"There's no ability, like availability," said legendary NFL and Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells. And I believe he's right. Parcells had a brilliant mind for the game of football, but what he’s perhaps better known for is his ability to motivate and identify top talent. People like Lawrence Taylor, one of the greatest football players of all time, were endlessly pushed by Parcells to be better, to give more. Parcells also surrounded himself with a coaching bench that was almost second to none, including Bill Belichick, who many consider the greatest coach of all time (at least in modern times). Belichick worked for Parcells at the Giants for 12 years. Parcells knew talent, but he also knew that talent wasn't enough. You need to be present because if you're not in the game, talent doesn't matter. To the point on Belichick, Parcells also understood the value of putting other great minds in the room and allowing them their voice.
You know these people. You know the folks who have incredible talent and the opportunities that often come with talent, only to squander them by not showing up. Many of us have lost the ability (or is it desire?) to seize opportunities. Don't be those people. If Parcells said that there's no ability like availability, then make yourself available because if you do, you'll find yourself playing and working at a level beyond what you thought possible.
Show up, Shut up, and Speak up.
Showing up is about being in the room. If a door is opened for you, don't ignore it. Show up because many won't, and because of that, they'll never have the same opportunity as the person who’s been bold enough to put themselves in the room. You can create opportunities for yourself by the simple buying into the power of being present.
Presence is power, but it's not enough on its own. Being present is also about being present to everyone else in the room.
Don't think that your presence equals productivity. Your presence needs to be connected to patience. Be patient with your opinions and your desire to jump the gun. The reality is that showing up often puts you in a room of complicated, difficult, or confusing conversations. And if this is your first time in a room like that, it is only wise to observe, listen, and be patient. Observe the room, listen to what's being said, who's saying it, and patiently process before you speak.
Mister T says he ‘pities the fool,’ and Proverbs says that 'it's the folly of the fool who speaks before listening.' Knowing when to speak and when not to is a hidden talent that is quickly becoming endangered. Being present and attentive. Show up in the room, and shut up.
Because if you don’t say it, no one will, and what you’ll often find is that when you say it, it happens to be exactly what others are thinking but aren’t bold enough to say themselves.
How often have you been in one of these situations where you're mulling over the idea of speaking an unpopular opinion, but after you do, someone comes up to you afterward and says, 'I'm SO glad you said that'?
If you’re fortunate enough to be in a position, be in a room that others aren't, and if you have a voice, it’s on you to exercise it for the benefit of those not in the room and for yourself. It's your duty to others and to yourself because if you don't you'll be kicking yourself long afterwards because the same themes, challenges, and roadblocks are going to repeat themselves until... someone says something. It might as well be you.
You might just find that there are others to dance with, and you and everyone else is better off because of it.
Show up, shut up, and speak up.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
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