Martina Navratilova gave us three essential lessons to apply in leading change efforts.

A clear and compelling vision…

For a better, more exciting version of women’s tennis.  She believed a faster, more aggressive game would draw more fans and sponsors, which would create more opportunities for women.

A personal commitment of change

She began doing cross training, playing basketball, and other activities that improved her muscle strength, speed, agility, quickness, and endurance.  This allowed her to adopt an aggressive style of play, and to dominate the sport.

Perseverance

Martina made the “status quo game” no longer tenable.  She made it clear that she was going to continue playing the game her way, and if you didn’t want to play the game that way, she was going to win.

Notice that Martina Navratilova didn’t tell the other players to raise their game while she stayed where she was.  She raised her game first and made it so that all of the others had to raise their game in order to compete.  By sheer force of will, talent, and drive, she changed the entire game of women’s tennis.