Not Always Right

The New Economy has forced many of us to make decisions we never thought we would have to make. And, unfortunately, most of those are decisions we never wanted to make.

There has been a lot of positive feedback from Lesson #23 in the book, The Xs & Os of Success. It’s called “Not Always Right.” The philosophy of “Not always right, but always motivated by the right reasons” is helping many decision-makers during this time. (I know. I am one of them.)

Here's a little taste of the lesson. Hope there is a message in it you can use.

Decisions made by leaders impact numerous people. Many times one decision will impact certain team members positively while that same decision will impact another group of team members negatively.

These are the moments that make or break leaders.

Often times “being right” is subjective. Because of this, making such crucial decisions can be hazardous for leaders. Thus, the decision-making process then becomes the most important factor in this entire situation.

As a leader, you must ask yourself, “What is motivating me to make this decision?” Ultimately, your decision-making process should be consistent and should always come back to what is best for the overall good of the team and its objectives.

If your decision-making process is grounded in this philosophy, you will maintain the trust of your team members, even when a decision may negatively impact them.

Like parents who want the best for their children, successful leaders want what is best for the people they are leading. However, with their team members’ best interests at heart, there is a time to say “no” and there are times to hold team members accountable.

Leaders will always have their decisions questioned. That is part of the job. Effective leaders, however, never give people a reason to question their motives for making such decisions.

An Underdog's Margin of Error

“So, D.J., what’s your favorite lesson from the book?”

It’s a simple question I have been asked time and time again since The Xs & Os of Success: A Playbook for Leaders in Business and Life was released last November. The question is fair, but difficult. (I may be a little biased, but I tend to like all 40 of the lessons.) However, there are certain lessons which stand out to me for different reasons and at different times.

As I am preparing for a number of presentations over the next couple of months, there is one lesson seemingly taking center-stage during these tough economic times – Lesson #7, “An Underdog’s Margin of Error.”

Think any of these words below from the lesson describe us as a nation?

The most successful teams are the teams who have the top talent available, the confidence of a champion and the focus of an underdog.

For many reasons, however, these teams rarely exist.

It is obvious that not every team will have the top talent available — in fact, most teams will not. And, of course, without producing any results, having the confidence of a champion can be difficult.

However, there is one thing all teams should work to obtain — performing with the focus of an underdog. Unmatched focus can overcome many obstacles, including a lack of talent, and allow performance at the highest level possible.

The top leaders have a knack for keeping their teams hungry, keeping their teams focused on what needs to be done each and every day to achieve overall success. They focus on every possession, every detail and give nothing away.

When you are the underdog in sports or in business, there is no margin for error. To win, you must take advantage of every opportunity which presents itself to you. Without focus, this is not possible.

Eventually, however, this increased focus will help to produce results, which will lead to the opportunity for your team to have the confidence of a champion. And, finally, it will help lead your team to attracting the best talent available.

It is important at this point not to forget about where you and your team started — as the underdog. No matter what talent you have or what confidence you have, compete as though you are the underdog. Compete as though you have no margin for error. This type of focus is unmatched.

It’s fair to say we – as a nation – stopped embracing our role as the underdog. After all, being the favorite is so much easier on our egos.

Unfortunately, look where it took us.

The question that never gets answered

One of the most-intriguing happenings in sports this past week took place in the NBA’s Developmental League.

On Sunday – the day after the regular season ended – the top teams in the league actually got to select which opponents they wanted to play in the first round of the playoffs (an elimination game). The Colorado 14ers had the D-League’s best record so they picked their opponent from the bottom four playoff teams – Idaho, Erie, Dakota and Bakersfield. The second seeded Utah Flash was then allowed to choose its opponent.

The experimental new rule was used because rosters fluctuate so much in the D-League that those running the league feel teams’ win-loss records are not the best way to determine who should face off in the playoffs. Not sure if the rule is right or wrong, but it is certainly intriguing.

It does, however, remind me of one of the most useless questions asked to coaches and players in nearly every sport, almost every season. Here’s the scene:

Team A has already reached the playoffs or advanced in the playoffs and is awaiting the outcome of a game or series to see whether they will be playing Team B or Team C.

Broadcaster to Coach or Player on Team A: So do you have a preference of which team you would rather face – Team B or Team C?

Coach or Player on Team A: You know, we’re just happy to be here. Whether we play Team B or Team C, we just need to concentrate on what we do. They are both good teams and no matter who we play, it’s going to be a battle.

Sounds familiar, right? Unfortunately, it’s a waste of time – for the interviewer, the interviewee and the audience. The same question getting asked over and over with the same substance-lacking results. There is just no advantage for the coach or player to answer the question directly.

As humans, however, we are creatures of habit. In this instance, sports journalists – many of them qualified and capable – are so conditioned to the norms of the industry that they ask the question without even thinking twice about it. If they did give it some thought, they might put a different twist on it. They might ask the player or coach to match up Team B and Team C against one another or ask pointed questions about Team B and then Team C. Of course the coach or player will still be protective in his answers, but at least there is a chance for a bit of substance.

As children, we are told to think before we speak. But as adults, many of us seem to forget this simple rule. Actually, much of that has to do with the brilliance of the human mind. We become conditioned to shortcuts – relying on reacting without thinking because it saves us time and effort. Most of the time, we do this unconsciously.

Here’s a test. Over the next week, what do you find yourself conditioned to say?

- Do you find yourself wanting to speak in a meeting or conversation just because you feel you should say something – even though it won’t offer substance?

- Do you find yourself agreeing strongly with a statement even though you don’t actually feel that strongly about the subject or statement at all?

- Do you find yourself exaggerating the truth or gossiping about something you don’t know for a fact?

- Finally, do you find yourself saying “good bye,” “hello” or even “I love you” to a loved one without feeling it – or more importantly, showing him or her that you truly feel what you are saying?

These are all examples of us speaking before we think. As humans, we have become conditioned to do such. It is upon us to make a conscience decision to be different from the norm – to give those around us something better than the norm.

There is power in saying less. When you do, your words have more meaning. Think about it. No, seriously, think about it.

Checking your alignment

One of the most important elements of playing golf is alignment.

You may strike a ball perfectly sending it long and straight, but if you are not aligned with your target correctly prior to hitting the ball, it might not matter. The outcome may be detrimental despite striking the ball as well as you possibly can.

It’s easy for a lot of golfers to skip right to the part where we focus on our swings and try to make good contact with the ball. Many times we do this without giving our alignment the attention it needs. We “think” or “feel” as though we are aligned perfectly with our targets. However, sometimes a simple three-to-six inch adjustment in alignment on the tee box can mean the difference between landing a drive in the middle of the fairway – or landing it in the middle of the Andersons’ backyard.

The same can be said for us in life and business.

In today’s world, we are addicted to doing. We "feel" as if we need to be getting things done and moving forward at all times.

The problem with moving forward all of the time, however, is simple. If we were not aligned to be moving in the right direction initially, the more we move ahead on the wrong path the further away we are moving from where we really want to be.

Most of us “think” or “feel” we are going exactly where we want to go. This is dangerous. Like in golf, something may “feel” right to us simply because we have conditioned ourselves to become comfortable with our own bad habits. Just because we perceive we are aligned correctly does not mean we actually are.

Every once in a while it’s healthy for all of us to slow down, step back and take time to readjust our alignments.

This is important both professionally and, of course, personally. Have a blessed weekend.

The lost art of the jump shot – and basic writing

ESPN high school basketball recruiting expert Paul Biancardi made a simple – yet telling – statement during this past weekend’s ESPN RISE National High School Invitational. The inaugural tournament featured eight of the top high school boys’ basketball teams in the nation.

When asked about the evolution of high school basketball players, Biancardi talked about how today’s players are better athletes than ever before. He also discussed their increased skill sets because they play throughout the year.

Then he made the comment many veteran coaches around basketball echo. He just wished the players would work more on their shooting.

Pure shooting is becoming a lost art in the game of basketball. The ability to continually knock down the open jumper from 10-to-17 feet is rare to find.

Instead, today’s basketball players grow up wanting to emulate what they see on highlights. Three-point shots, dunks and acrobatic drives. Unfortunately, there is not much flashiness in being able to consistently nail a 15-foot baseline jumper.

But think about it. Shooting is the core fundamental skill needed to achieve success in the game of basketball. It is the crux of everything in the game offensively. If your team consists of good shooters, it opens up the options of driving, having a strong inside game and providing great spacing on the court. All of this leads to the highlights we discussed – but more importantly, it leads to offensive success on the court and winning as a team.

The lost art of shooting in basketball parallels the lost art of writing in today’s world.

Being able to communicate is paramount to succeed in life – both personally and professionally. Writing is the fundamental skill set needed to communicate at the highest levels. Strong writers are generally able to prioritize their thoughts and deliver compelling messages to their audiences – both formally and informally. Show me a good writer and I will show you someone who has the opportunity to become a brilliant communicator and, thus, an all-star in business and life.

Unfortunately, many of us in today’s world are poor writers. We struggle with condensing messages or conveying the proper tone. Also, many of us struggle with grammar or vocabulary. (The minute we use the wrong “there/their,” “its/it’s” or “defiantly/definitely,” readers begin to question the validity of our message.)

Writing is simply a chain of small details coming together to form important messages. Truth is revealed in the details.

Like the 12-foot jumper, basic writing is not the most glamorous of skill sets to hone. However, it does separate the best communicators from the rest.