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#49 Brent Gilchrist: Goal Mining

Jan 8, 2019 54m 12s 21 insights
Former NHL player turned mining executive Brent Gilchrist joins me to share the lessons he learned in the trenches of professional hockey. We discuss leadership, hard work, and what it takes to win as a team.   Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, searchable transcripts, member-only episodes, and more. Sign up at: https://fs.blog/membership/   Every Sunday our newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/   Follow Shane on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish
Actionable Insights

1. Seize Opportunities to Win

When you have a chance to achieve something significant, you must win it, because you never know when you’ll get another opportunity.

2. Cultivate Believable Leadership

A great leader is someone people follow because they are believable, lead by example, and possess charisma, making trust and integrity paramount for influence.

3. Prioritize Being a Great Teammate

A great leader in hockey, and by extension in any team, is a great teammate who cares deeply about the other players, fostering strong team cohesion.

4. Embrace Career Versatility

Developing the ability to play multiple roles or positions makes you a more valuable and resilient asset, increasing your career longevity and adaptability.

5. Strive for Consistent High Performance

The key difference for the best players is their ability to consistently achieve the highest level of their abilities, rather than just having superior skills.

6. Plan Career Transitions Early

Start planning your post-career path five to ten years in advance, as having a clear focus helps ensure a smooth and successful transition.

7. Consciously Enjoy Present Moments

Be mindful and appreciate significant life phases, even when challenging, to avoid future regret and ensure you don’t ‘hate’ your current experience.

8. Learn Through Passion and Osmosis

Develop expertise by pursuing subjects you love, reading extensively, and learning from those around you through observation and interaction.

9. Make Swift, Non-Controversial Decisions

Making quick decisions, especially in leadership, can prevent controversy and maintain harmony, demonstrating effective leadership in ambiguous situations.

10. Respect Unique Role Solitude

For positions with unique mental demands, like a goalie, it’s beneficial to allow them more solitude for preparation and to focus solely on their primary task.

11. Practice with Game-Level Intensity

Approach practice with the same competitive focus as a game, intensely trying to perform at your best, to maximize skill development and readiness.

12. Focus on Contribution, Not Weaknesses

Don’t let perceived weaknesses define you; instead, focus on whether you help the team win, as this is the ultimate measure of your value.

13. Play for Your Teammates

While team logos and history are important, the strongest teams are built on players who are willing to ‘go to war for’ each other in the locker room.

14. Take Bold, Unconventional Decisions

Leaders who are secure in their position can make unconventional decisions that, if well-timed, can positively impact team performance by setting a clear standard.

15. Immediately Act on Transition Plans

After a significant life or career change, immediately jump into your planned next steps to maintain momentum and facilitate a smooth transition.

16. Develop Clear Investment Criteria

Establish a systematic investment criteria to quickly evaluate opportunities, ensuring alignment with your expertise and strategic goals.

17. Deeply Analyze Economic Models

Thoroughly understand the economic model of any project, recognizing that every action has a cost and efficiency directly impacts profitability.

18. Demand High Initial Project Margins

When evaluating new projects, look for ’extraordinarily high returns’ initially, as real-world complexities and inefficiencies will inevitably reduce projected profits.

19. Build Margin for Unforeseen Risks

Acknowledge that ‘some risk is invisible’ and things will go wrong; ensure projects have enough margin to absorb unexpected costs and maintain resilience.

20. Disregard Price Predictions

Do not rely on predictions for commodity prices or stock market movements, as these are ‘unknowable’ and those who truly knew would not be selling the information.

21. Reflect Positively on Past

When looking back at your experiences, focus on the positive aspects and how great it was, rather than dwelling on the difficulties or injuries.