The following stories remind us of five questions leaders should constantly be asking:
Good Can Always Come From Bad
Every dark cloud has a silver lining. As reported in the November 18, 2023 edition of Morning Brew, a video went viral off a Stanley tumbler surviving a vehicle fire. In fact, the car’s driver showed the Tumbler kept her drink cold with unmelted ice despite the incredibly hot temperatures and damages. See the video below:
Afterwards, because of the invaluable free publicity the product received, Stanley president Terence Reilly not only sent the car’s driver complimentary merchandise, but went as far as purchasing her a new car!!! He said, “We’ve never done this before—and we’ll probably never do it again—but we’d love to replace your vehicle.”
A lot of good came from a really bad situation.
Leaders, are you seeing the good in bad situations and leveraging those for the good of others?
Mission, Team, Me
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart gave the following October 28, 2023 pregame speech before the team’s 43-20 over the Florida Gators:
Coach Smart said, “Mission, Team, Me in that order. The Mission first, the Team second, and Me third. Go attack!!! Attack!!! Attack!!!”
This is a mantra for success every organization would be wise to adopt.
Coach Smart understands that We can accomplish more than Me. He is so serious about this message that during the game’s first half he coached up one his players who put himself above the Mission and Team. Click the image below to watch the video along with Coach Smart’s comments:
Click Image To Hear Coach Kirby Smart Discuss Coaching Up A Player Who Put Himself Above The Mission And Team
After hearing Coach Smart and watching him put his words into action, are you and every member of your organization putting the Mission and Team ahead of yourselves?
For a deeper dive into the leadership of Coach Smart, read 4 Things Kirby Smart Wants From His Players (and what you should want from your team as well).
If You Want To Get Better As A Department Or Organization, Get Better Leaders
The Missouri Tigers are one of college football’s most pleasant surprises this year. Coming off a 6-7 season in 2022, the Tigers are currently ranked #9 with three wins over ranked opponents. So what is the cause of the team’s improved performance?
In this article from The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, much of the credit goes to two new hires, offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and offensive line coach Brandon Jones. Their impact has been dramatic. Last year, the Tigers ranked 90th in red-zone scoring percentage. This year they are #1!!! Their yards per play has also improved from #87 to #18.
Leaders, is it time to look for a new leader to solve the problems of an area not meeting expectations?
Learning From Mistakes
To build on the previous question, Jimbo Fisher was removed from his head coaching duties at Texas A&M this past week. Speculating on the cause of Coach Fisher’s undoing, The Athletic’s Manny Navarro wrote in this article, “His offense is antiquated, and he never really seemed to find the kind of quarterback he needed to be successful with his scheme. The next coach at Texas A&M has to understand scoring points is what college football is all about. He needs to have a grasp of the SEC landscape and be smart enough to learn from his mistakes.”
Coach Fisher’s lack of success can largely be taken back to the inability to find the right quarterback.
Leaders, are you willing to learn from Coach Fisher’s mistake and develop a system for finding and developing leaders in your organization?
Manufacturing Success
So how do you help quarterbacks (or any leaders for that matter) become successful? During the November 9, 2023 edition of The Herd With Colin Cowherd, quarterback coach Jordan Palmer advised the Chicago Bears to help Justin Fields “manufacture completions.”
Manufacturing completions is the process of creating easy throws which will result in sure completions. This process of getting a series of small wins builds confidence and creates momentum.
Leaders, what are you doing to manufacture success for struggling people in your organization?
Conclusion
The following are five questions leaders should constantly be asking:
- Are you seeing the good in bad situations and leveraging those for the good of others?
- Are you and every member of your organization putting the Mission and Team ahead of yourselves?
- Is it time to look for a new leader to solve the problems of an area not meeting expectations?
- Are you willing to learn from Coach Fisher’s mistake and develop a system for finding and developing leaders in your organization?
- What are you doing to manufacture success for struggling people in your organization?
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