Happy Sunday Everyone:
I’m not sure if it’s just my personality or not but I tend to be more aware of the results of negative events vs. positive. I know I’ve said this before but it’s absolutely true for me and actually helps me learn more, grow more, be more cognizant of what not to do. Reality is I should also spend a lot of time focusing on the wins but I’m definitely more observant of what to change or acknowledge from negative stuff. In this case, I’m actually talking about Thomas’s little league baseball season. Total bust. The kid went from having the best season of his life last year to almost wanting to throw in the towel this year, as did much of the team. What happened? the coaching sucked. The leadership of the team sucked and the results came crashing out in full view by watching a bunch of 11-12 year olds play terrible, be miserable, and in the end, pretty much want to quit. Don’t get me wrong, I helped coach last year and understand the time commitment but if you’re going to sign up to do something, do it right. I was sitting out in centerfield, by myself, frustrated, and couldn’t help but think of how easy it is to compare a little league team to our teams and our companies. Whether you’re the CEO of a company, the CEO of your team, or a little league baseball coach, you have a responsibility to lead and to lead well. The results of your leadership will be front and center in that of your company, your team, or a little league baseball team.
Some observations in comparing last year to this year, as well as to our jobs , and a question to yourself.
1. Having a plan, a purpose, and a process. last year, practice was discussed, it had a routine, it had a purpose, it had drills, and the team gained from it. The coach made it clear to the kids what he expected, what his plan was for the kids, and then he executed on it. This year, no plan, no structured drills, no ability to grow, aside from babysitting for an hour. At our level, we still need to question “does own team understand where we’re going, and am I putting out a plan, with purpose, to help us get there”?
2. Reliability. Last year the coaches didn’t miss a practice. If someone couldn’t attend, someone else jumped in to help. Nothing got missed. This year, coaches were flakes, more practices were cancelled than not. You could expect to see an email same day or best case 24 hour warning cancelling practice. Are you reliable? can your team count on your to show up or do you cancel on a whim. I’ve been on both sides of this fence. Thankfully my ways have changed over the years to be reliable but in the beginning I was flake. Hard to get people to follow you if they can’t trust you to show up. Kids/adults/friends/workers/spouses….find me an example this doesn’t work inside of? you cant.
3. Negative: Last year kids were praised for doing well, and they were ridden hard when not giving their best effort, but they were lifted up when they did their best but failed i.e. strike out, back to the dugout, always got a pat on the back from coach. This year, constant reminder of what you did wrong, WITHOUT how to do it right, strike out, let’s make sure they feel alone and give the silent treatment (ignore them). As a leader, how do you handle this? Constructive feedback is great, emotional sabotage is not i.e. the silent treatment. We need to train off of mistakes. We need to learn from them, and then grow from them.
4. Discipline: Last year, constant reminder to hustle to your positions. Constant reminders to run in at the end of an inning, practice hard, no “going through the motions”. This year, kids walking to their positions, kids showing up late, no discipline what so ever. Leaders need to show discipline in what they do, and what they expect. Without consistent discipline, you will be mediocre, at best. Discipline in our jobs is showing up on time, finishing when the job is done, not the day, and leading by example. Your team will inevitably be as disciplined as you are.
5. Comradery: Last year the coaches taught the idea that we win as a team, we lose as a team, we protect each other and we hold each other accountable. This message was a constant theme. This year, kids making fun of each other after errors, laughing when someone else struck out, laughing in the field, acting like 5 year olds. I think as leaders, we are responsible for creating comradery and a pride of ownership for what we do. Is your team proud to be on the “the” team, are they proud to work for “the” company…if they’re not, it’s on you.
Crazy for me to see the results of what happens when you put a bad leader on 11 year olds. Trust me, I’m not a crazy dad on the baseball field, but I was blown away when I started thinking about the relationship of it being no different, whether coaching a bunch of kids, or running a team or a company. You need a plan, people need to be able to count on you, you need to bring the best out in those around you, you need to set the bar for discipline, and you need to unite people to be a part of a larger cause then themselves. If we can do that, odds of success are greater, and certainly regardless of win/loss, you’re going to enjoy the ride more, but I am certain the 5 examples above are the reason we won a championship last year, and why we finished dead last this year….It wasn’t the draft picks, it was the leadership, or lack thereof.
Might think about your leadership this week. If this whole thing sounds pie in the sky, re think until it doesn’t:)