Be A Great Business Leader By Instilling a World-Class Mindset

Of my five kids, three of them are still young enough that they have to be driven to school. Since we live quite a ways out in the country we have a lot of “windshield time” with the kids, which we use to engage and sometimes pass on a little wisdom. Even though they may not realize it, as parents we are demonstrating leadership as we develop their mindset.

On one particular drive home from a soccer tournament, at which my twins' team came in second place, we talked about the difference between coming in first and second in soccer, and ultimately in business and in life.
Here are a few of the main points we talked about:

• Know the system AND your job
• Run down every ball
• If you turn the ball over, don’t dwell on it, just go get it back
• Constantly communicate with each other
• Don’t argue with the referee
• When the team needs you to take a shot, take the shot!

All of these things are mostly me repeating principles that they have heard 1,000 times from their coach and will hear thousands more. BUT THEY KNOW! They know what is expected. There is a standard of performance. There is a shared language used to compliment a team member, to correct a mistake, or even to call someone out for lack of focus and effort if they need it. There is even a shared attitude that doing it all is for the greater good of the team.

These things are talked about so often that they can never say they didn't know or didn't understand. Neither can any of their teammates. And at the end of the day, they can all be happy that they are all on the same page about what their best effort and performance looks like and they are all working towards that together.

Put another way, they are learning a world-class performance mindset.

Now, as the coach of your team, what are the things you should be talking about?

Know the system AND your job.

Processes need to be documented and everyone needs to know and follow them. Regarding the job, everyone needs to know the RESULTS they are expected to get, not just the stuff they are supposed to do. Make sure they know by coaching them over and over and over.

Run down every ball.

In business, this generally means to cross the t’s, dot the i’s, return all the calls, do all work thoroughly, finish on time, accurately, and on budget and whatever else is meaningful to the everyday success of your team. But what is meaningful to everyday success needs to be clearly stated and repeated ... a lot.

If you turn the ball over, don’t dwell on it. Just go get it back.

Your team needs to know that “turnovers” are sometimes a part of the game. We work to minimize them, but when they happen, when you make a mistake, go fix it. And then, put it behind you and focus on the next play.

Constantly communicate with each other.

On the soccer field, players are taking responsibility by saying “my ball” or they're delegating “with a pass.” They are watching out for each other by saying “man on” or “you’ve got time” or “cover.” They compliment each other by saying “good shot” and they lift each other up with “keep working, you’ll get the next one." In other words, the world-class teams are never quiet with each other. Even goalies who spend most of their time half a field from the action are constantly encouraging and barking at their teammates.

To have a world-class business, even if it is small and local, requires that everyone on the team communicates constantly and clearly. The fact is, if we don’t communicate constantly on the little things, it will be hard to have conversations on the big things. Talk, talk, talk.

Don’t argue with or blame the referee.

Much like the referee, customers “can make a bad call.” Deal with it. The game is not over. The game plan, expectations, and everything else don’t change. Don't develop “head trash.” The game of business goes on and you keep playing to the best of your ability.

When the team needs you to take a shot, take the shot!

Great business teams have players who “make plays.” Those players have talent that leaders must train and then unleash. Your team needs to be encouraged to make decisions so the team can win. Sometimes they will just need to put the game on their shoulders and go for it.

By the way, in a past business, I told my team that no decision they could make could possibly bankrupt the company, but they could win deals or save customers if they made more decisions on their own.

The leadership wisdom is this. World-class teams, whether it's kids' soccer, professional sports, the Navy SEALS, or great businesses, all have defined what great performance looks like and they clearly communicate it, coach it, and recognize it over, and over, and over. In other words, it’s not a one-time or occasional event. It’s how they roll all the time.