to him for guidance. Kind of my mentor but also a good friend.
2. Evaluate your inner circle. List the names of your current inner circle members. Next to each name, explain why that person is a part of your inner circle. What qualities and skills do they bring to the table? What areas are the more equipped in that you? How do their abilities complement and complete your abilities? How do they support you emotionally? How do they move you closer to your goals for the team?
| Inner Circle Members | Why? | Contributions |
| Justin | The most loyal friend I have at school. | We never fight, always support each other. We want to see each other succeed and constantly help each other do just that. |
| Aidan | Another of my closest friends. | We always shoot it straight with each other. Many long deep talks about our goals and troubles and we help each other through tough times. |
| Jack | Mentor and close friend. Great teammate | Always steers me in the right direction, looks out for me, sees that I’m growing into a leader to succeed him when he leaves. I trust his guidance and buy into what he has to say. |
3.If there are people on your list who add no value or who bring you down, you should consider moving them out of your inner circle. After identifying your current inner circle members and the qualities and skills they bring to the table, try to identify three more people whom you might want to add to your inner circle. Next to each person’s name list the unique skills and qualities they would bring to the group. Look for people who can fill a need that is not already being filled by another member of your inner circle. Remember that your inner circle should be made up of people from different areas of your life so you can receive a well-rounded balance of feedback and insight.
| Potential Inner Circle Members | Contributions |
| 1 Hunter | Definitely almost in my inner circle. My go to guy to hit with and discuss hitting with. We’re both extremely motivated, and being as close to him as possible could only benefit me. |
| 2 Hayden | Freshman infielder who I try to impart as much wisdom onto him as Jack does to me. Kid is a class act, and I admire his ability to navigate adversity. |
| 3 Aiden T | This kid is cocky but it works for him. He loves being overlooked and showing people they were wrong to misjudge him. He’s the kind of positive “dog,” mentality everyone needs on their team. He’s also a freshman and I feel we could learn a lot from eachother. |
Ch 12 Application and Action – “Law of Empowerment”
This week, find one situation where you can share your authority with someone else. It could be letting a friend plan an event for the weekend or giving someone on your team authority over a project. Answer the following questions throughout the week in order to evaluate the experience.
I shared my authority with __Hayden_________________
by empowering him or her to __Make decisions about our defensive alignment in the infield. I’m the guy with the defensive positioning card for the opposing team who positions the rest of the guys based on the scouting report. This weekend I let Hayden make decisions late in the game based on what the hitters had done that day. ________________
1. Why did you choose this person to share your authority with? My inside joke with Hayden is that he should have a 4.0 gpa (he doesn’t) because he’s so good at memorizing the defensive positioning we do throughout a game. I have the card and yet I refer to it every at bat. A lot of times I’ll look down at my card, then look up to put him in position and he’s already there. He memorizes it the first time through. He’s incredibly responsible and focused, so I gave him the freedom to determine if we would adhere to the defensive card or if we would make alterations based on the teams performance throughout the weekend.
2. What were your initial concerns when sharing your authority with someone else? I do like being in control and often find myself making changes to the defensive card if I feel the scouting report may not line up for that hitter that day, or could be different based on the pitcher we have on the mound, but I trust Hayden’s baseball iq 100%.
3. How did this person react to your offer? He took it in stride and made great mature decisions.
4. What were some of the challenges this person faced with the project, task, or decision? Little to none. He made many of the same decisions I would have made.