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Category: Management
A sure-fire way to have effective team communication
In my decades of team coaching experience, one of the most important capabilities of a highly productive team is clear and timely communication. The good news is that there is something we can do to have near-perfect team communication and it will only cost us $15. Permit me to explain:
Last Saturday morning I bought a dozen donuts and took them to the shop that does my car repairs. They had just completed working on my car, and the job they did was above and beyond. I wanted to show my appreciation so I bought the service team donuts. The service manager smiled, thanked me, and simply took the box of donuts and put them on the desk behind him. Within two minutes, I saw this large group of team members moving towards the office area. I thought management must have called an important meeting. Nope. The group was headed in a beeline straight for the box of donuts. How did this happen? I hadn’t observed any texting or phone activity. The information spread quickly and was communicated with resounding accuracy.
I am not suggesting we can build our team communication on a solid flow of fresh donuts. Not only is that impractical, it would probably be unhealthy. My questions is: “What can we do (feasibly) that will create the quality and the clarity of the communication generated by that box of donuts?” If we can answer that question, we can save our company those costly errors caused by poor communication.
Use questions that “move the needle”
The date was June 20th of 1993. It was game six of the NBA championship finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls were down one, and there was 10 seconds left in the game. Bulls coach Phil Jackson noticed his star player, Michael Jordan, reverting back to a bad habit of his tendency to hog the ball. Phil called a time out and motioned Jordan over. All he said to Jordan was a question consisting of two words: “Who’s open?” Jordan got the drift, nodded, and went back on the court. Soon afterwards, he passed the ball to teammate John Paxson. Paxson went for a 3-pointer and made it. As a result, the Bulls won the championship. The interesting point is that according to Phil Jackson in his book “Sacred Hoops”, John Paxson was the weakest player of the 5 on the court. As demonstrated in this example, so often the most effective coaching can come from good questioning rather yelling and chewing people out.
As leaders, parents, and managers, we know that there are patterns of behavior that are productive, and other patterns that hold us back. I’ll never forget the time early in my career when there was something I needed to do that I kept procrastinating. After several reminders, one day my boss asked me the killer question: “What can I do to get you started on this Steve?” Yikes! I was right on it. What a “move the needle” question that was!
Here’s my advice: When we see a pattern of behavior in someone that needs to change, think of what questions we are going to ask before we write out some speech. Doing so increases our chances of redirecting the non-productive pattern.
How to start your day with a “full tank”
“Whatever you can do or dream…begin it! Boldness has genuius, power, and magic in it”
-Goethe
Last week I was talking to one of my clients in healthcare. He was so excited about his work that you could almost envision a glow around him. Noting his ebullience, I asked him what gets him so fired up. He answered, “I love my boss’s vision and I want to help him make it happen” I know his boss very well, and what he said was true.
His boss, (we’ll call him Todd), has lived with a vision he’s loved for as long as he can remember. It is related to healthcare for the elderly, and everything he does himself and with his team are driving that vision. When we think of phenomena like Apple, Microsoft, or the Pyramids of Egypt, they all have one thing in common: A big, powerful vision. When a vision is in full force, we clearly see and fulfill our purpose, and our emotional drive is full throttle.
Surveys have shown that the majority of workers today don’t like their jobs. If you ask anyone in this category what the vision of their company is, you would probably not get an exuberant response. Conversely, when you ask someone who is embraced in and is totally engaged in their company’s vision, you will likely receive a lively response. Be prepared to sit back and listen. They would love to tell you all about it!
So what is the vision that is driving you? Are you excited and clear about where you are going and determined to get there? If you are, you are headed for a life you can look back on with a big “thumbs up”.
The power of punctuality
Nearly 40 years ago I was viewing a session on time management and I saw a demonstration I’ll never forget: The speaker asked the audience of 80 people, “How many of you have been on time for every appointment you have had in the last year?” Only three raised their hand. Since that day all those years ago, I can count the number of times I have been late on one hand. Being on time is my non-negotiable standard.
Unfortunately, one of those “non-punctual” times happened this past weekend. My wife and I were scheduled to visit our son and grandchildren. We said we would be there between 9:30 – 10:00am. We didn’t arrive until 10:15. As a result our son had to reschedule some activities to compensate.
My son is 38, and this was my first time being late. I knew he must be thinking it was my wife’s fault. It wasn’t. It was mine! The reason was poor planning. I made it very clear that it was my fault and I apologized for not respecting his time. No excuses. No blame. I suppose I could have brushed it off and said in a dispassionate tone, “Sorry I’m late”. I couldn’t do that. This was a big deal. When we say we will be somewhere at a certain time, that is a commitment. It is a promise. It is our reputation. It shows we respect the most valuable thing we have…our time.
I conclude with the speaker’s follow up question: He asked the 3 “on-timers” who raised their hands how they did it. They all had the same answer, and I’ll bet you know what it is: LEAVE EARLY! Be punctual. Be a person who can be counted on.
Step #1 in building a championship team
Each year tens of millions of people watch the Super Bowl. The winner receives the “Lombardi Trophy”, named after Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers. Vince knew how to build a championship team. There was a special element he instilled in his squad that many others did not. Simply stated, it is putting your team member first. If we can do this as a leader and coach, there is a good chance our team will over-perform.
Let’s say you have a team that you believe is operating below potential. How do we get them to improve? Coach Lombardi built his success around a focal point. In his situation, it was his quarterback. In his QB, he needs to transfer all his important values such as discipline, clarity, and unselfishness. With the quarterback at the hub, he counted on Bart Starr to lead the rest of the team to the hearty attitude and unshakeable work ethic he had been taught.
So what about your team? First, identify those individuals that have already shown you that they “get it”. That number may be 2, 3, 6 or more. This group is your focal point. These are the folks you can count on to be an extension of your values. When those on the outside of this group get a taste of the fresh direction, many may like it and begin to join in. With patience and persistence, the focal group grows to critical mass. This will provide the momentum to move your team to a higher level. Those who don’t change their attitude or poor engagement become marginalized. They usually either join in or leave the organization. To begin building your championship team, find your “core” and make it grow. Be a winner!