14 Things Leaders Do To Breathe Life Into A Dying Organization

At some point in every leader’s life, he or she will be called upon to utilize all their energy, experience, resources, talent and skill to the reverse the negative momentum of a plateaued or dying organization.

One such leader who has done this in spectacular fashion is Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh.  Despite the team’s improbable loss this past weekend to Michigan State (see video above), the Wolverines turnaround is unexpected, even surprising.  Surprising to everyone but Harbaugh himself.

Recently, ESPN writer Ivan Maisel profiled Harbaugh and the team’s incredible turnaround.  You can click here to read the entire article.

The following are 14 Things Leaders Do To Breathe Life Into A Dying Organization I gleaned from Maisel’s article:

1. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Want To See Daily Progress – Harbaugh said, “See if we can’t be better today than we were yesterday. See if we can’t be better tomorrow than we were today.”
2. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Stop Taking Shortcuts – The longest distance between two points is a shortcut.  You must finish well.  Linebacker Joe Bolden said, “I would say finishing. Just being able to finish football games.”
3. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Work Very Hard – During spring practice, Harbaugh held four-hour practices.  No meetings.  No pep talks.  Just four hours of solid practice.
4. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Make Better Use Of Time – They do not waste it because once time is gone, you cannot get it back.  Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin said, “His idea was, why spend any of that in the meeting room? We need to get better on the football field.”
5. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Begin Making Good Decisions – They get smarter.  Durkin added Harbaugh wanted the team mentally sharp at the end of games.
6. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Must Do More Than Their Competitors – Do a little more than the competition.  Defensive end Willie Henry said, “Take that half-step farther to finish your opponent.”
7. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Start Doing Things Differently – If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll continue getting the results you’ve always gotten.  Durkin noted about the team, “About everything we do is not the way it’s done.”
8. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Must Have Great Confidence And Vision – Durkin continues, “Jim’s strongest suit probably is his confidence and his vision.  He’s not afraid to do things differently.”
9. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Are Strategic Thinkers And Planners – Durkin also said about Harbaugh, “Everything is well-thought-out. There’s a reason for why we do everything we do.”
10. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Are Not Afraid To Fail – Durkin says, “He has no fear of failure or anything else.”
11. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Have Grit – Durkin concludes, “He’s going to will it to work.”
12. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Transfer Their Personal Belief To Others – Northwestern secondary coach Jerry Brown said “He gets in his players’ heads and makes them believe they’re better than they are.”
13. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Celebrate Small Victories – Cornerback Jourdan Lewis said, “Every day is a new challenge. You have to conquer the day. You have to win.”
14. Leaders Who Breathe Life Into Dying Organizations Hold Everyone Accountable – Coach Harbaugh is the ultimate competitor.  Each Monday the team runs a race called the Michigan Mile.  Everyone is timed and the results are made public.  Also, practices are taped capturing each rep of every player.  There is constant evaluation.

Michigan State was lucky.  Will Ohio State be just as fortunate?

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