Parenthood has a way of sharpening what you believe about leadership. Sports have a way of sharpening what you believe about life.
The more time I spend coaching my sons, whether it's on the field, the ice, or the court, the more I realize the same principles that help them grow into great teammates are the same ones that shape great salespeople.
At our house, there are three simple rules we talk about all the time. And they matter just as much in the office as they do in the game.
Rule #1: Do Your Best Work, With Your Best Effort
At our house, "best effort" means doing your job, and doing it right, every time. It means knowing the job you're responsible for and playing to set the pace or tone of the game. It means executing the little things most people overlook. It means giving 100% of whatever you've got that day, even if all you have is 20%.
In sales, it's no different.
I've seen countless examples over the years of people who weren't the most naturally talented, but once they were given the tools, and the belief, to show up as their real selves, everything changed.
Sometimes their performance took off and they became high achievers. Other times, they realized sales wasn't their calling, and they could walk away proud, knowing they gave it their best.
When you have a real dialogue with someone about who they are, when you show them you care enough to be honest and hold a standard, it changes everything. If you think back on your own career, the managers who made the biggest impact weren't the ones who made it easy. They were the ones who gave you the hard truth, and cared enough to help you grow through it.
Rule #2: Be a Great Teammate
We all know what being a good teammate looks like. You show up. You communicate. You support the people next to you.
But being a great teammate goes deeper than that.
It's about lifting others up even when it doesn't directly benefit you. It's about adapting when your role changes, and bringing your full self, no matter where you're placed. It's about understanding that the success of the team is your success, even if your name isn't in the headline.
In sports, it's celebrating a teammate when they succeed, even if you secretly wish it were you. It's playing a different position when the team needs it, and doing it with pride, not resentment.
In sales, it's realizing that when someone else wins, we all win. High tides raise all ships. The best reps know how to extend a hand down the ladder while still climbing it themselves.
You find the good in everyone, and you make the team stronger because of it.
Rule #3: Have Fun Doing It All
Fun isn't just about laughter or celebrations. It's about finding joy in the hard work itself. It's about loving the craft, celebrating small wins, and competing with pride.
One of my son's hockey coaches said it best:
"The competition is the fun."
That stuck with me.
The act of trying to win, or trying not to lose, is the fun part. You find joy when you push yourself. You find joy when you stretch beyond what feels easy. You find joy when you show up fully, even when the scoreboard doesn't guarantee you anything.
In sales, it's no different. Teams that find joy in the journey, in competing, building, and winning together, don't just perform better. They stay longer. They believe deeper. And they win bigger.
When you stack these three rules together, you realize: it's never just about the game. It's about how you show up when it matters most.
Closing Reflection: Leadership Isn't About Titles, It's About Showing Up
When my sons are older and they look back at these lessons, I hope they remember this:
It's about doing the right thing, even when no one's looking. It's about bringing your best: to the field, the ice, the office, the stage, wherever life asks you to show up and contribute.
Effort, teamwork, and joy: that's the real scoreboard.
And if you're lucky enough to lead others, you have to remember something even more important:
Your team chooses to work for you. They don't have to. They choose to trust you with their effort, their careers, and their belief that you're worth following.
It's your responsibility to show up for them, not just when things are easy, but especially when they're not. And if you're carrying a quota, it's your job to show up for your leader too. The standard never changes: Live the 3 rules. Be the example. Be the person others want to bet on.
Curious: which of these three rules has made the biggest difference in your own journey?
Build a team culture where these three rules are the standard, not the exception.
See Sales LeadershipFrequently Asked Questions
What are the three rules taught in this article?
Do your best work with your best effort, be a great teammate, and have fun doing it all. They come from coaching youth sports, and they apply just as directly to a sales team.
What does best effort mean in a sales context?
Knowing the job you're responsible for and executing the small things most people overlook, giving everything you've got that day even when that's less than usual. It's built through honest conversations about who someone is, not by making the job easy.
What does being a great teammate look like in sales?
Lifting others up even when it doesn't directly benefit you, adapting when your role changes, and understanding that the success of the team is your success even if your name isn't in the headline.
Why does having fun matter for performance?
Fun isn't about celebrations, it's about finding joy in the hard work itself, in competing and pushing past what feels easy. Teams that find joy in the journey perform better and stay together longer.