As an Alabama football fan, I love to watch them play. Yes, we have been good over the past several years, but we had a spell of many years when we weren’t top contenders. No matter how great our running backs are or how great our quarterback is, if we don’t have a good offensive line, the offense will sputter and die. We can’t really be great if the offensive line isn’t good.

As a leader you are like that offensive line. The leader’s job is to open the door to opportunities and then let your employees run with it. You may, from time to time, talk to your employees about the opportunities that are available for them so that they can be prepared. The job is not always easy and sometimes no matter how wide you open the door, the employee just can’t get through it or can’t find the opening. The great thing is that as an exceptional leader you continue to “open that hole in the line” and continue to trust that your “running backs” (employees) will rise to the occasion and shine like you expect them to.