All leaders want to be part of great teams. They want to build great teams. They want to accomplish great things within the context of a team. They want to build lifelong friendships. They want to create healthy cultures. When teammates struggle, they want to be part of a team who picks them up. Great Leaders are incessant team builders.
One of the most successful team cultures is the New England Patriots. As the 2015 Super Bowl approached, much was made about “The Patriot Way”. After reading several articles, the following are 7 Practices Of Highly Successful Teams we learn from the NFL champs:
Sports Illustrated – January 26th
- Highly Successful Teams Have Stable Leadership – Tony Dungy says, “(Patriots owner Robert) Mr. Kraft doesn’t care about how the public thinks he should operate. He doesn’t deviate. There’s stability there.” Kraft was also happily married to his wife Myra for 48 years before her passing. Kraft, Head Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have been together since 2000. Kraft called this consistency and stability the Patriots “competitive advantage.”
- Highly Successful Teams Hold Everyone Accountable – Belichick calls out everyone, especially star quarterback Brady.
- Highly Successful Teams Have Star Players Who Pay A Great Price For Success – Running back Jonas Gray noted of Brady’s training with a hand-to-hand combat specialist, “He’s doing this drill with Tom, where does a plank, and he’s hitting him in the stomach…He’s going all in.”
- Highly Successful Teams Work Very Hard – Highly successful teams are not lazy. Star cornerback Darrelle Revis says, “Our work ethic gives us the opportunity to win.”
- Highly Successful Teams Recruit Top Talent – The Patriots built the NFL’s second best secondary through free agency. Kraft says, “As long as you hire people who are at a high enough level, they don’t have to be the best. They can be the best together, based on their approach.”
Sports Illustrated February 2nd
- Highly Successful Teams Pay Great Attention To Detail – Brady is a notorious micro-manager when it comes to running the Patriots offense.
Sports Illustrated January 12th
- Highly Successful Teams Limit Mistakes – Like most quarterbacks, even Brady makes mistakes when facing significant pressure in the pocket.
Stable Leadership, Accountability, Pay A Great Price, Work Hard, Recruit Top Talent, Pay Attention To Detail and Limit Mistakes. If you do these 7 Practices, you have a chance to be a Highly Successful Team.
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