Leading By Example: Jonathan Thie

Jonathan Thie is a tennis instructor and coach.  However, he’s also a strong, Christian man who cares about others, and is interested in loving and serving them at all times. Jonathan Thie is committed to making a difference in the world, and wants to have an impact on those around him (including his students), as well as those who are less fortunate than himself.

Though Jonathan Thie believes charity is a good way to show this love to others (he’s an active volunteer, himself), he believes that leading by example is the best way to show others love, and encourage them to act similarly.

Working as a tennis coach, Jonathan Thie knows that his actions have a significant impact upon the students he spends so much of his time with.  Thie believes that if he really wants to make a difference in the world, the most important thing he can do is to spend his time actively making a difference in the lives of his athletes.  This is done by leading by example.

Questions to Ask As You Lead By Example

Jonathan Thie tries to ask himself the following questions as he makes decisions and leads by example in front of his students…

How would this action be interpreted by a student who witnessed it out of context?

How would a parent feel about this action?  Positive, negative, or neutral?

What would our team be like if every single player made the decision I’m making right now?

How could I make this moment into a teaching moment – without lecturing?

Am I taking the higher road right now, or am I acting childish?

These are just a few of the questions Jonathan Thie tries to ask himself before making important decisions in front of his athletes.  By thinking through the answers, Jonathan Thie hopes that he will be able to lead by example in a mature way, thereby making his athletes not just better players, but better people.