Posted: May 20, 2019 | Categories: Team Building

Most of my coaching time involves helping organizations and  build winning teams.  They want to be number one.  Doesn’t everyone?  But how?  Below is an account of a conversation between legendary football coach Vince Lombardi and Lee Iacocca as told by Mr. Iacocca in his autobiography:  Once, at a private dinner with Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach and a friend of mine, I asked him about his formula for success.  I wanted to know exactly what made a winning team.  What he told me that evening applies as much to the business world as it does to sports.

“You have to start by teaching the fundamentals.” Lombardi said.  “A player’s got to know the basics of the game and how to play his position.  Next, you’ve got to keep him in line.  That’s discipline.  The men to have to play as a team, not as a bunch of individuals.  There’s no room for prima donnas”

He continued: “But there have been a lot of coaches with good ball clubs who know the fundamentals and have plenty of discipline but still don’t win the game.  Then you come to the third ingredient:  If you’re going to play together as a team, you’ve got to care for one another.  You’ve got to love each other. Each player has to be thinking about the next guy and saying to himself:  “If I don’t block that man, Paul is going to get his legs broken.  I have to do my job well in order that he can do his”

“That’s the difference between mediocrity and greatness”, Lombardi said that night.

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  We know it is true.

Posted: May 8, 2019 | Categories: Self-Improvement, Team Building

A productive team knows how to synergistically solve problems.  It is a skill, and for most of us, it takes practice.  One of the best places to practice is in our own home.  Every family has their share of problems along with an occasional crisis.  How a family bands together to solve the problem can be vital to its well-being. Here is an example:

When my son David was 16, he came home from school one day all excited about getting an IPod.  I knew how much an Ipod cost, and I also understood he could afford one.  David is frugal by nature.  I said, “How much is this IPod going to cost you?”   “$200” he said.  That sounded like a very low price.  I asked him directly, “Is this hot merchandise?”  “Yeah, I know someone who has a bunch of them”.  I wanted to react, but instead I simply affirmed what David said.  “So the way you see it, if you buy this, you would be in possession of stolen merchandise, but you wouldn’t be stealing it directly.  Is that right?”  In a defiant tone, he said, “Yeah”.  I responded with silence.  30 minutes later, David said, “Dad, can you take me to the store.  I want to get that IPod”.  I wanted him to make the right choice.  I also wanted him to take part in the decision (Ownership)

This is a family problem.  In the workplace, there are problems almost every day for many.  There is miscommunication, people get offended, someone drops the ball, or you find you need to get in alignment with a co-worker or boss.  When you must confront, here are the rules:

1.  Begin in a friendly way with a respectful tone.
2. Ask questions to understand.
3. Listen to understand.  Suspend judgment.
4. Affirm what you have heard.
5. Instead of making a statement or speech, ask a question.
6. Create a win-win

If you and your team can do this consistently when confronting problems, you will find yourself working in a more favorable and fulfilling working environment.

Posted: April 24, 2019 | Categories: Leadership, Team Building

Most of my time is spent building top-producing teams.  One of the most fun parts of my job is when I get to work with a fresh new crew eager to excel.  Last week I was with such a group:

It was a team meeting, and two of the members were discussing how they can better communicate with one another.  Based on their positions, much communication and coordination was needed between them.  As they talked they came to a sticking point.  One person was upset and felt she had been left out of the loop. The other person tried to explain himself, and soon you could feel friction in the air.  We all know what happens when this occurs:  Each person stops listening and thinks about the way they will respond to defend their position.   Fortunately, the two people recognized the danger, and brought the conversation back to a safe place:  One person said, “Jill, I am not trying to make you feel bad or neglected.  My goal is to seek your help.  I am having a challenge, and I believe if we can talk through it, we can create a plan that makes our jobs easier for both of us.”

From this point, then went on to solve the problem, and created a “win-win” solution.  This action buried any possible frustration or resentment, and the two team members were back on track working side by side.

Look what happened here:  These two new employees had a conflict and they resolved it right away.  They did not allow time for the problem to fester.  That is smart.  Unfortunately, not all teams are this adept.  Comments are made and things are said.  People react or shut down.  Frustration and resentment sets in.  Ten years later, people still remember and rehash how they were hurt, and team performance suffers forever.  In the meantime, they have robbed themselves of the chance to have a positive, fully-engaged and productive team.

Posted: March 15, 2019 | Categories: Self-Improvement

Are you a “morning person”?  If so, you are in good company.  According to studies noted in Daniel Pink’s book, The Scientific Secrets of perfect timing”, about 80% of us our morning people.  Research has also shown that our focus and energy levels can vary throughout the day.  Knowing this can help us plan a more productive work day.  Mr. Pink goes on to say that morning people generally experience the day in three acts:  A peak, a trough, and a rebound.

The peak:  For most of us, the sharp-minded analytic capacities crest in late morning.  This is the best time to tackle work that requires the deepest and most critical thinking.  Many say this is our highest paid skill.  When I am writing a training plan or preparing for a training session, this is my premium time.  We have our “deep” work that needs to be done.  It is easy to procrastinate, but it contains the work that is a big chunk of our paycheck.  This time is gold.

The trough:  This occurs in early afternoon.  This is when we want to do those more mindless activities.  It is a good time to do our routine administrative work such as sorting through email, filing papers, or doing expense reports.

The rebound:  This may not be our peak period, but it is not to be discounted.  Recovering from the trough, we are usually in a boosted mood.  This can generate less rigidity and more openness.  Reading, planning, looking through our goals, and brainstorming can make this period innovative.  We may find ourselves generating new ideas that we could add to our plan.

Now at this point some of you “night people” might be asking, “What about me?”  The author says that you do the same thing, only in reverse.  I am not sure what that means.  I am glad I am a morning person.  What I do know is that we need to plan our day and be intentional, and good planning involves selecting the best time for our tasks and activities.  Knowledge of your peak, your trough, and the rebound can help you have a more productive day.

Posted: February 21, 2019 | Categories: Leadership, Management

In the summer of 1998, I was suddenly thrust into the role of managing a little league team consisting of kids ages 9 & 10.  If I hadn’t accepted the job, my son’s team would have been broken up.  I said yes.

As we began with the season, I held a meeting with the parents.  I said, “I don’t know much about baseball, but the assistant coaches that surround me do.  I do know a little about leadership.  Some say that it is not whether you win or lose, you just need to have fun.  Others say winning is everything.  I’ve got some good news for you…we are going to have fun and we are going to win!”

As I began my coaching, I kept clearly in mind the “secret sauce” that makes a winning team:  Building Structural Tension.  Structural tension means that each team member is driven by supporting their fellow team member, not the boss.  That means that team members encourage one another and don’t put each other down.  It also means that they trust and respect each other enough to hold each other accountable.  If someone in the outfield is daydreaming, it is fair game to say, “He Steve.  Wake up.”

In 2016 the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.  They had structural tension.  Recently, Athletic magazine wrote an article about David Ross, the Cubs back-up catcher that year.  He was a seasoned pro enjoying his final year in the Majors.  He would strongly encourage his teammates, and he also would comment when they were falling in to bad habits.  They loved him!  He knew that top-performing teams have a pact to keep each other on task.

Now back to my little league baseball team:  We finished the season 15-3!