Sports, Business, and Missing the Big Picture

The link between business and sports is a powerful one. We often refer to our employees as members of the "team"...and we hope that unselfish "play" will result in a "big win" for the company. 

Some claim that sports references go over their heads...yet they drop the "team" label in their next breath.

So, what's happening? Here's where I'm at with sports and business.

I Love Teams
I am a big fan of creating an environment where our employees feel like they are a member of the organization in a meaningful way. The sense of community, the trust, the camaraderie all go a long way to creating a culture that most organizations only give lip-service to.

But...just like with any successful team, it is the leadership that must step up, be a role model, and not just talk about professionalism and culture, they have to live it. For those leaders that fail to do so, what happens?

Morale slumps.
Profit slumps.
Turnover suddenly becomes "a thing."

Leaders who talk too damn much are worthless.

Everyone Is Not A Starter
For those leaders that believe they are suddenly an all-star simply because they have a fancy title, I have some grim news. Teams are rarely made up of superstars. Several marquee players often elevate the play of the rest of the team. 

The same holds true in business. Leaders, just like talented young players, need to learn from the veterans. It is impossible to develop leadership savvy on your own. Paying attention to the details, and learning the nuances of effective leadership that separate the focus on personal convenience, to understanding the larger picture is critical.

The awareness of how important it is to maintain strong relationships in the workplace often separates the "hungry" new leaders who repeatedly fail, from those experienced leaders who could help them develop. The simple rules our parents taught us about crossing the street are helpful here...

Stop.
Look.
Listen.

How About You
What role do you play "in the room?" Are you the veteran who sees how all of the pieces of your organization and key relationships fit together? Or, are you so hungry to prove that you know what you're doing, that you constantly show you have no idea?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Wonders At Your Feet

There are times when we believe we have built the perfect team. We convince ourselves that once those final few pieces fall into place all will be right in our world of work. We so desperately want things to be smooth and steady.

But that's not how work happens.

So Much To Do
For any of you that have glanced at my blog over the years you know I am a big fan of lists. When I say lists, I mean digital lists. (Post it notes and stacks of paper are so 1985.) The upside of using lists for everything in your life means you're super organized. The downside is that you can feel pretty overwhelmed at times.

Don't let the lists become your world. They are a tool...they are not the boss of you! They are a system to help you keep your priorities moving in the right direction. They are an asset, so stop thinking about them as a daily liability.

Teams Are Stronger Than You Think
When we realize some of our team members are struggling, and combine that with our never ending task list we can feel like throwing in the towel.

However, all is not lost. Nor is the road ahead as bumpy as we may think. Challenge yourself to do the following:

- identify and recognize the strong players on your team and what they've done to overcome adversity, rise up and meet challenges, and push themselves to a new level

- summarize the huge amount of work that you and your team have completed in the last six months

- push those who are lagging behind very, very hard

You Are Stronger Than You Think Too
Some days the cumulative weight of pressure at work can bring us to our knees. But today is not one of those days. 

Your focus, commitment to world-class work, and unwavering intolerance for anything less than exceptional performance  has helped you get this far, and it will power you ahead into the future.

Do not lose sight of the impact you have on the workplace, or on the lives of those around you.

How About You
Are you looking at the days ahead with a sense of loathing; or, have you decided to take a look around and appreciate the wonders that have been lurking just beneath the surface? Now is the time to keep pushing, and to keep making the difference you make every day.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Getting to Important

Recently I've been reading, learning, and thinking about teams and how they get their work done. I work in a complex healthcare organization that has many priorities, requirements (both legal and regulatory) and pressures to meet the steady flow of financial, talent management, operational and communication challenges. It is inherent in the industry. To top it all off, we care for some of the most fragile patients imaginable.

Urgent
I've often joked over the years that working in a health system is like having a stove with only front burners stretching far to the left and far to the right. Everything is a priority! Everything is urgent! The work is SO important, that nothing can be considered a "back-burner" issue for fear of offending someone.

Nonsense.

It is important to distinguish between issues that come up each day that require attention versus maintaining organizational focus on what is truly important. I'm not sure anyone is good at that yet.


Important
Do you know what the most important priority is for your organization? I'm guessing it has little to do with the fire that needs to be put out in "department X" or the suddenly frantic cries about vacancies and the talent pipeline. Am I right?

Instead, I'm guessing you don't know the answer. How could you? If it hasn't been clarified, discussed, and some measure of consensus brought to bear (not necessarily unanimous agreement!) you would have no idea.

 
How About You 
What are you going to do to ensure your organization can separate "urgent" from "important?" Is it your role to push this issue? Well...are you in leadership? If so, then yes! If not...then yes again! Driving accountability to make our institutions more effective is viewed as a positive regardless of job title. So I'll ask again...what are you going to do? 

I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.


 
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The Hidden Benefit of Teams

Being part of a close team at work or in sports is special. The camaraderie, support, and understanding when something goes wrong is not taken for granted. It is usually earned through hard work and reciprocal support of the other team members.

Work Teams

When we find ourselves working in a real team environment it is terrific. The fear of retribution is replaced with support for taking risks, making mistakes and knowing that trying harder the next time is the norm. Room for error is part of the culture and is used to help others avoid pitfalls as new ideas are tested and implemented.

One of my favorite mantras is that "...we're going to try new things....if something doesn't work, stop doing it...no one is going to get in trouble..."

That is a clear message to the team about the support they have from me.

Sports Teams

The evidence about sports teams gelling has been documented many times. What I find most interesting about the sports angle however, is not what happens on the ice, field or court. What really makes a team special is what happens "in the room." 

The connection between the players in the locker room is what truly tests a team's character. They know what to do when they're "at work" playing the games; but do they support each other when mistakes have occurred, or accept room for error from their teammates?

The good teams do...and that connection often translates in to wins.

 

Blogging Teams

Unlike typical work and sports teams, blogging team members are often spread far and wide. In some cases, team members have never met, or even spoken on the phone. Yet, blogging teams...effective ones...find a way to bring a level of support and camaraderie that is quite astonishing.

Consider this: if you were supposed to work with a new employee, but your only communication was a few emails, no phone calls, no FaceTime and the only image you had of the person was their avatar from twitter, would you be okay with that? How about in sports? Forget it! It's pretty tough to run the power play if your teammates aren't in the arena.

I am blessed to be part of one of those effective blogging teams. My teammates do something far beyond writing good content, sharing their perspectives, and challenging us all to elevate our leadership games. My teammates offer support, encouragement, compliments, helped family members get new jobs, and reach out to connect on issues that have absolutely nothing to do with blogging at all.

How many of our "normal" friends do that? I think I'm discovering a new definition of friends.

How About You

I would encourage you to check out my teammates over at Performance I Create. They are not only a good group of bloggers; but more importantly, they're damn good people too.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Leadership Debt

I expect an awful lot from my team. They need to perform at a high level each day, limit mistakes as much as possible, and handle the unexpected and annoying twists and turns (usually from me) that come up on a regular basis.

And they do it all extremely well.

Not Enough Deposits?
One of the things that weighs on my mind is whether or not I'm making enough deposits back into the workplace. What is my ultimate responsibility anyway? Is it high-fives, slaps on the back and grand proclamations? Or maybe, its to create an environment where my team can push themselves, take risks, and fail without fear of negative consequences.

I worry that I'm withdrawing so much energy and effort from them that they don't get a chance to come up for air. Or maybe I'm just over thinking the whole thing.

But I don't think so.

Managing Debt

In my personal life I work hard to keep my income and expenses balanced as much as possible (sure I do). The ritual of bills, paychecks, and smart decisions is a regular part of life. But what about the workplace?

Does that ritual at home carry over to my work; or, have I pushed so hard that I've forgotten how important balance is regardless of whether or not a positive environment is in place?

How About You
What does your leadership debt look like? More importantly, what would your team say about it? Maybe its time to consider how hard we push our teams...before we push a bit too much.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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First Strike is Deadly

Have you ever said something, and just as those words were leaving your mouth, you knew you’d made a mistake? It’s not easy to take words back. In fact, it’s impossible. Since this issue could be applied in just about every facet of life, let’s focus specifically on the workplace.

You can’t take words back.

Watchers and Listeners

One of the biggest challenges to leadership is not so obvious. We (read here => “I”) often get so caught up in saying just the right words at just the right times to make sure I look like I’ve got it all together that I forget about the real impact on those around me. The teams of employees in our organizations are watching what we do, how we react, and whether we’re calm under pressure…or not.

People we influence pay very close attention, just as you and I do when we observe our supervisors. Do you see what’s happening here? You and I are no different than all of the other employees who walk in the front door of the building each day. Did you think we were special? Really?

Think First (this part may be hard)

One of the techniques that has helped me innumerable times is the one second rule. Simply put, I try (usually unsuccessfully) to give myself one second to either affirm what I am about to say; or, to make that all important change to what is about to come out of my mouth.

You can’t take words back.

How About You

In today’s fast paced world of instant communication, how do you ensure that you’re saying what you want to say versus saying what first pops into your mind? I could sure use your help.

I’d love to hear from you .

No Excuses.

pic courtesy of flamingtext