4 Lessons From Derek Jeter

ESPN’s highly-anticipated series on Derek Jeter premiered Monday night — and while his New York Yankees teams were often among the most loathed in sports, few athletes have earned the respect of teammates, competitors and fans the way the "The Captain" did.  

Jeter's career has four key lessons for us: 

1. There will be outside noise, but we control what we tune in to

Jeter was involved in countless rumors at the start of his career — from how much he cared about baseball, to whom he was dating, to whether he was as good as some other top shortstops. But he never got engulfed in distractions or allowed outside noise to hinder his performance.

As leaders, we will occasionally find ourselves in storms. We’ll be second-guessed and may face gossip around our future. It’s crucial in these scenarios to double-down on our effort levels, re-affirm our loyalty to our teams, and become as deaf as possible to the chaos and controversy around us. Our production can then speak for itself. 

2. Boring can be effective  

Jeter was one of the least-interesting interviews in sports, rarely offering the media front-page headlines beyond his performance on the field. While being bold and brazen with our words may differentiate us on occasion or gain us social media attention, playing it safe and avoiding the gossip traps is often most strategic for the long-term success of our teams. As leaders, we need to extinguish flames, not add to them.  

3. Respect the bosses

Early in his career, Jeter was tested when legendary Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner questioned his devotion to the sport. But Jeter never shot back or demanded a trade. He always called his boss “Mr. Steinbrenner” and frequently referred to Yankees Manager Joe Torre as “Mr. Torre.” Any time his superiors were questioned, Jeter reiterated how he trusted their visions.

We will not always get along with our bosses, but even in the moments of frustration, showing respect and maintaining true professionalism will differentiate us. 

4. Stats don’t tell all

Jeter had just three seasons in his career where he hit over 20 home runs and only one in which he drove in 100 runs, but few have transcended baseball the way he did. How? He was incredibly stable, playing over 145 games in 16 different seasons, while accumulating more than 3,400 career hits. He was also always loyal to his teammates, amicable with fans, and demonstrated respect to those who came before him. When pressure was at its highest, Jeter always performed. 

Upon his induction into the Hall of Fame last year, he predictably said he wants to always be remembered as a Yankee and a good teammate.

But with every cliché, every downplay of his accomplishments, every acknowledgment of how someone helped him along the way, Jeter adds to his greater legacy — while giving us a blueprint of how to enhance our own.