Leadership and Sports

The Dog Days

2012-01-30T19:51:00.000-05:00

Everyone says that July and August are the dog days. Sure, in most parts of the country it's hot and the heat is oppressive. As bad as the combination of heat and humidity can be in Philadelphia, I look at February as the dog days of the sports world. The hype for the Super Bowl is bad, but it's nothing compared to the Pro Bowl. That is unwatchable. Baseball won't be meaningful for at least two months. Hockey is OK, but I've not invested time in knowing the players. Pro basketball is hideous and golf means nothing until the Masters. College basketball won't heat up until March. What's a person to do?

Like it or not, much of our free time is spent watching or discussing our local sports teams. Now, there is no buzz, no excitement or no energy around any of the teams. A good scandal will last for a couple of weeks-but that gets tedious too.

As leaders we need to guard against this same issue. In all long term projects, there's a point where energy wanes and motivation is limited. It seems that teams and individuals are plodding the same worn plans day in and day out. My friends at Catholic Leadership Institute taught me that to maximize performance, you need to continually improve your skills but also be energized about your work. Leaders need to help teams stay fresh and understand that both energy and ability need attention.

Pitchers and catchers will report soon. That may be enough to get me through February. What will it take for you and your teams?

A Good GuyMan

2012-01-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

A fraternity brother of my son's described Joe Paterno in this way. As we know, Coach Paterno died this morning at 85 after a short battle with lung cancer. My son explains that rather saying you're a good guy and a good man-they bring the two words together. A fitting tribute.

Most of us know the history of Joe Paterno. He was at Penn State for over 60 years, 46 of them as Head Coach. Legacies are hard to define and usually take several years for them to firm up. His will be no exception. If it weren't for the child abuse scandal, his legacy would be unblemished. If it weren't for the child abuse scandal, he might still be with us. We can't forget or forgive his actions or inactions when we look at his body of work. Today though, I look at the good and let time and the legal system decide on the other.

By all measures, JoePa lead a successful life. He grew his business; won championships; had a long career; graduated at high percentage of his athletes; and made Penn State a national institution. Most of all, he made a difference to thousands while on this earth. We all hope that we can leave making a positive difference in someones life. He also left today with his large family at his side. I'm sure he would say it was a wonderful life.

What is the leadership lesson here? In the end, do what's right and success will follow. Make a positive difference in someones life. Take the high road and set high standards through your words and actions. For the most part, I choose to believe that Joe Paterno did this. Today, I shed a tear for a great man with flaws like the rest of us. Rest in peace, JoePa.

Too Good to be True?

2012-01-14T15:36:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine posted a link to an article Rick Reilly wrote about Tim Tebow last night. Another friend linked a New York Times article on Mr. Tebow this morning. I can take a hint-time to write about him. Both of these articles, especially Reilly's (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4714751/rick-reillys-take-on-tim-tebow) talks about all the good he does in between miracle finishes and poor quarterbacking mechanics. As a whole, we are a cynical bunch. We don't believe that someone can do so many positive things with their wealth and celebrity. We assume all public figures are in it for themselves. And why not? We've been down this road before with stars, athletes and institutions only to find out they have lied, cheated and broken our hearts.

There may be a day Tim Tebow falls into these categories-but it's not today. We know of him because he's a professional athlete, quarterback for the Denver Broncos. We also know he is a winner. Because of this, I choose to believe in the goodness of Tim Tebow. He and the Broncos probably won't win tonight against the Patriots (though I'll be rooting for him). He continues to prove that hard work, belief in a higher power and consideration of others will make our society a better place to live. Though he appears to be too good to be true-I'm willing to accept him as he is today.

In many organizations and in our private lives we often look for the flaws rather than embrace the good. If someone is too organized, they don't have enough to do. If they do more than is expected, they are brown nosers. If they are too nice, they must beat their dog at home. I suggest that rather than critiquing, we look at them as models. Perhaps they can teach us all to be better in some way. Be open to it. Why not celebrate the good rather than find excuses why we can do the same? Your life is made up of choices-why not make them positive ones?

Replacing a Legend

2012-01-08T14:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Bill O'Brien was introduced as the new coach of the Penn State football team. Under better circumstances, there may have been others more closely attached to the university. But given the child sexual abuse scandal, the slate was wiped clean. Based on what I see, public opinion is mixed with the choice of Coach O'Brien. Time will tell. What most of us know is that it is very difficult to replace a legend. In most cases, though not all, the position is temporary. Quick, who replaced John Wooden, Woody Hayes, George Halas, Vince Lombardi (in Green Bay), and Darrell Royal? They certainly weren't legends. For your information, the coaches were: Gene Bartow, Earle Bruce, Jim Dooley, Phil Bengston, and Fred Akers respectively. Akers had some success but nothing like the legendary Royal. There have been some successes, like Bill Cowher replacing Chuck Noll. But it's not easy.

Why would anyone want to succeed a legend? The path is littered with comparisons, the previous coaches players, a different system and skeptical alumni and fans. So it is in business. In well run organizations, the heir apparent is groomed over several years to become the leader. In most cases, this is a recipe for success. It's important not to bash your predecessor, but build on what he or she has done. Remember, they were successful, they must have done something right. Learn from those in key roles and gradually change systems to help you meet your goals.

What you see early is what you get. In other words, the first impression is usually the lasting one. Choose your words carefully, define your goals clearly, and engage the entire organization. Will you be Bill Cowher or Jim Dooley? The choice is yours.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

2011-12-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

It’s bowl season, but that doesn’t mean I watched a game all the way through. Last night, I was in and out of the Notre Dame-Florida State game. It was the Champs Citrus Bowl I think. There are so many meaningless bowl games-but that’s a story for another day. The game ended with Florida State scoring 18 unanswered points, most in the fourth quarter to win 18-14.

The interesting part of the game to me was the interaction between Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and his quarterback (at that point) Tommy Rees. In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame looked like a punch drunk fighter, holding on hoping not to get knocked out. No player looked worse than Rees. The problem was that you could see his confidence eroding with every series. As soon as he came off the field, Kelly was in his face about what he did wrong. He would take a couple of minutes and lambaste Rees for not picking up the right receiver, throwing into coverage, missing an open receiver and throwing an interception. The more he yelled, the worse Rees played. It looked like Kelly was yelling what not to do rather than paint the picture of what he should do. This is a common leadership mistake.

If you close your eyes and I ask you not to think of the number 3, what happens? It’s all you can think about. So it is with leadership. If you keep telling your team what not to do, that’s all they will be thinking about. Most people know what not to do-they don’t always know what to do. That's where a good leader comes in. A good leader will illustrate the vision of what excellence looks like and help their team move toward it. I remember coaching Little League baseball and telling the pitcher not to throw a ball. Of course he doesn’t want to throw a ball-but now he can’t help it because I’ve put the visual in his mind. Instead, I now tell him he’s a strike thrower. It’s a big difference in his psyche, and hopefully creates a better result.

Think about the picture you’re painting for your team. Perhaps you’re creating a prophecy that will lead to negative results.

Don't Wait

2011-12-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

Life seems like it will last forever. When we're young, we're invincible. There are thousands of tomorrows. Why should you change when the status quo is ok? This year has been a wake up call in our house with my wife suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in January. Thankfully, she is on the road to full recovery. I almost lost the chance to show and tell her how much I love her. Don't wait.

If you're undefeated after 13 games in the NFL-don't wait to celebrate your achievement. The 14th game may not go so well.

You may find yourself at the top of your game one week then lose a game and be out of the running for the Heisman Trophy. Don't wait to thank your team mates for their support.

You may win 102 games during your regular season only to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Don't wait to start working toward the next season. You may never make it to the playoffs again.

Traffic accidents kill in an instant, no matter how big and strong you are. Don't wait to learn the lessons from others who have died behind the wheel.

Sometimes you're in the right situation with the right team. Don't wait to figure it out once you're gone.

There are thousands of examples of good leadership in sports and maybe as many poor examples. Don't wait to learn life lessons from both. You only have one shot at life. Follow the buoys that are set before you.

As we break for the Holidays, take the opportunity to embrace life and those that make it special. Don't wait for a special occasion, next week or even tomorrow. Best wishes for a wonderful Holiday season. Enjoy today and look forward to tomorrow.

The Perfect Ending?

2011-12-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

As the football season winds down, it occurs to me that few of us will write the ending we want to our careers. In many cases, it's because we stay too long and accumulate baggage in one place. This season has taken a toll on legendary coach Joe Paterno and closer to home, Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles. In Paterno's case, he appears to have covered up the sordid behavior of a friend and former assistant. As we all know, the dominoes came down hard and quickly. With Andy Reid, it has been more of a long, tortuous end. His Eagles were supposed to play in the Super Bowl. With the pathetic performance on Thursday, they will play out the season and watch the playoffs from home. When the season ends on January 1st, the players will surely know that they've played for Andy Reid for the last time in Philadelphia.

Does it have to end this way? Do we have a choice in how we go out? I say yes. The end of a career should be a celebration of a job well done; of honors earned; of milestones reached; and of impact made. The key is to keep working hard, don't rest on your laurels and stay fresh. By all appearances, the two coaches have failed to stay fresh and have rested on their reputation. I have seen many men and women retire after spectacular careers and have gone on to even greater challenges. For some, the challenge is staying in the job long enough to get a pension. The latter is a recipe for disaster.

Are you crossing off the days until you retire? Are you wishing it was over? Be careful what you do wish for-it may just happen and not on your terms.

Results

2011-11-19T15:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes winning isn't pretty. Take the case of Tim Tebow, quarterback of the Denver Broncos. He had an incredible college career at Florida. While there, his team won two national championships, 2 Southeastern Conference Championships and won the Heisman Trophy as the best collegiate player in college as a sophomore. As starting quarterback, he was 35-6 over a three year period. He has a host of other awards, honors and records.

In the 2010 draft, he was selected in the first round by the Denver Broncos. He didn't play much his rookie year and many believe his game is not suited to the NFL. This year, the team started off 1-4 with Tebow serving as back up. With nothing to lose and the season going nowhere, he started his first game against Miami on October 23rd and has gone 4-1 since starting. He and the Broncos beat the Jets last Thursday.

He is an unorthodoxed quarterback. He doesn't throw well, he's left handed and he's built like a linebacker. But he does win. In a league where statistics can be gaudy, his aren't. Winning is everything. Tebow is a winner and gets results. It doesn't hurt that he does it through hard work and drive.

So it is within our organizations. How do you measure results? Are you tracking what matters? What constitutes a win? Often we're afraid to put ourselves out there for fear we'll fail and face the ramifications. The truth is, we do our best work just outside our comfort zone. As leaders, it's our job to work in that space ourselves and coach our staffs to do the same. You need to create an environment where it's ok to fail if it means you're better for it. Work hard, be an example to your teammates, and get results.

Closure

2011-11-12T16:11:00.000-05:00

There have been so many teachable moments this week with the Penn State situation. I could write a week's full of blogs about them. Perhaps the most important is closure. Certainly, the alleged victims and their families are far from closure and may never get to that point. This may be the greatest tragedy of the abuse. It is unfathomable to imagine what they have gone through and are continuing to confront daily. Hopefully, continued awareness of child sexual abuse will ferret out predators and provide courage to others to report it quickly to the police.

As is often the case, sports can provide an avenue for us to move on during tragedies and crisis. For the students of Penn State and the citizens of State College, a football game helped bring closure to an unreal week. Though I can't say for sure, I believe the rioting occurred in part because the students wouldn't have a chance to give Joe Paterno a proper send off. This certainly doesn't make it right. I have found in my life that without closure, emotions continue to run high and my foundation is less stable. I suspect this was the case on Wednesday when the Trustees fired JoePa.

Fast forward to today. The scene at Penn State was incredible. The athletes for Penn State and Nebraska took center stage and showed us all how to behave. They came together to pray at the start of the game and many did the same after. The students in the stands were well behaved and cheered their team on. At the end, with Penn State losing, they stayed and applauded their team for their effort. No riots, no demonstrations, just a hard fought game as it should be on a cool November afternoon.

As leaders, we need to remember that any crisis or adverse situation needs closure. It is the leader's responsibility to stand up and show that they are in charge, have control of the situation and are ready to lead their team past the adversity. It's not easy. Often we're caught up in the emotion ourselves. That's part of the responsibility of being a leader-be there to show the way. It will take years for the scandal at Penn State to be resolved. Don't let that happen when a crisis strikes. Stand tall and be a model for others to follow.

Invincible

2011-11-09T20:16:00.000-05:00

It has been a tough week for Penn State fans. The indictment that came down on Saturday about the Nittany Lions ex-defensive coordinator is an outrage. Like most incidents of this nature, the cover up compounds the alleged crime. What is especially hard to swallow is that Joe Paterno, Penn State's coach for life, didn't do enough to stop the crimes or support the victims.

Before Saturday, JoePa (Paterno) could have written his own ending to a fabled coaching career. Two weeks ago, he surpassed Eddie Robinson to become the winningest coach in college football history. Most believe his time had come, but he earned the right to leave on his own terms. No longer. Today he said he would retire at the end of the season. Later this week, he may have coached his last game and will be shown the door. A terrible way to end a wonderful career.

It could all have been so different. The problem with staying in one place for so long is that you become invincible. By all accounts, nothing happened at the football facilities, practices or with the players that JoePa didn't know about. Assuming this is true, then he knew about the transgressions of Jerry Sandusky and didn't remove him from the program and report him to the authorities. He could have done the right thing and spared other victims. It appears he did not. It's more than his legacy that will be impacted. It is the lives of many who have looked to him as the ultimate leader.

Let this be a lesson to all. No one is invincible. No one is so important that they are above ethical behavior and the law. As painful as it may have been to turn in his friend, the community would have been so much better off and JoePa could write the ending to a great career. How the mighty fall!

Life presents us with teachable moments daily. At some point each of us will be tested with an ethical dilemma. How we react will define us the rest of our lives. What will you do when tested? Will your backbone be strong enough to withstand the push and pull of peers, friends and family? Decide your core values and make sure your faith in them is unshakable. Learn from JoePa's mistakes.

One Person Makes A Difference

2011-10-31T19:48:00.000-04:00

I can't help but feel sorry for the once proud Indianapolis Colts. For the past 11 years, the Colts have made the playoffs in 10 of those years, winning the Super Bowl after the 2006 season. They went again in 2010 but lost a great game to New Orleans. This year, they're win less in eight games. This is a team that is built around one man, Peyton Manning, their quarterback. He has not played one down this year and may not play again. He joined the Colts in 1998 and has set club and NFL records for his passing proficiency. In watching this team, I'm not sure they'll win a game this year. Very sad but very true.

There are many examples in sports where one player can make a difference. Look at David Freese with the World Champion Cardinals. In game 6 last week, he hit a game tying home run in the 9th and won it with a walk-off homer in the 11th. There are thousands of examples where the presence of one player changes the balance of a game or a season. This year, Peyton Manning's absence brings this into focus.

As leaders, think about your team. Though all of us can be replaced-can we be as efficient, productive and effective without your key players? What are you doing to keep them interested and engaged? Most of the time it's not throwing more money, but showing your appreciation. We have to understand that there are game changers in our organization. They should be models for others to improve and excel. This is where the Colts struggle. There is no leadership, there is no direction and the rest of the players aren't able to step up. Don't let this happen in you.

Irrational Exuberance

2011-10-10T19:50:00.000-04:00

It was a horrible sports weekend in Philadelphia bookended by the Phillies collapse and Eagles loss. There are two blogs related to those topics swirling in my head. Stay tuned.

Irrational exuberance drives me crazy. As I was channel surfing Saturday night I came across the Ohio State-Nebraska football game. I think I picked up the game in the 4th quarter with the Buckeyes ahead 27-13. Did I say how much I dislike the Buckeyes? Nebraska is driving down the field, picking up rushing yardage at will. On one particular first down play, the Nebraska running backing goes for a nine yard gain. He is tackled hard by Christian Bryant, a defensive back. Mr. Bryant gets up and goes crazy over the hit he just made. He's pounding his chest and high-fiving anyone within reach. He was pretty full of himself. Perhaps he forgot that the back just ran for nine yards on a first and ten and that his defense was being leveled by a superior Nebraska line. No, he didn't care. He was the man!

Another example of over exuberance, perhaps not irrational, is Nyjer Morgan. He is an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers who has an alter ego named Tony Plush. In my opinion, he is one of the most annoying players in baseball. Unfortunately for all of us who are not Brewers fans, he got the game winning, series winning hit on Friday night. Of course he screamed expletives into the microphone in the post game celebration on the field. He is T-Plush!

Excitement and exuberance are a part of life. No one wants to work with downtrodden people. The workplace and the playing fields need for personalities to come out and shine. But it needs to be done in a reasonable manner appropriate for the setting and situation. Christian Bryant-wrong situation. Nyjer Morgan, er T-Plush, inappropriate language. There is no "I" in team, yet so many players and workers make it about themselves. Maybe that's the economic times we live in, but enough already. I want a strong, dedicated individual working with me that has fun but knows when to focus. As leaders, we need to find a way to harness the energy strong personalities have into something that will improve the results of the team and increase their value to the organization. Good judgement and acting appropriately shouldn't be the exception-it should be the rule.

Doing Your Job

2011-10-05T07:38:00.000-04:00

Last night, a journeyman outfielder did his job for the Phillies. With two on in the top of the 7th, Ben Francisco hit a three run home run. Though it got close, it was all the Phils needed to win the game and take a 2-1 series lead. This is a guy the team had hopes wold take Jayson Werth's place in right field. It didn't turn out that way. He had some good at bats throughout the season, but will be used in a pinch hitter's role in the post season. By doing his job, it takes the pressure off the rest of the team to do more. The team's star, Ryan Howard went 0-4, but has to feel better that his teammate has his back. It takes a team to win as is proven every night this week in the playoffs.

What if everyone did their job in your organization? What if the CEO didn't have to do more because her CFO wasn't up to the job? What if the payroll clerk had to do his job only and not the work of others? It is important that everyone know their role and perform to the best of their abilities. It's called doing your job. If you don't know what your role is-ask. If you don't like it-leave. Life is too short. As leaders, your job is to define, give feedback and motivate your team to perform when called on and to give a consistently good performance.

Most of us won't have to do our jobs in front of millions of people. We need to perform for those we love and respect. As leaders, we need to set the tone and give encouragement so everyone can do their job. We can all learn from Ben Francisco.

A Night to Remember

2011-09-29T20:55:00.000-04:00

Have you ever watched something and think something special was happening. Last night was it for me. I'm a huge baseball fan and we are in the midst of the best time of the year. For the first time in years, the season is ending during the week in an attempt to finish playing in October. Here's the scene going into last night's games: Tampa Bay and Boston were tied for the Wild Card in the American League and Atlanta and St. Louis were tied in the National League. If they were still tied, they would play a one game playoff today. Around midnight eastern time, the Phillies and the Braves were in extra innings; Boston and Baltimore resumed play after a rain delay; and Tampa Bay and the Yankees were in an extra inning battle. More on the Tampa Bay game later.

As a Phillies fan, I was watching the game. The Phillies tied the game in the 9th. Atlanta knew they had to win in order to force a playoff since St. Louis beat the Astros. Back and forth it went until the top of the 13th when the Phillies scored on a bloop single. Atlanta's season ended in the bottom of the inning with a double play. I quickly moved to the Red Sox game where Boston had a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Their closer gave up two runs in the bottom of the ninth to the Orioles. The Red Sox ran to the television to watch the Rays win in the bottom of the 12th on a walk off home run by Evan Longoria. The Rays were losing 7-0 going into the 8th inning. They scored six runs in the 8th and scored in the ninth on a two out home run by Dan Johnson. The best game of the night. Tampa Bay and St. Louis go to the playoffs.

What's the connection to leadership? In my mind, the teams with the best leaders won their games. The Phillies have great leadership on the field and an underrated manager in Charlie Manuel. By winning, he became the win leader in Phillies managerial history. The Red Sox appeared to be lacking leadership as they saw their 9 game lead evaporate. The same for the Braves-they had an 8.5 game lead in September. The Braves had a rookie manager and an aging Chipper Jones-not enough. Certainly not compared to Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols. Leadership matters-especially when the going gets tough. It promises to be a great post season. May the best leader win.

One Play Can Make a Difference

2011-09-17T13:19:00.000-04:00

Each week, hundreds of games are played at the professional level. It is uncanny how many times a game, or even a season can turn on one play. Last Saturday, Penn State had stopped the Alabama Crimson Tide on third down. Alabama had a fake punt and made the first down by an inch. The game was never the same. Alabama won handily.

Take the Pittsburgh Pirates this year. They were the "darling" of the majors and were actually in first place for a few days in July. On July 25th, they came into Atlanta for a four game series. The third game was great. It went 19 innings and ended on a very controversial "safe" call at home plate by the Braves. Though they split the series, the Bucs weren't the same and have gone 13-31 since that game. They will once again finish the season with a losing record.

Though we may not have a "play" as leaders-we have moments where we can make a difference. It may be losing your composure, saying the wrong thing, showing compassion, making a decision. I have found in my career that making decisions on limited or one-sided information quickly often comes back to haunt me. This is not about intuition (another blog down the line) but about making a difference based on your leadership. Organizations are defined by their leaders-make your plays count.

Healing and Sports

2011-09-11T19:45:00.001-04:00

It has been an emotional weekend paying tribute to those who died on September 11th. It seems that the nation has taken a respite from the bickering and remembered ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The images are powerful, the words strong, and the emotions real.

I don't believe anything happens by chance. Therefore, it's not a surprise that the professional football season opened on the 10th anniversary. For me, the return of sports that fall was the first sign of normalcy after a week of shock. The athletes, especially in New York, had to deal with their own emotions and concern for their safety and help the nation begin the healing process. Yankee and Mets players visited the armories, packed care packages, and made themselves available. It was a time where we all rooted for any New York team. The Yankees came close to winning the World Series. Their fields were pastures of patriotism and gave all of us a venue to cheer the first responders showcased at many games. Most important, it provided the perfect backdrop for the flag which we all flew with pride.

This weekend, seeing President Bush reminds me of his taking the field in New York at game 3 of the World Series and throwing a strike from the pitching rubber. His confidence was shared by all who watched on that day. There are so many stories from the sports world that fall. Those memories have come back this weekend.

It's not often that you can make a difference to a nation. Sports did. It's a reminder to all of us that we can make a difference in our own worlds. Leaders make their reputations during crisis. We don't have time to think-but we do what we've been trained to do. That's why training is key and "perfect practice makes perfect." Vice President Biden said in his remarks at Shanksville on Saturday that all of us have courage that one day will be summoned. Are you ready for your day?

Making a Statement

2011-09-08T20:07:00.002-04:00

There comes a time in a season where a team needs to lay down the gauntlet and show the other teams whose in charge. This week, the Phillies did just that. Atlanta game into town on Monday looking to cut the Phillies lead in the National League East. No such luck for the Braves. In fact, the Phillies sent them sprawling after three straight wins and extending their lead to 10.5 games. The Phillies are the best team in baseball and they showed the Braves why they're the best.

While these were very enjoyable games to watch as a Phillies fan-it was expected. If Atlanta had come in and swept the Phillies, there would be grinding and gnashing of teeth and the Phillies Nation would be shaking. The Phillies, with confidence and not arrogance, took it to the Braves and won in a blowout, an easy win, and a ninth-inning walk off.

There are times that leaders have to make a statement. This is not through yelling and screaming, but through follow-up, accountability and consistency. Leadership is not arrogance, it is confidence. Leadership is not reactive, but proactive. Leadership does not rage, but it is enthusiastic. Every day we have an opportunity to make a statement. Will is be positive or negative? It's your choice.

PMA

2011-09-05T11:24:00.000-04:00

Positive Mental Attitude-PMA. To succeed in life, one needs to have a positive mental attitude. Equipped with this vital attribute, all things are possible. Take Mark Herzlich. He is something of a local hero. He played football and graduated from Conestoga High School outside of Philadelphia. He goes on to play linebacker at Boston College. In 2008, his junior year, he was a first team All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year. As he heads into his senior year in May, 2009, he is diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Through aggessive chemotherapy, he is pronounced cancer free in September, 2009 and sits out the rest of the season. He comes back last year and plays very well, though not completely back to his 2008 form.

Fast forward to draft day and no one takes him in the NFL draft. He is drafted in the 10th round by the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL. He opts to wait until the NFL lockout ends to see if he can hook up with a team as a free agent. He continues to work out, get stronger and stay focused on the prize of making a team. After the lockout, Herzlich is picked up by the New York Giants, has a great pre-season and makes the team. Many predict he will have a very good NFL career.

What drives a guy like this to get off the mat and play in the NFL? Many of us would be happy to be cancer free, much less subject ourselves to the grueling conditioning of football. He's got PMA. I don't know him but I'm sure he goes through life looking at the glass half full. He probably knows he's blessed and wants to take advantage of every day.

As leaders, we need to promote a PMA in all we work with on a daily basis. Try to figure out how to make something work rather than give all the reasons it won't. As a leader, look for challenges, don't shy away from them. Take on tasks that no one else wants. Lead through example and you will model what a PMA can do for you and others. Having a positive mental attitude is a gift that needs to be nurtured every day.

Let's learn from Mark Herzlich and celebrate his success as well as our own. Live each day positively and you will live a full life indeed.

Honesty is the Best Policy

2011-09-03T13:43:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you've heard of the twin boys in Minnesota who were at charity hockey game in Minnesota. During one of the breaks between periods, there was a contest to see if someone could shoot a puck through a small hole from about 90 feet away. If it could be done, the winner would received $50,000! Nick Smith's name was called but he was too interested in going outside to play with his friends so he told his twin brother Nate to take the shot. Nate hadn't entered the contest because he recently had a cast removed from his arm. Nate agreed to take the shot and made it, winning $50,000 on the spot. The next day, the boys' father told the organization who ran the contest that it wasn't Nick who took the shot. He just wanted to be clear. After some discernment, the company took away the $50,000 but gave the hockey league a $20,000 donation so others less fortunate could play.

I saw the boys and their father on the news today. Were they bitter? Did they cry foul? No, they told the truth and were happy that other kids would have the opportunity to receive some benefit. The boys' father wasn't trying to hide anything and wanted to show the boys that honesty is the best policy, even if it is sometimes hard.

So it is within our organizations. Not a day goes by when there are conversations about what to do, how to do it and what to say. I'm included. The answer is-be honest. Do the right thing, though it may be hard at the time. As we know, it will be much harder to "come clean" later. In many cases, the cover up is worse than the crime. The same is true with being honest up front. Lies and half truths are difficult, if not impossible to unravel the further you get away from the moment. Over time, we tend to justify and believe the lie. It's a slippery slope.

The Smith family has received their 15 minutes of fame but hopefully a lifetime of learning. We should do the same.

Rain Delay

2011-08-25T20:40:00.000-04:00

As the east coast prepares for Hurricane Irene, I'm reminded of the havoc rain and weather delays can have on outdoor sports. Just last weekend, the Phillies and Nationals had two games that were interrupted by rain. I can say with confidence that the Phillies would have won one of the two games against the Nationals last weekend if their starting pitcher could have stayed in the game. They didn't and their bullpen failed. This weekend, many baseball games scheduled for Sunday in the mid-Atlantic and northeast have been moved to Saturday afternoon for a double header. I suspect some teams will be at a disadvantage moving the games around this weekend. The good teams will figure out a way to adjust and win, others won't.

So it is in life. You plan the next day before going home at night and it all goes up in smoke in the first hour the next morning. I've seen many adjust poorly to new and changing priorities. They become paralyzed or work fifteen hour days to attempt to get everything done on their list. We all know how that works out in the long run.

Success is judged on results. Results are achieved by being flexible, understanding the landscape, advanced planning and reacting well to change. Bad things are going to happen, it's how you react to those things that determines your success. When it happens, go to plan B and move on. Adjust on the fly and be the happier for it.

Leadership and Sports: Making the Most of Your Talent

2011-08-16T20:20:00.000-04:00

Leadership and Sports: Making the Most of Your Talent: "Last night, one of the good guys of sports, Jim Thome, hit his 600th home run. To put it in perspective, he is the 8th major league player ..."

Making the Most of Your Talent

2011-08-16T20:19:00.000-04:00

Last night, one of the good guys of sports, Jim Thome, hit his 600th home run. To put it in perspective, he is the 8th major league player to do so. He has been a consistent player for 21 years. Not extraordinary, but a sure lock for the Hall of Fame given his steady performance throughout his career.

Thome spent 12 years with Cleveland before coming to Philadelphia in 2003. He was the first free agent signing of note and was at the forefront of the current success of the Phillies. He was traded to the White Sox to make room for Ryan Howard after the 2005 season. He hit nearly 100 home runs in a Phillies uniform, but more importantly, brought the franchise out of its malaise and made other free agents look seriously at coming to Philadelphia. He brought life to the Phillies and help usher in Citizen's Bank Park in 2004. He has had a positive impact on every team he's played for-both on and off the field.

Not many of us will have a chance to hit 600 home runs, but we can make a positive impact on our own teams. Like Thome, play to win, hustle every day, give 100%, and perform as if it's your last opportunity. It seems to me the best role models are those who make the most of their talent. They work hard to hone their skills and don't take their success for granted. Thome's legacy may be this: a good guy with talent that worked hard and made others more successful. I, for one, wouldn't mind that as an epitaph on my tombstone some day.

Dream Big!

2011-08-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks, we've seen the induction of new members in the baseball hall of fame and football hall of fame. Most are humbled at the experience-of being the elite of the elite. Think of all the kids who play little league baseball and how few actually play the game at the major league level. Hall of famers are even more stratified. Last night, football had their night and inducted 7 new members including Deion Sanders. 267 men out of all that have played are in the hall.

I was working out this morning and caught some of Deion's speech. I have never been a fan of "Primetime" but enjoyed his talent. This morning, I heard a different man. I urge you to take the time to listen to his speech if you haven't already. He spoke of his Mama and all she did for him. He made a promise to her at age 7, he would make enough money to ensure she would never have to work again. That was the dream that fueled him to stardom. He had these quotes about dreams. "The problem with some dreams is they are only about you. If your dream ain't bigger than you, there's a problem with your dream."

Dreams are important to all of us. They need to sustain us throughout our lives. We can't stop dreaming when we finish school or we settle into a routine. Dreams are energy, excitement, hope. But Deion is right, they have to be bigger than you. They are about making a positive impact, motivation, improvement, learning and growing. Day to day, it's hard to push past just getting by. Our dreams need to motivate us to work a little harder, extend our comfort zones a little further, smile a little broader and engage a little longer.

I realized a couple of months ago that I stopped dreaming. My wife's recovery from a brain injury has rejuvenated my dreaming. I have moved from always trying to be right to trying to do what is right. So my dreams are motivating me to do a little more each day to make myself better in order to make others better.
I have some big dreams that I'll keep to myself, but hopefully will unfold over time. They help me get up in the morning and usually sleep soundly at night. Think about your dreams. Dream big and dream often!

Does It Make You Better?

2011-07-31T13:36:00.002-04:00

It's has been awhile since I posted here. It was January 22nd to be exact-the last date my wife and I had before her cerebral hemorrhage. Happily, she is much better and I have stopped giving health updates.

This weekend has been a hotbed of activity in two sport-baseball and football. The end of July divides Major League Baseball teams into buyers and sellers. Teams like the Phillies, Red Sox and Yankees have been buyers, or acquirers of talent from other teams through trades. They look to add players that will help them make the playoffs and hopefully win the World Series. Other teams like the Astros and A's trade (sell) their stars in the hopes of getting younger players who will blossom into stars.

This year, the free agent market in football has gone crazy because of the NFL lockout. Typically, teams sign players in the spring and early summer. With the lockout just ending, all these signings must be done in a couple of days rather than months. If you're a Philadelphia sports fan, then you've been enjoying an exciting weekend as both the Phillies and Eagles have added player in the hopes of making them better.

Businesses need to do the same thing when looking at openings throughout their organization. With every position to be filled, the question is what kind of person do we need to make us better? This applies to internal and external candidates. It means you have to look at the needs of the organization and determine the appropriate skill sets to grow the organization. I'm fortunate that I work for such an organization with this mantra. If you're looking at employment and fortunate enough to have a couple of offers-pick the organization that is looking to make themselves better. Don't hesitate to ask the question.

The Phillies and Eagles are well run organizations-though I don't always agree with their moves, they are at least trying. Let's hope all these signings and trades make them better teams and bring multiple championships to Philadelphia this year.

Why Not?

2011-01-22T15:57:00.003-05:00

I just came home from watching the latest Mark Wahlberg move, The Fighter. It's not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was awfully good. It's a story based on two half-brothers, Dicky Eklund and "Irish" Micky Ward. It's a complicated story but shows the importance of inspiration and power of the human spirit. It brought me back to a theme I have believed the last few years. Instead of focusing on why we can't, focus on why not? There are thousands of Micky Ward's in the world in all walks of life. Sure they've had their dark moments, but something inspired them to get off the mat and persevere. In Ward's case, it was his brother, girl friend, family and the town of Lowell, MA. What is it for you?

I still believe it comes down to defining who you want to be. We all have it in us to be more than we are. Life is tough, that's why a compelling vision is required to help us through difficult days and routine. I have been blessed to be surrounded by successful people. As I get older, it becomes a requirement. I look at Joan (my wife) and see all that she accomplished as a business woman and mother. I look at my current boss and former boss, Denise Day and Matt Manion, and see people of vision and belief in their core values. I look at those in my community who I work with and see good and a desire to make their communities better places for all. Given all my blessings-is there any reason I can't be the best husband, father, leader and writer?

As we near the end of January, decide what you want to be and how you wish to get there. Attach yourself to a vision emotionally that will drive you to greatness-however you define it. Let's make a pact that in 2011, we won't leave anything on the table. Let's attack life with all we have. I suspect we'll be energized like never before. Why not be great?

Right-Sized Policies

2011-01-16T16:16:00.004-05:00

As I was watching the Steelers game yesterday, I was impressed with their last drive, scoring the winning touchdown with 1:33 left in the game. The two minute drill can be very impressive. We saw the Auburn Tigers do it on Monday. For those who don't watch football, the two minute drill is a set of offensive plays that will get the team in a position to score while taking up little time. Needless to say it's practiced often and requires a cool quarterback and precision routes by the receivers. All of the Hall of Fame quarterbacks excelled in this situation. Currently, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are masters at this drill. Any surprise their teams made the playoffs?

Most entrepreneurs will tell you they don't have use for policies and procedures. It limits their creativity. They can be right, but no business will grow without them. The trick is finding the right policies for your business that will give it structure and processes that can be internalized to grow the business.

I was at the office and an emergency developed. In a daycare area, a young girl fell back in a chair and bumped her head. She blacked out for a short period of time. Was there panic? No, everyone involved followed a practiced procedure that ultimately lead to paramedics arriving. Happily, she was fine. Consider an organization without policies and procedures in the same emergency. There would have been chaos and a lot more people involved than there should be. The same is true in any organization and discipline.

To thrive, don't shy away from creating policies, procedures and processes. On the other hand, don't go crazy and create them without a solid business reason. As the entrepreneur knows, you need to allow for creativity but define the parameters to maximize performance. As always, keep everything in balance and focus on the important goals for your organization.

Twisting in the Wind

2011-01-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

I probably shouldn't be surprised that owners often let their coaches and players twist in the wind while looking for a newer and perhaps better model. This works well for cars and other inanimate objects, but not when it comes to human beings.

The latest case occurred this week. Once the Stanford Cardinal football season ended, the feeding frenzy to secure the services of coach Jim Harbaugh began in earnest. He has been the "hot" candidate most of the year with rumors swirling that he was headed to the NFL or back to his alma matter, Michigan.

On Thursday, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and his minions traveled to the Bay area to meet with Harbaugh to find out his interest as their head coach. What about the current coach, Tony Sparano? He hasn't been fired, he is the coach of the Miami Dolphins. What does it say about Ross and the front office of the Dolphins? Did they think no one would find out? Why would a (seemingly) class act like Jim Harbaugh want to work for an organization that reaches out for a new head coach when one is still employed? Why would Tony Sparano want to stay with such an organization?

Apparently Mr. Ross has seen the error of his ways and apologized at a press conference earlier today. To show that there are no hard feelings, he extended Sparano's contract for another two years and says he is "committed to him." Watch your back Coach Sparano!

Reputations are made every day. As a leader, Stephen Ross has a lousy one. Does your organization have leaders like Stephen Ross? If so, clean up the resume and start looking. As discussed here many times, organizations need to adhere to their values. They must walk the talk. It all starts with the leadership.

Decisive

2011-01-04T21:26:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to all. I'm sure all of you are off to a better start than Mike Haywood. For those who don't know, he was named head coach at the University of Pittsburgh on December 16th following a great turnaround at Miami University (OH). On New Year's Eve, Haywood was arrested for domestic battery in the presence of a child in South Bend, IN. On New Year's Day, the University of Pittsburgh fired Haywood saying "head coaches are among the University's most visible representatives and are expected to maintain high standards of personal conduct and to avoid situations that might reflect negatively on the University."

To be sure, being arrested for anything, much less domestic violence, is not an example any organization would want their leadership to display. In making their decision quickly, Pitt has shown decisiveness even though the program is in shambles. There was even some question as to who was going to coach the team in their upcoming bowl game. It will take several weeks to get a replacement which will delay recruiting. This could impact the team for many years. Given all the issues, they have made the right decision.

Organizations define themselves through their actions. Pitt has told the world that they expect a higher standard of their leaders. How does your organization define themselves? Once again, allow your core values to set the tone and dictate the appropriate actions. Would your organization have been as decisive as Pitt? You may want to ask yourselves that question before it's forced on you.

A Toast to 2010

2010-12-27T12:45:00.002-05:00

As we end 2010, I like to celebrate those who made a positive impact in sports based on their leadership. In some cases, it is a legacy as some real heroes have passed away. This is not a complete list, or even the most popular list. It is a list of individuals and teams who have inspired, challenged, and in one case, cursed (you'll see why in a moment) me over the past year. Some have seen headlines in this blog, but its still a chance to remember them one more time.

George M. Bratcher
He is local to my community, West Chester, PA. The headline says it all, "Farewell to a Role Model." George served as a juvenile probation officer for nearly 40 years in Chester County, PA. Its hard to say how many young lives he turned around, but many were in attendance at his funeral in October. In return, the community created "Brian's Run" after his son suffered a spinal cord injury playing football to help pay expenses. That run continues today. Rest in peace Mr. Bratcher.

Jill Costello
In late November, Sports Illustrated, ran an article on Jill. It's a story of a young woman diagnosed with cancer who fought valiantly to the end. In her last weeks, she was the coxswain of the Cal rowing team that finished second in the NCAA championships. A month later she died. Her advice on living serves as a lasting inspiration: Your life is happening right now and this it the only moment you can control. This is the only minute that really matters. If you are constantly dwelling on something that happened in the past or feeling anxious about the future, you are missing out on YOUR LIFE. Do what makes you happy in this moment and your life will be full. Rest in peace Jill Costello.

Cody Ross
This is where I curse. He single handidly took the Phillies out of the World Series. He was picked up on waivers from Florida and then went on a tear for the San Francisco Giants ultimately winning the World Series. He always had a smile on his face and thunder in his bat. It seemed at times he carried the Giants on his back. Even better, he appears to appreciate the fans' reaction and thanks them back. A good guy to have as a team mate. Let's hope he has a good 2011, but save his heroics for someone other than the Phils.

The Phillies
This is a great bunch of guys. They want to be here, they love to play here, they want to win championships for the fans. They came out of nowhere in August to win 97 games. The fan support was incredible as they've sold out Citizen's Bank Park 123 consecutive times. I'm guessing that we'll add another 90 sell outs to this total in 2011. This assumes another trip to the playoffs and World Series. Though they lost Jayson Werth to free agency, they picked up Cliff Lee and should have a great staff barring injury.

Manute Bol
Another who died way too soon. He was a professional basketball player for 4 teams over 10 years. He is the only player to have blocked more shots than he made. He was from Sudan and served tirelessly to support his homeland. He was remembered at a memorial service in June by his family patriarch Bol Bol Chol who said: "This man is not an ordinary man. I believe this man is a messenger like other messengers sent into this world-to do something in this world. He has accomplished most of his mission, and so God took him and left the rest of the work to be done by others." Rest in peace Manute Bol.

New Orleans Saints
The year started out with a feel good story. A team and a city rising like a phoenix from the ashes. The Saints had been in the ashes since their beginning in 1966. A few seasons of glory, but mostly they were the 'Aints. They have been good in recent years, but not great. In 2009 they had the best record in the NFC. They hosted the NFC Championship at the SuperDome where they beat the Vikings in the last minutes. The 2010 Super Bowl saw them throw caution to the wind and beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. A city and team on the rise.

Drew Brees
Brees led the Saints to the Super Bowl. In addition, he was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. He joined the Saints in 2006 and has been nothing short of sensational. He and his wife Brittany have done so much for the Gulf Coast since arriving. He leads by example and through his actions. I'm not sure there has been a better match between athlete and city. The Saints should get into the playoffs again this year. I would root for him and the Saints if they made it to the Super Bowl again.

Joe Paterno
In 2010, JoePa garnered his 400th win as a coach. All at Penn State. I'm not sure this will happen again, certainly not in my life time. He turned 84 last week as he and the Nittany Lions prepare to play Florida in the Outback Bowl next week. There are rumors swirling that this may be his last game. If it is, the game will lose a true leader. He began with Penn State in 1966 and has graduated 78% of those who play for him. He and his wife Sue have given back to Penn State who in turn have named a library in their honor. One of JoePa's great quotes is this: "Believe deep down in your heart that you are destined to do great things." Mission accomplished JoePa!

Thank you for reading and reacting to these writings. It's fun to write and better to read your comments. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Leadership Vacuum

2010-12-21T17:23:00.002-05:00

A leadership vacuum occurs when no one is willing to take a risk and make a decision to move an organization toward its vision and achieve its strategy. Now that we are beginning the Bowl season for NCAA Division I football, it is clear there is a leadership vacuum as it relates to crowning a champion. This may be an old argument, but let's look at the facts. To my knowledge, this is the only sport (division) that doesn't have a championship playoff. In fact, all other football divisions have playoffs and come up with a winner. The Division II and III champions have been crowned. The Division 1-A will championship will take place in January during major bowl week.

I honestly don't know or care to know the argument against a playoff. It can't be the student athletes or the difficulty in scheduling. I'm sure money is some how involved, but am not smart enough to follow that trail. Now, people like me will rant and rave and we'll have another year of dull games and over matched teams playing on New Year's Day. Nothing against Connecticut, but I can't see them having a chance against Oklahoma. I'm looking forward to settling in tonight to watch the Beef O' Brady's Bowl between Louisville and Southern Mississippi. It should be a barn burner. By the way, what is a Beef O' Brady? The NCAA created the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) that manages this mess. They got lucky with Auburn and Oregon. We'll see what kind of game it is on January 10th.

The NCAA suffers from a failure in leadership that many organizations have. Here's what happens-nothing! Typically, the accountants or those creating rules and regulations take over when a vacuum occurs. The rules become so complicated and the purpose skewed. At the end of the day, the rules are followed, but they don't make sense. In essence, you get Connecticut vs. Oklahoma on a daily basis. Take a look at the BCS qualification process-it reads like an FDA handbook.

Being a leader is not easy. It takes work and commitment. In place of leadership is chaos. Welcome to the NCAA Division I football. Take a stand and make a mark. If you're playing to win, then let them play.

Confessions of an Adult Learner

2010-12-16T21:05:00.002-05:00

In baseball, players often adjust their playing style to account for age, injuries, or reaction time. I remember Cal Ripken changing his batting stance the last few years of his career in order to maximize his performance. We've seen pitchers like Tommy John, Tim Wakefield and Jamie Moyer also change to be productive in their latter years.

This isn't always true in life. As many of us get older, we tend to believe that we've seen it all and most of our learning is behind us. For several years, I was in this camp. My experiences with Catholic Leadership Institute however, have made me a believer in lifelong learning. This ministry provides leadership formation for Priests and Lay Leaders in support of the Catholic Church. I have served as their Director of Finance and Operations this past year. Here are some of my learning's:

I have learned that a compelling vision will drive an organization. While this is a core belief of mine, I have witnessed it in person this past year. In 1990, two men had a vision which one keeps alive today that has created a $5 million ministry which will double in the next five years.
I have learned that a culture based on core values can thrive as long as they are not just words on a plaque in the hallway. That reviewing them weekly and operationalizing them daily develops an incredible culture.
I have learned that wisdom isn't only provided by those with gray hair-that those of all ages have wisdom, understanding, knowledge and provide counsel.
I have learned that working for a mission based organization brings daily job satisfaction. There is alignment of one's daily activities and tasks to those of the organization.
I have learned that praying for someone is the greatest honor you can give. I try to pray for others daily so they may find happiness and health.
I have learned from others with different personalities and communications styles. Though it's a challenge, I am learning that by understanding these styles, I can implement the appropriate behaviors for the benefit of all.
I have learned that being accountable to others enhances your performance and provides a model for others.
I have learned that being honest with those who lead will earn their respect, not condemnation. A culture of honesty and integrity can exist, but each individual needs to be engaged. To be part of such an organization is refreshing.
I have learned how to transition from one organization to another in a way that supports both. Again, through honesty and open communication, the organization can react to change in a positive manner.

Catholic Leadership Institute uses a snippet from The Lion King in one of its self-leadership modules. A song from the movie, Circle of Life, reminds us that you can't take more than you give. I did not abide by this principle. This ministry has given me so much more than I've been able to give back.

To say thank you to an organization that has taught me so much is not enough. To say they've changed my life seems trite. But both are true. I will keep everyone associated with Catholic Leadership Institute in my prayers. After all, I've learned that prayer is the greatest of gifts.

Please click here for more information on Catholic Leadership Institute.

Unacceptable Behavior

2010-12-13T19:24:00.002-05:00

Just when you think you've seen it all, a play occurs that can't be explained. Yesterday, I was watching the Dolphins and Jets when Jets trainer Sal Alosi stuck his knee out to trip Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carrol who was covering a punt. It happened in the third quarter of an otherwise unremarkable game.

Alosi was quick to apologize to anyone who would listen. But I'm not convinced he would have done so if he wasn't caught on camera. Dan Fouts, working the game for CBS, saw it immediately and called it out. It made no sense and there is no place for it in any game, much less the National Football League.

The Jets and the League will decide Alosi's fate. He said he is willing to take whatever punishment and get it behind him. Though I may be in the minority, I don't think he should keep his job. There are certain rules that players and coaches must abide by to keep order on the sidelines and the game in general. A coach who willfully trips an opposing player during a play breaks these rules. Players have been banished for less.

Many organizations face similar dilemmas every day. Their best sales man is great at making a sale, but violates the travel policy. The CEO who bends the rules regarding stock options. The assistant who "borrows" money from the petty cash drawer. At what point do you draw the line? Is it equal for everyone? Organizations need to determine what that line is in advance before emotions take over. Great organizations set standards for behavior and expect everyone to follow them. If Alosi remains the Jets trainer, it will say a lot about their organization.

Is the Grass Greener?

2010-12-12T08:44:00.002-05:00

This past week, there have been several free agent signings in baseball that have made the headlines. In particular, last Sunday's signing of Jayson Werth by the Washington Nationals. For those who don't know, the Nats signed Werth to a seven year, $126 million deal. Great for Jayson Werth? Apparently, but it tells me a bit about his priorities.

First and foremost, I don't begrudge him or any other player from maximizing their payoff. Careers are short, owners are willing to pay, and it's free enterprise at its finest. When I first heard the signing, I immediately thought of the deal Alex Rodriguez signed with the Rangers in 2001 for $252 million over 10 years. The Rangers were last in their division. This deal nearly bankrupted the Rangers and they were unable to sign players to surround A-Rod. He was finally dealt to the Yankees in 2004 but they had to eat another $67 million of his contract.

So Jayson Werth is a very rich man after playing well for the Phillies the last couple of years. Unless lightning strikes Washington, he will not sniff the playoffs for many years. Given their history, perhaps never again in his career. He has a couple of good players surrounding him, but nothing like the Phillies where he was an important, but not the most visible cog on a championship team. The biggest question is whether the Nationals can sign anyone to support him? They have drafted well (since they have the worst record in baseball) but even a phenom like Stephen Strasburg is not without risk. He will be out most of the 2011 season following Tommy John surgery. We should ask Mr. Werth how he feels about playing in front of 10,000 fans a night in August rather than sell outs with the Phils. I suspect the Nationals can finish last in the division with or without Jayson Werth.

I hope I don't sound like a grumpy Phillies fan. I didn't expect him to re-sign with us anyway. I'm just not sure that $126 million will make the grass greener in Washington. This may be a helpful lesson to all of us on motivation. It appears that Werth's motivation is financial security. Could he have done that with a winning franchise? Hard to say. In business, we need to understand what drives an individual to work for a particular organization. In most I've worked for, it's security, but not riches. Some are motivated by the mission and won't get rich, but will be satisfied to support the cause. As a leader, you need to figure this out for each individual. Sometimes, there may not be a fit.

I hope Jayson Werth finds happiness and job security with the Nationals. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself or he'll be a Yankee in three years.

4th and 20

2010-12-08T20:24:00.002-05:00

It's not every day I get to see my Alma Matter, Miami University, play in a championship game. Last week, they squared off in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship against the 25th ranked (and undefeated) Northern Illinois Huskies. I picked up the game late in the 4th quarter with Miami (Redhawks) down 21-20.

For those of you who don't know, Miami is located in Ohio and was founded as a college in 1809, years before the city of Miami (FL) was incorporated, much less the university of the same name. Lest I digress!

With less than 2 minutes left in the game, the Redhawks got the ball back and started to drive down the field. They were pushed back, the quarterback was sacked, a long pass went incomplete leading to 4th and 20 with just under a minute to play and no time outs. Austin Boucher, the quarterback, set up in the shot gun and threw the ball into coverage. One Huskie went for the interception while another tackled the first receiver allowing Redhawks receiver Chris Givens to make the catch and gain 31 yards and a first down. Two plays later, Miami scored the winning touchdown and held the Huskies for the last 33 seconds to win.

An improbable championship for an overachieving team! Last year they were 1-11. This year, 9-4 and a trip to the GoDaddy.com Bowl on January 6th. This is a resilient team that plays hard every down and creates opportunities for themselves. Never once did they look like they were going to lose-not even on 4th and 20!

How does your team react in the face of adversity? What if your backs were against the wall-would you rally or fold and try again another day? Many teams fold, though they don't admit it. Many don't set the bar high enough so there is less difficulty. Last week's win by Miami is a perfect metaphor for life and business in general. Set the bar high and work your fannies off to surpass it. Congratulations to the Redhawks and on to Mobile!

A Real Homer

2010-12-04T07:35:00.004-05:00

I don't know why it struck me so hard yesterday when I heard the news that Chicago Cubs great, Ron Santo died. Maybe because I just heard him on the radio. Maybe because he suffered from diabetes. Maybe it was just the day.

For those who don't know Ron Santo, he was the Cubs 3rd baseman from 1960 to 1973, ending his career with the White Sox in 1974. He earned the National League Gold Glove award in five straight seasons and was a nine time All-Star. He batted .277 with 342 home runs and 1,331 runs batted in. He was the dominant 3rd baseman of his era and has not made it into the Hall of Fame. I remember watching him play on tv as a kid-he was a tough out and nothing got by him. My favorite memories are more recent as I've been able to listen to him and Pat Hughes broadcast Cubs game. He has been the color announcer since 1990. No one, I mean no one, roots harder for their team on air than Ron Santo. He sounded like me listening to a Phillies game. He got upset if they made a mistake and cheered unabashedly on air if they succeeded. If the Phillies weren't playing, I'd dial my XM radio to the Cubs just to listen to Ron Santo.

The story doesn't end here. He suffered from diabetes as a teen and played his entire career taking insulin. Ultimately, the disease cost him both legs below the knees. He also suffered from bladder cancer which took his life Thursday night. By all accounts, he never complained. When asked if he'd be returning to the radio in 2011 he responded, "What else am I going to do? Doing the Cubs games is like therapy for me."

Every organization needs a Ron Santo. Someone who will tell it like it is but is also your biggest cheerleader. They say he bled Cubs blue. Do you have someone bleeding your organization's colors? If not, find a way to create that loyalty and breed "Ron Santo's." Rest in peace Mr. Santo. Job well done.

Everyone Counts

2010-11-28T16:01:00.002-05:00

It probably doesn't surprise you to know that the average lineman in college football is 300 pounds-most of it muscle. You may not be surprised to know that college running backs are over 6 feet in height and weigh north of 200 pounds. None of this size matters in the last seconds of a tied game.

This weekend, two important games were decided by kickers. On Friday night, Boise State lost for the first time and dashed any hopes they had to play for the national championship. They blew a 24-0 halftime lead against Nevada, but had a chance to win with 2 seconds to go. Their kicker, Kyle Brotzman, missed from 26 yards out-that's a little more than an extra point (more on that later). They were tied in overtime when Brotzman had a chance to win it with a 29 yard field goal. He missed that one too. Nevada drove down the field and their kicker, Anthony Martinez made a 34 yarder to win.

Last night, I'm watching Georgia and Georgia Tech play in their annual rivalry. Tech was down by 14 in the fourth quarter but came back. Their kicker, Scott Blair lined up for the extra point to tie the game with less than 5 minutes remaining. Oops-wide left. Tech couldn't recover and lost a game they should have won.

The point of these stories is not to throw stones at field goal kickers. The point is that they are the smallest guys on the field with little to do during a game. If they kick off, kick it deep and keep it in play. Make all extra points and make all field goals within your demonstrated range. Keep loose and don't panic. In some respect, they have to have the same mental make up as a closer in baseball. Keep things straight in your head!

In business, everyone counts. There may be those in your organization that don't have a big role. Do know however, they can make a huge difference. Think of the receptionist that is the first impression for your organization. Think of the clerk who makes sure everyone gets paid every two weeks. They may not seem important at first-but they too can be game changers. Make sure they understand their role and how important it is that they perform at a high level.

I'm sure Mr. Brotzman and Mr. Blair will survive these games and find a way to redeem themselves. They are important members of their respective teams. Keep this in mind as you review your team and their individual contributions.

The Doctor

2010-11-27T15:28:00.002-05:00

He's not really a doctor, but his knowledge of all things practical and interesting qualify him as one in my book. Several years ago I was coaching a group of 7 & 8 year old baseball players that included both of my sons. As I was coaching third base one day-I struck up a conversation with a young man and we discussed what he would do if he got the ball. It turns out his Dad heard our conversation and a friendship was born.

The next couple of years, my friend David Kot, helped keep score and order in the dugout. No small task given the attention span of 9 and 10 year old boys. He comes across as low key but his mind is always moving-thinking ahead of the rest of us. He is a very successful leader in the banking industry. He has a penchant for finding simple solutions to complex problems and can appreciate the human element when making changes. His work ethic is incredible, apparently a gift from his father Leon.

There have been few in my life who are as generous and giving as The Doctor. I know I can count on him in any emergency along with his wife Mary. He is also something of a renaissance man. He is an expert in wines, hunts in Africa, has a gun and sword collection and makes it a point to research issues and activities his family and friends care about.

I have known The Doctor for nearly 13 years and have enjoyed every aspect of our friendship. I don't know how and why people come into your life. What I do know is that I'm a better man for knowing The Doctor. Happy Birthday and here's to many more years of friendship.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T10:12:00.003-05:00

As the demands of work slow down for a couple of days, it gives me the opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Thanksgiving. On a personal basis, I have a lot to be thankful for which I'll define in more detail below. On the sports side-here's what I'm thankful for and hopeful they'll continue:

The Phillies and the string of sell-outs. I can only hope they continue to see the benefit of putting great teams on the field.
The continued recovery of great athletes like Josh Hamilton, Ron Washington, and Michael Vick among others. Let's hope their rehabilitation continues and they can be true role models.
This may be counter productive, but I'm not all that disappointed that the Miami Heat is off to a slow start.
Another negative thought, but I can't help it. I'm thankful that Brett Favre and the Vikings can't win. Maybe this will be his last year and all the drama he brings will go quietly back to Mississippi.
TCU and Boise State-let's hope they get a chance to showcase their talent. All this would be moot if we had a playoff system. I would be thankful if someone could explain why we don't have a playoff.
Coaches at the high school, middle school and elementary school levels. There are thousands of men and women teaching children of all ages how to play the game and how to win the right way.
Non-stop football on Thanksgiving weekend.
Division III athletes who play because they love their respective sports.

I am thankful that I have my health, a wonderful family and employed in a job I love. I know that many families are struggling and unemployed. Let's hope the new year brings a better economy. I'm also thankful for those who read this blog and take the time to comment. Thank you for caring. Best wishes to all for a Happy Thanksgiving and the upcoming Holiday season.

Recognition

2010-11-21T08:52:00.003-05:00

Last week, baseball started giving out it awards for the 2010 season. I can't argue the merits of most of the recipients. My beef is with Manager of the Year, specifically in the National League.

Let's look at what I believe should be the criteria for the award. Wins, playoff contender, gets the most out of his team, deals with adversity, and finally-wins. Sorry, in professional sports, wins is very important. Bud Black of the San Diego Padres is the National League winner. Here's how he stacks up against my criteria. First and last-wins. The Padres won 90 games and finished 2 games behind the Giants in the National League Western Division. To his credit, his team won 15 more games in 2010 than in 2009. Playoff contender-nope! Did I mention his team had a 6.5 game lead at the end of August and lost. He did get the most out of his team but he couldn't get the Padres out of their September tailspin. Don't get me wrong, Bud Black is an excellent manager and did a lot with little talent. But you have to win.

Let me make the case for the FIFTH place finisher, Charlie Manuel of the Phillies. Yes, I am biased but you decide if my case makes sense. The Phillies won 97 games, the most in the major leagues. They made it to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. The team was 7 games behind the Braves in July. During the season, the following starters were injured: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino. Said another way, the entire infield and catcher. At one point Utley, Rollins, Polanco and Ruiz were out of the line up. Five hitters (including the pitcher in the National League) were second teamers. In fact, Ruiz's replacement, Brian Schnieder, was also injured. I can't even remember the third string catcher's name. In addition, he cobbled together a bullpen that was plagued with injuries and ineffectiveness much of the season. So, I would say he dealt with adversity. How does he finish fifth? The answer-expectations. The Phillies were supposed to win and ultimately they did.

I'm sure Charlie Manuel doesn't care. It's not his style. He is a steady performer who worries about doing his job rather than the recognition. His players love playing for him and the fans have finally come to appreciate his talent. He has two rules: hustle and show up on time. What's not to like?

Recognition in the workplace is often a difficult concept to handle. Too much seems trite and too little can send good people packing. Worst of all, misplaced recognition will cause a whole series of problems that could take years to undo. Often it's the steady performers that get overlooked. They show up every day, do their job well, don't ask for much. Be careful, they need attention! Most often it's just a pat on the back and a kind word. Often they are introverts, so the public attention can be a bit uncomfortable. They are the heart of your organization. Remove it, and the team suffers.

Don't be like the sportswriters and ignore the steady performers. Help them reach their goals and affirm their contributions. Appreciate them and you will have a loyal employee for many years to come.

Forgive But Not Forget

2010-11-17T19:50:00.002-05:00

On Monday night, Michael Vick treated America to one of the finest performances of a quarterback ever. That's right-ever. In the game against the Redskins, he had six touchdowns and threw for 333 yards. Just for kicks, he rushed for 80 yards. He was personally responsible for 413 yards and 36 of the Eagles 59 points. He was unstoppable.

This is the potential of Michael Vick. A great athlete with a formerly bad attitude. As most of you know, he was drafted out of Virginia Tech by the Atlanta Falcons. He played well for six years before pleading guilty to federal charges associated with a dog fighting ring he led. The dogs were critically abused. He served 21 months in prison and another 2 months in home confinement. He filed for Chapter 11 before being signed by the Eagles prior to the 2009 season. By all accounts, he was a punk. The good news is that he got caught and did time for his crimes.

Now Michael Vick is back doing what he does best-make plays on the football field and win games. There appears to be a new Michael Vick. One who understands he made mistakes and was given another chance. One who is remorseful for what he did. One who does not want to go back to jail. One who is in the community explaining that his actions were very wrong.

We should forgive Michael Vick, but never forget the cruelty to those dogs. I am very happy that he is leading the Eagles and not because I live in Philadelphia. I'm happy because the guy seems to have grown up and matured before our eyes. I guess I'm also happy he actually served time and has paid a big price for his transgressions.

People make mistakes all the time. As leaders, we need to forgive those who make mistakes when they are remorseful and show a willingness to change. We may not forget them, but we should move on. Let's hope this story continues to play out well for Michael Vick and prove that people can be rehabilitated.

Memories

2010-11-06T14:27:00.002-04:00

Last week Sparky Anderson passed away. Baseball fans know him as the manager of the Big Red Machine (Cincinnati Reds) in the 70's and later as manager of the Detroit Tigers. He is the only manager to win the World Series in both leagues-twice in the 70's with the Reds and in 1984 with the Tigers.

Whenever I think of Sparky Anderson, I think of great teams and October baseball. He had his share of losing teams, especially with the Tigers in the '90s. He was 76 when he died-I thought he was 76 when he first managed the Reds in 1970. He had this shock of grey hair that made him look twice his age. In truth, he was 36 when he first started with the Reds. He was a player's manager. In his Hall of Fame speech in 2000, he stated he was good because of his players. He just got out of their way.

In 1979, while watching TV, a news flash came on reporting that Sparky Anderson would become the manager of the Tigers. The first question was why? They had hired Les Moss to start the 1979 season and it was mid-June. The answer-he was available and interested. When you can get a hall of fame manager-do it. He took over in mid-season and immediately made the Tigers better culminating in a World Series championship in 1984. He managed another 10 years before retiring in 1995.

Are there people in the work place that bring good memories when you think of them? I often ask the following question in interviews: "Who was your favorite manager and why?" The answer is always immediate and telling. The body language changes, a smile comes across the candidate's face and they reminisce a bit. It also tells you how they like to be lead and whether there is a fit.

I know there are a lot of baseball players today remembering Sparky Anderson with fondness and appreciation. Most would say he brought out the best in them. Isn't that what a leader should do? Sparky, thanks for the memories and rest in peace.

My Woman of Achievement

2010-10-31T15:48:00.004-04:00

Very often awards are given out to those who support organizations through their time, talent and treasure. There is nothing wrong with this practice. I have been the recipient of a couple of these. It certainly energized me and hopefully provided an example to others.

Last week, my wife Joan broke the mold as did the other recipients of the Chester County (PA) March of Dimes Women of Achievement. She won the Ellen Ann Roberts Award for Business. She has done some fundraising for the March of Dimes, but this was an award based on her contributions to the business world-which there are many.

I have a different perspective however. I have known Joan for over 25 years, nearly 23 as my wife. It's no surprise that she was honored for her business efforts. The secret that a few of us know is that she puts the same focus and energy in everything she does. When she stayed at home, she was completely focused on motherhood and taking the burden off me. She felt that was her role. It also allowed her to comfort her father when her mother died way too early at 57. She and her siblings managed a foundation her father set up after she died. When he died a few years later (again way too early at 66) she succeeded him as President and helped make it a world class foundation. When she got back into the business world in earnest, she did so with gusto, determination and grit. It's not always easy working with your spouse-but she lead by example with her focus and drive. There is no better networker, salesperson or consultant than Joan. She has the rare gift of being able to sell and deliver the results.

I have been blessed to be at her side for all these years. She is a remarkable woman with incredible strength. She raises every one's performance by being around her. A friend of ours gave her a notepad with the title "Perennial Optimist" on each page. No truer words have been spoken.

I know marriages are a partnership and ours certainly has been. But to be fair, Joan has done much of the heavy lifting. She introduced me to the Catholic Church and helped (not forced) me find my way spiritually. She has set high standards for our family which has allowed our two boys to develop into fine men. She is a rock personally and professionally. She didn't miss a beat this year when I left our consulting firm. She kept her client base in tact and has formed a partnership with our good friend David Herdlinger. There is no doubt that Kashbox Coaching will be a huge success and gain national prominence.

I was so proud to be with her and watch her accept her award last week. I'm even prouder to be her husband and best friend. The biggest item on my bucket list is to celebrate 50 years of marriage with Joan. Nearly 23 and counting. Congratulations Hon, I love you!

Drama Queens

2010-10-31T11:56:00.003-04:00

As a party of one, I'm getting tired of Brett Favre. One week its alleged pictures to a co-worker two years ago. Now, we have breaking news regarding his ankle. I'm sure if he plays this weekend, we'll be treated to grimaces, limping and breathless announcers talking about his courage. PLAY THE GAME!!

Unfortunately, Brett Favre is not the only drama queen in sports. The list is exhaustive. How about A-Rod, Roger Clemens, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., LeBron, Kobe, etc. This is not a new phenomenon either. The collective "we" have put up with all this for years-since the beginning of time. The bigger the pain, the more press they get. What gives? Could it be that the squeaky wheel does get the grease?

How about your office? I bet you're thinking of a couple of folks immediately. Here's my take. Drama queens are really insecure. I've known some that feel if they don't trumpet their successes and let everyone know their contributions (in excruciating detail I might add) then they will be let go. Perhaps their resume supports that hypothesis. Maybe all that good "experience" was really code for good riddance. A good question to consider.

I've come to the conclusion that the more a person uses the word "I" the less I want to work with them. "I did this" and "I do/did that." Do your job and let your actions do the talking. We all know there's no "I" in team. Overused-I don't think so. Think about the people you work with-are they more concerned with public recognition or working together. I bet the people you like to be around are good teammates. Hire people who talk about "we" not I. You'll avoid the drama queens and enjoy going to work.

By the way, I used "I" 11 times (not in quotes). You decide if I'm (12) a drama queen.

There is No Joy in Mudville

2010-10-24T11:30:00.003-04:00

Today, Mudville is Philadelphia. The mighty Casey (Ryan Howard) struck out to end the game and season for the Phillies. For whatever reason, I thought of the Ernest Thayer poem, Casey at the Bat. You may recall in the poem, it didn't seem possible that Casey would get an at bat. But just like the Mudville 9 in the poem, two were on and two were out. The season ended with Ryan Howard watching strike three on a 3-2 count. It was a perfect pitch by the Giants closer, Brian Wilson.

Though tempted to blame-we can't. It's a team game. The fact the Phillies lost the series can't be pinned on one at bat, one pitch or one error. In a seven game series, a team has plenty of opportunities. It's what they do with those opportunities that determines if they keep playing or go home. Ask the Reds, Braves, Twins, Rays, and Yankees. In essence, the Giants played better as a team than the Phillies. They picked each other up and did what they needed to do to win.

How does your team work? Is it a group of individuals out to do the best for themselves or is it a team that supports, cajoles, backs up and looks at each victory as one for the team? In business, the latter is hard to develop unless its supported at the top. It's the same in baseball. What makes the Giants story stand out is that many came to the team after the season started. Their manager put the pieces together well and utilized all their talents to win games. Isn't that what a leader should do?

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, we will survive. The last stanza of the poem says it best:
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Philadelphia - mighty Ryan has struck out.

I hope Mr. Thayer appreciates the artistic license. Go Rangers!

Darkness To Light

2010-10-17T17:06:00.002-04:00

Is there a better story than the rescue of the 33 miners in Chile? Through an international effort and many prayers, each one was brought back up safely months before the original projection date of Christmas. A great effort. It never got old seeing one miner after another coming up and being greeted by family members. A lot of heroism to go around with this experience!

In sports as in business-there are many situations where a person's performance has been impacted by an accident, situation or their own doing. As I thought about the miners, I thought of some sports stars that have seen the bottom, and have or appear to be making their way of out of the darkness.

Bobby Cox - he just retired after 32 years in the dugout or general manager's office. He was named Manager of the Year four times and won over 2,500 games. Last week, he managed his last game as he retired from the sport at 69. It was impressive that the Giants stopped their celebration on the field to tip their hat to Cox as he left the dugout. But not all was peaches and cream for Cox. In 1995, he was accused of punching his wife and pulling her hair. He completed a violence counseling session(s) and alcohol evaluation and charges were dismissed.

Michael Vick - we all know the story of Michael Vick. In August, 2007 he was convicted of animal cruelty and suspended indefinitely from the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons released him. He was broke and filed for bankruptcy. When he completed serving his time in 2009, he was signed by the Eagles and played sparingly last year. This year, he became the starting quarterback after Kevin Kolb was hurt in the first game. Since then, he himself got hurt and has missed two games. He is scheduled to be the starter when he heals. It appears that Vick is doing everything he can to turn the page. Time will tell on this one, but so far, so good.

Josh Hamilton - he is the center fielder for the Texas Rangers and will probably be the American League Most Valuable Player this year. He hit .359, hit 32 home runs and had 100 runs batted in. All this while missing most of September with an injury. His team is fighting the Yankees for the American League pennant as we speak. Hamilton was the first player drafted in 1999 by the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2001, he started down the long dark road of alcoholism and drug addiction. He has been in and out of rehab many times and didn't play baseball from 2004 to 2006. He has had many mentors and works hard every day to avoid temptation. He did slip in 2009 but has been clean since. His teammates chose to celebrate winning the series against the Rays last week with ginger ale in respect of his addictions. We all hope Josh Hamilton can slay the demons and continue with a successful career and care for his family.

Ron Washington - he is the manager of the Texas Rangers and has been since 2006. This spring, it was reported, and later confirmed by Washington that he had a positive test for cocaine. He admitted his mistake and has moved on to lead his team to the American League championship. His team and Rangers ownership backed him-not an easy thing to do. He is a good man who has been a baseball lifer-coming up with the Royals in 1970. Let's hope this was a one shot deal.

The Rangers have taken chances with Hamilton and Washington. Their support, accountability and high expectations have served them well on and off the field this year. Nolan Ryan is the owner-a great player, man and owner. He is a stand up guy and looks for others to do the same. That means he will look both men in the eye and ask them to be honest. To date, they both have looked at him and responded with honest answers. That's all we can do as leaders. Ask for an honest day's effort, tell the truth and then be supportive. Good luck to all and thank God the miners are free!

Bad Meat?

2010-10-10T17:20:00.002-04:00

This was the post I was supposed to do last week, but a no-hitter got in the way. As many of you know, Tour de France winner Alberto Contador was accused of doping during this year's race. He, like all who have tested positive, was shocked and dismayed. He suggested that he had a bad piece of meat that skewed the results. Time will tell. What is impressive is that the excuses get more creative.

It's hard to believe how many cyclists have tested positively for some sort of drug enhancement. Since 1975, 10 of the 16 winners have tested positive for some type of drug use, though not all during the Tour. Lance Armstrong, winner of 7 consecutive has been accused, but never convicted. What kind of sport is this that you have to dope yourself with performance enhancing drugs to win or even compete? Don't get me wrong, cycling is a wonderful sport for all ages. Every July, the Tour de France takes our breath away with the vistas and great athletes battling against all the French terrain can throw at it. The effort of each athlete is tarnished by an accusation several months later that they tested positive for a drug.

Do we tolerate industries or businesses with this kind of record? Who would want to work in such a place? Think about it-the work is so difficult that you have to drug yourself every day to perform and compete. How long would you last? Who would take you seriously? Because of your association with that industry or business, your reputation would suffer. An endless downward spiral may occur.

At least regulators have job security. But at what point do the checkers out number the competitors? We see this in cycling and in some industries (banking ?) we may be close. The cycling "industry" is in need of real leadership. The problems are many and solutions are few. Perhaps its time to pull the plug on the Tour de France for a few years and find a way to rid the sport of doping and honor those athletes who can do compete without drugs. I guess if I'm Alberto Contador, the lesson is, don't eat the meat in France!

Unbridled Joy

2010-10-06T20:14:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Doctober! I just finished watching Roy Halladay pitch a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies in his first playoff game of his career. What a masterpiece! He threw 104 pitches, 79 for strikes.

What struck me about his performance was his skill, focus and unbridled joy at winning the game. He has been one of the top pitchers in the majors for many years. He works as hard as anyone relative to conditioning and has even added a pitch to his repertoire this year. As you watched him throw strike after strike, it was clear he was in the zone and focused at getting Reds out. Finally, when Carlos Ruiz threw out Brandon Phillips for the last out-the smile and joy radiated. His teammates mobbed him and they all enjoyed the moment.

There may have been questions about how he would perform in the post-season. Until today, he never pitched past the first weekend in October. I think he answered those questions. He will be a force throughout the playoffs and hopefully the World Series. He had plenty of stamina thanks to his work ethic.

As leaders, we can use Roy Halladay's performance as a teaching and coaching moment. Skill, focus and joy at your job will make you a valuable resource for your organization. Hone your craft and perform it at the highest level each day. Stay focused on the task at hand-don't let outside distractions take your eye off the ball. As important, love what you do and know that you're making a difference every day. Congratulations to Roy Halladay-may this be the first of many post-season wins!

Redemption

2010-09-27T20:11:00.003-04:00

Last month, I wrote an entry entitled "Details." In it, I mentioned that golfer Jim Furyk overslept and missed the Pro-Am of the Barclays tournament. By missing the Pro-Am, he forfeited his chance to play in the regular tournament. He was in the running for the FedEx Cup and a prize of $10 million. All looked lost!

Yesterday was a new day and a chance at redemption. In the Tour Championship, Furyk made an incredible shot from the bunker on the 18th hole and tapped in to win. He not only won the tournament and the $1.35 million prize but also won the season long FedEx cup and $10 million. Quite a day for Mr. Furyk.

The moral of the story is two-fold. First, he took responsibility for his actions and blamed no one but himself for missing the Pro-Am. Second, he didn't crawl into the fetal position and cry himself to sleep every night. He continued to play well, practiced hard, and made shots when he needed to yesterday. He is a champion and has worked like a champion.

How many times have you been second guessed, ridiculed for a decision, and organizationally left for dead? More importantly, how many times have you second guessed others. Most organizations have cultures that try to analyze the actions and reactions of others-to the detriment of morale. Those who try and sometimes fail need to be recognized for the effort and given the support to succeed in the longer run. Look for and celebrate dedication. It's not hard to find those wanting to succeed and willing to work in a positive manner to get there. Congratulations to Jim Furyk and the thousands of workers who won't be slowed by setbacks and take responsibility for their actions.

Sins of the Past

2010-09-15T04:22:00.004-04:00

As we all know, football has begun at both the college and pro levels. There have been exciting games, great plays and plenty of entertainment for the sports junkie. Last Thursday, the New Orleans Saints kicked off the season with a win over the Vikings. In that game, running back Reggie Bush ran for 14 yards on just two carries. I first became aware of Bush while he was at the University of Southern California (USC). He had an outstanding career, earning the Heisman Trophy in 2005. Based on what I remember, he was deserving of the award, though many could make the case for runner-up Vince Young. He pro career has been pedestrian-at times brilliant, but mostly average. He's a nice fit in the Saints line-up, but is not the superstar his college career may have predicted.

Yesterday, the sins of his past culminated in his returning the Heisman Trophy. Based on an NCAA investigation where USC vacated (lost) its last two wins of the 2004 season and all of the 2005 season, Reggie Bush and his family is accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars of gifts from agents. USC has also been banned from bowl games this year and next and will lose 30 scholarships over three years. USC has taken down his jersey, and generally disassociated itself with Reggie Bush. Rather than waiting for the Heisman Trophy Trust to ask for the trophy back, he returned it. He moves on, collecting his NFL paycheck and the university picks up the pieces and goes into obscurity for a couple of years.

There is no doubt that Reggie Bush is a talented football player. There is also no doubt that he had a disregard for rules and the effect breaking them will have. I'm sure he is embarrassed and even disgraced at having to give up the Heisman Trophy. But he knew he was breaking the rules. Sometimes it takes awhile for life to catch up with us.

Most of us know that real leadership is based on the foundation of self-leadership. This means you are confident, have high self-esteem, and have a vision and goals for yourself. It also means that you have defined core values that you live by. Core values are defined as those which you won't compromise. To be fair, I'm not sure I met this definition of self-leadership in my 20's, but I also knew right from wrong. I have found that defining your core values is the first step in self-leadership. It becomes your rudder-always moving you in the right direction. Life is a learning process. Learn to live by your core values and avoid the public humiliation we saw yesterday inflicted on Reggie Bush.

So Many Topics-So Little Time

2010-09-09T06:50:00.002-04:00

This is the best week in sports-period. I said the same thing last year and will do so for the rest of my life. Pennant races in baseball, college football, pro football, US Open tennis. A smorgasbord of sports. The hard part is tying it into life. We all have to work, find time for our families, and continue to pursue healthy hobbies. What's a sports fan to do? Did I mention the weather in the Mid-Atlantic is beautiful!

Adding to all these priorities on a personl levelnce is that I can't decide on a worthy topic for this blog. Last week I thought about Nyger Morgan and his style (or lack thereof) play. How about Boise State and their come from behind win? Pride or passion in all sports-there are many examples of each. All of this confusion comes from a constant struggle with priorities, time/life balance, and not wanting to miss any of it.

What is balance? How do you stay focused on the important things? In sports, the great athletes have supreme focus and have the ability to stay that way. How about the rest of us? I'll use myself as an example. I think I'm disciplined but find myself straying from my priorities on an hourly, daily and weekly basis. At the end of the week, I'm in good shape work wise, but have I put the right focus on family and home? Have I gotten the exercise I need to maintain good health? Have I watched every inning of every Phillies game? The answers are probably no, yes, and yes. The fall will only get worse as the baseball playoffs begin, football is on every night and the days continue to get shorter. My wife is a sports fan, but not a fanatic. There will be many nights where I don't get to bed until after midnight and try to get up at 5:15 to work out. Something will have to give (more personal days from work?)

Organizations continually try to ensure their team is focused, results-oriented, and hopefully aware of their personal and professional balance. The reality is that organizations need to keep employees focused on goals and tasks when they are on the job and hope that the postitions they've created are structured to allow for the right balance. The good organizations have a feel and listen to their employees about what can get done in a "normal" work day. Not all organizations are good however. As a leader, stop, look and listen to your teams and make sure the results you need allow for a healthy life balance for your employees. In the long run, this will provide the best results.

Details

2010-08-29T18:59:00.002-04:00

I hate it when details get in the way of results. Last week we heard about golfer Jim Furyk who was disqualified when he overslept and was five minutes late to the Pro-Am tournament preceding the Barclays tournament. By missing the Pro-Am, he is also disqualified from the four day event. This may cost Furyk some real money (read millions) as it qualifies for the FedEx Cup. The winner gets a $10 million bonus. Furyk was third before missing the tee time. It's hard to imagine how this can happen. My wife sets three alarms to ensure she makes an early flight.

Sticking with golf, how about Dustin Johnson a couple of weeks ago? You may remember him as the golfer who was penalized two strokes on the final hole of the PGA tournament. He was heading for a three man playoff when it was discovered he ground his club in a sand trap. Admittedly, it was hard to tell it was part of the trap but a notice explaining this very situation was posted in the locker room before the final round. No playoff, no chance for a major.

Going outside of sports, it was revealed that the State of New Jersey missed out on $400 million of education funding by the Federal government this week. It turns out that the person filling out one page gave the incorrect information. Governor Christie was spitting tacks, but everyone else filled it out correctly.

Attention to detail is not every one's strong suit. Sometimes, it's situational. In many circumstances, I can be very detailed and ensure the job is complete. In other situations, not so much. I find that when I know someone is checking my work, I tend not to do as complete a job. Sounds a bit backwards but there may be a lesson. When we are ultimately accountable for projects, revenue, proposals-we tend to make sure its right or we stand up and take the blame like Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson. When there is an army of checkers, my theory is that folks slack a bit knowing someone else may catch anything important. Not a very efficient way to run an organization.

Mistakes will happen. Organizations that solve for mistakes by adding additional checks and balances run the risk of bloating the staff and lessening accountability. Creating responsibility, even at the lowest levels of the organization creates efficiency and high expectations. It also promotes creativity, empowerment and opportunity. Be careful in your response to mistakes by creating checkers. Instead, create an organization that is attentive to the details and takes responsibility for their work.

Looking for Buoys

2010-08-17T06:54:00.003-04:00

For the past few weeks, a good friend of mine from high school was on my mind. His name is Randy Adams. He was best man in our wedding and lives with his wife Sally and three boys in North Carolina. We grew up together from elementary school to college at Miami University. We were both in the same fraternity, Sigma Nu and even ran for House Commander (President) against each other. We don't talk often, but like most good friends, don't have trouble getting into an easy flow in a few minutes.

I took the opportunity to call Randy yesterday and we caught up for about 20 minutes. During the call, he told me about the death of his nephew in February in an auto accident in Indiana. It's a terrible story, but one that I read about at the time but didn't put the pieces together. It turns out that Randy's nephew, Mark (Reedy) was traveling as a passenger with Brendan Burke, the son of the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager. Brendan was also the student manager of Miami University's hockey team. Sports Illustrated had a touching article on him and his dad soon after the accident. The name of the other young man killed was lost on me until yesterday.

As I read Mark's obituary and articles in the local press from his hometown, I was immediately brought back to my high school days. He went to the same middle school and high school that Randy and I did. He was the top diver in Oakland County and state runner-up. He has a wonderful family and was loved by them and many. Such a tragedy. Mark was 18 when he died.

How often does it happen that we don't get the whole story? We see the headline, something draws us to an article, but we really don't dig deep for the details. So often in business and in life, there are buoys to guide us if only we look. Why is it when we decide to buy a brown sports car, we notice how many brown sports cars are on the road? The more we're open to look deeper-the more our lives will be enriched and we'll achieve the results that we're looking for.

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Mark Reedy, but I know his parents. He did a lot of living and achieving in his life. Perhaps that's his legacy for those he left behind. Make the most out of life and look for the buoys that God puts in our way.

A Change of Scenery

2010-08-01T16:21:00.004-04:00

This weekend marks the trading deadline for baseball. There is a two-fold purpose for the deadline. First, it allows teams going nowhere to trade their high priced talent to teams in the pennant race. The hope is that they get quality prospects in return. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Sometimes it works in the short term, but not so much in the long-term. Take a trade the Tigers made in 1987. They acquired a pitcher named Doyle Alexander to help them overtake the Toronto Blue Jays. Perfect! Except the guy they gave up to get him was John Smoltz, a certain Hall of Famer, to the Braves.

Many players changed teams this week. It is hoped that some will do better with a different team. They may have been buried with their current team. A change of scenery does some players good. Take Brad Lidge in 2008. After struggling with the Astros, he was traded to the Phillies and saved every game he appeared. Perhaps he needs another change given his recent performance. Players get in ruts, they don't get along with his manager, they are too far away from their family. Any number of reasons a change will work.

Are employees any different? In larger organizations, it may be better to move (or allow to move) employees to other departments, take a transfer, or even leave the company. In smaller, organizations, those opportunities may not avail themselves. In all cases, its important for the manager and employee to have a good discussion on fit, career goals and how their current position can help them meet their career goals. Too often, we're afraid to have that conversation. This allows bad feelings to fester and create an emotional departure to the detriment of everyone.

We should all be open to a change of scenery if it benefits all concerned. It often works in baseball-why not for your organization?

Wake-Up Call

2010-07-25T19:25:00.002-04:00

On Thursday night, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel relieved hitting coach Milt Thompson of his duties. Milt had been with the Phillies in this capacity for six years, preceding Manuel. In addition, Thompson had spent five years with the Phillies in the 1980's and 1990's during his 13 year career. By all accounts Thompson is a good man, excellent teacher, and dedicated worker. Was it his fault that his players didn't hit this year? Was it his fault that they scored less than four runs in nearly 40% of their games? Was it his fault that so many players were/are injured? The answers are yes, yes, yes and yes. Really?

Milt Thompson was the sacrificial lamb. Management can't fire the players (easily). His firing sent a message to the team that they cost a good man his job. So far, the Phillies have taken the message to heart. In the three games since Thompson's firing, they have scored 20 runs and won three in a row. They have significantly improved their situational hitting, especially when men are on base. Is this a permanent change? Time will tell. I was at the games on Friday and Saturday and saw a team that seemed to have regained their swagger. Phillies fans hope it lasts past the weekend if we hope to make it to the World Series for the third year in a row.

Does a message ever get sent in your organization? The bottom line in sports and business (both for and non profit) is to get results. It is up to the leaders in the organization to get results. If they don't, then changes have to be made. It is up to individual leaders and managers to drive results in a values-driven way to generate positive organizational results. If they don't, the time consuming and painful process of documenting poor performance begins. How an organization sends the message and follow up actions will determine the strength of the organization and development of the team.

Personnel changes are always difficult, especially in the middle of a season or project. Milt Thompson will land on his feet as do many who face the same challenge. Let's hope the Phillies get the message and save their own jobs.

The End of the Line

2010-07-11T19:39:00.003-04:00

There comes a time in sports where a player retires. They may have had a highly successful career or been a bit player in the sport. Last week, my youngest son's American Legion team was knocked out of the playoffs. It was a surprise to everyone since they only lost three games in the regular season. Unfortunately, other teams were peaking at the right time.

He turns 19 this week so his Legion days are over. It has been a thrill to watch him play baseball for the last 15 years, many of which I had the opportunity to coach. He'll be a sophomore at Penn State in the fall and has aspirations of playing Club ball. We'll see how it all turns out. As far as local baseball goes, this is the end of the line. In his case, the last game is a definite end point. He may play in other leagues or at school but he won't be representing his community as a ballplayer. We had the same feeling a couple of years ago when our oldest son's high school football career ended on a chilly November night. In all our minds, a couple of games too early as they too were bounced from the playoffs. He went on to play a couple years at the University of Chicago. I had a chance to watch all his home games last year including the last one where he played most of the 4th quarter. That turned out to be his last game as he's moving on to focus on studies and plan for a career.

How do you celebrate the end of a career or an associate leaving your organization? While retirements are typically a celebration of one's career, those who leave for another organization are often ostracized. How an organization celebrates the contributions of the individual helps define their practiced core values. Do you honor the person? Are you pleased for them when they move on to another organization? Are you happy they have the chance to fulfill their dreams and ambitions? Unfortunately, many employers take someone leaving personally leaving an awkward situation in its wake. In fact, many organizations are so concerned that state secrets may be taken that they escort the individual out immediately. Don't get me wrong, this is necessary in some cases-but not all.

The end of the line doesn't have to be a morbid place, but can be one of celebration. While I would love to watch more baseball and football, I know that a chapter has closed and new, exciting ones are opening up. Celebrate those who leave and create a wonderful atmosphere for those who stay.

Great Expectations

2010-07-05T14:54:00.002-04:00

It's lonely at the top. We've heard this over and over again. Yet, this is exactly what athletes try and achieve, especially in individual sports like golf and tennis. This weekend, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal once again won Wimbledon-perhaps the most prestigious tournament of the year.

For Nadal, he won his second straight Grand Slam event. The first being the French Open several weeks ago. In both the Open and Wimbledon, he won in straight sets. His two opponents could not muster even one set. The road to his third Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open seems paved with pretenders unless Roger Federer can mount a comeback. No one is ready to give Nadal the U.S. Open title, but prospects look bleak for his opponents. His number one ranking is in no danger today.

Serena Williams won her 10th Grand Slam singles title on Saturday easily beating 21 seeded Vera Zvonareva (who?). This was her fourth Wimbledon singles title to go along with several doubles titles with her sister Venus. She too dominated her opponent in straight set and dispatched Zvonareva in 67 minutes to retain her number one ranking. Other than her sister-who is going to challenge her?

These two great champions have much in common. They work long, solitary hours to perfect their game. They are focused on winning, even if it doesn't play well in the papers. They are fully and completely committed to being at the top of their game and don't look to relinquish that seed or title anytime soon.

Do you have great expectations for your team? Is there one person continually at the top of the scale? If so, how do you challenge them? How do you create "opponents" that will try to exploit their weaknesses and make them stronger? Are they committed to working long hours to stay at the top of their game?

Often, leaders focus on those who need the most help-the squeaky wheel at the expense of our high performers. While this makes sense, most turnover occurs with our best and brightest. Sometimes it's dollar driven, but in my experience it often is a lack of attention. As leaders, we need to figure out how to make our best better. Great leaders get the most out of all their people and get energized seeing one of their own succeed and prosper. I suggest focusing on the top 20%-the rewards for the organization will be many and the individual, countless.

The Legends of LA

2010-06-27T17:51:00.002-04:00

This piece may seem a couple of weeks old, but the reflections will be timely. The last few weeks have reminded us that there is wisdom in Los Angeles. Ten days ago, Phil Jackson guided his Los Angeles Lakers to their 2nd consecutive NBA title. For Jackson, it was his 11th, between the Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.

A couple of weeks ago, we learned of the passing of legendary UCLA Bruins basketball coach, John Wooden at the age of 99. He coached the Bruins to 10 NCAA Championships in his 27 years at the University. He was a great man who shared his wisdom in books, players and and countless interviews. He was remembered last night at Pauley Pavillion where his seat was retired where he watched the Bruins for nearly 25 years.

What binds these two great coaches besides geography? The fact that both ended up in Los Angeles is a coincidence. Both are from the Midwest-Wooden from Indiana and Jackson from Montana. Both played basketball-Jackson in the NBA where he collected two more championships as a player with the New York Knicks in the early 70's. Both are brilliant men who have made it their business to know how there players think and work together. In general, they have the following in common:

Great players
Ability to motivate
Life balance
Sincerity

Both men had great players. In fact, as Jackson mulls retirement, many are stating that you don't need a great coach for this team. It should run on its own. Don't be deceived. Great players need great coaches. One supports the other. It's called respect. Players need to believe in their coach in times of stress, when the game's on the line. Even players making four times the salary. The ability to say the right thing at the right time is a common gift among the two coaches. They both seem to have balanced lives and focus on the important things. Finally, both are sincere, approachable and wise.

How about your organization? Do you have a great staff? Can you motivate them in times of stress? Do you create an opportunity for life balance? Are you sincere, approachable and trustworthy? Most leaders complain they don't have the right people in the right place. I've been guilty of this in the past. A good leader attracts good players who understand their system and want to be motivated. A good leader develops their team to take the organization to the next level.

We can learn a lot from these two men. I suggest reading their books and understand their fundamentals of leadership. Phil Jackson-congratulations and Coach Wooden-RIP.

What You See Early is What You Get

2010-06-13T09:42:00.002-04:00

This week, several rookies made their major league debut. None bigger than last year's first pick in the baseball draft-Stephen Strasburg. Last June, he was finishing his stellar career at San Diego State University under the tutelage of Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn. That month, he was also selected first in the draft by the lowly Washington Nationals. Since then, he has pitched lights out at every stop (albeit short) along the way. His minor league career began in October and last nearly eight months before joining the Nationals last week.

So how did his first start go? "Preposterous" says Bob Costas. Strasburg started the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitched seven innings. Along the way, he allowed 2 earned runs, gave up no walks and struck out an incredible 14 Pirate hitters. One short of the record for a debut. Unbelievably, he struck out the last seven batters he faced! Oh, by the way, he also throws 100 mph on occasion.

Yesterday, was another debut by a rookie in Boston. Daniel Nava started in left field. All he did was hit a grand slam home run on the first pitch he saw! Not a bad start to a career. More on Daniel Nava another time (perhaps because I'm upset it was against the Phillies).

I had a boss that used to say, "what you see early is what you get." It goes both ways. If you see someone working hard, asking good questions, interacting well with others and getting results-chances are that person is going to be a good hire and employee. If you see someone who is chatty, questioning why they have to do something, whiny and has attitude problems-guess what, institute a 90 day probation policy. That person will also do the same throughout their employment.

Early results like we have seen from Strasburg and Nava don't necessarily forecast hall of fame induction. But they do forecast work ethic, clubhouse chemistry and desire to win. In baseball and all sports, the road to the top is tricky and requires one to stay healthy along the way. In an organization, there may be fits and starts, but the one with the good work ethic, attitude and desire for results is going to receive more coaching, focus and help from others to ensure they do well.

You may want to consider utilizing a temp-to-hire or probation period hiring policy. See what a person is like before making the commitment to hire full-time. Talk to an HR professional or labor lawyer for details and applicability in your state. Here's to a good week for the rookies-how about the ones in your office?

The (Un) Perfect Game and Stand Up Guys

2010-06-05T10:46:00.002-04:00

I'm driving home Wednesday night listening to the Detroit Tigers game against the Cleveland Indians. Being from Detroit, XM Radio allows me to listen to my home town team when the Phillies aren't playing. Low and behold, Armando Galaragga had retired 21 Indians in a row. No hits, errors or walks. I got home as the Tigers finished batting in the 8th and turned on MLB Network with one out in the top of the 9th. I think most Americans know what happened next. Jim Joyce, know as an excellent umpire, missed the call (badly) on what should have been the final out and preserved the third perfect game of the season and the 21st in the history of baseball.

There are a lot of angles on this story. Last July, I wrote about Mark Buerhle's perfect game being a sum of all the parts. In a perfect game, everything has to go right. I didn't mention the umpires, but clearly they have to be perfect too. The call Jim Joyce made was atrocious and will haunt him the rest of his career. But there is a silver lining to this story and lessons for all of us. The next day, Jim Joyce stood in front of the cameras and stated unequivocally that he made a mistake. He apologized and took all questions asked of him. Jim Leyland, the Tigers' manager, stated in his press conference that Jim Joyce is an excellent ump and he made a mistake but showed support for Joyce. Most important, Armando Galarraga, showed real class by not bad mouthing Joyce and accepting his apology. Best of all, Galarraga took the line up card to home plate the next day where Joyce was the home plate ump. It was an emotional scene as Joyce openly wept and Galarraga patted him on the back.

What's the lesson for us and our organization? Many. How many of us admit our mistakes? In my experience, not many. Jim Joyce could have avoided the press and said he did his best. Instead, he acknowledged his error and asked for forgiveness to the only person that counts-Galarraga. Think of all the buck passing in organizations to try to cover up a mistake or not be called out. In my experience, those that admit they are wrong or made a mistake are forgiven and the assumption is it won't happen again. Why don't more of us admit it? We take the heat once and we're done. It may be that they don't feel their organization will watch their back and support them. These are usually the same organizations that have high turnover and pay headhunting fees to bring new talent on board.

We can't expect perfection, but we can strive for perfection every day. Armando Galarraga was perfect on June 2nd, but Jim Joyce wasn't. Maybe that explains why there have been 20 perfect games thrown in baseball's history. Remember, you can't control all events, but you can control your reaction. Jim Joyce, Jim Leyland and Armando Galarraga were perfect in their reaction.

Leadership - Family Style

2010-05-30T13:33:00.002-04:00

Imagine being one of ten kids living in a small home outside of Boston. Do you get forgotten? Do you do as you wish? Are you always mad because you don't have your own things such as a room, closet or bathroom? For Dan La Perriere, none of the above are feeling he had or has. In fact, the lessons he learned from his parents are with him today as he's well entrenched in his second career as a consultant and coach.

I met Dan about six years ago at a quarterly meeting with our supplier Resource Associates. He is a quiet, easy going sort who at the time was in business with his wife Lee, and friend Kathy Bowman Atkins. Lee has since gone out on her own. Dan and Kathy have built a successful consulting business in and around Greensboro, NC. They met at General Dynamics and decided to go out on their own. It's proven to be a very successful partnership.

Dan's parents were hard working folks living in New Bedford, MA. Dan's father recently passed away, but lived a good life based on hard work, commitment and love for his family. All lessons passed down to his kids. Dan was the third of 10. He remembers vividly the organization involved in getting ready for Church, folding clothes and bringing in groceries. Dan's father was in the Marines during WWII. As you might expect, they had weekly inspections focused on keeping their rooms, closets and bathrooms clean.

Dan married his high school sweetheart on his birthday, the day after Lee graduated from college in 1973. They have three wonderful children and just welcomed their first grand child into the world. Dan. like his siblings, has had a wonderful career at AT & T and General Dynamics before founding (with Kathy) The Lattitude Group. His demeanor, patience and listening abilities have served him well throughout his career and with his family. He has been a great coach to me over the past two years and has helped Joan and I with our annual strategic plan.

I am pleased and blessed to call Dan a friend and know he would do anything for me. Can't ask for much more in life. I never met Dan's family, but see how he has incorporated the lessons well. It shows in his words and actions. Lessons abound for all of us, but it's the few who utilize them on a daily basis. Happy Birthday and Anniversary. Continued success for many more!

Foul!

2010-05-30T13:10:00.002-04:00

Back in October, I wrote a blog entitled, "Knowing Your Role." It talked about the positive impact back up players had in the Phillies championship run. Today, its just the opposite. On Wednesday, umpire Joe West, in his 34th season as an umpire, called two balks on Chicago White Sox pitcher, Mark Buehrle. The balk is at best a confusing play in baseball. A pitcher is not allowed to deceive the runner at first and therefore must abide by several rules to avoid the call and keep a runner at first. Left handed pitchers have always had an advantage as they're facing the runner and need only to stride toward first. There is an imaginary 45 degree line running from the pitcher's mound to the first base line. If you're foot lands on the home plate side-it's a balk. It is the least called rule in baseball. On Wednesday, Joe West called it on Buehrle in two successive innings. The last call, in the third inning, resulted in Buehrle being thrown out of the ballgame. His manager, Ozzie Guillen, was thrown out after the first call in the second inning. The last time Mark Buehrle was thrown out of a game was in 2005.

Who do we pay to watch? Is the umpires? No. Is is the manager and coaches? No. Final guess-is it the players? Absolutely! I saw a reply and saw a close play that is almost never called-certainly not twice in a ballgame. To make matters worse, West waved Guillen away before he could ask what Buehrle did. Unfortunately, Mr. West has a history of turning the spotlight on himself and making him the issue. A great umpire is seen and not heard. He is the one who keeps calm while all the emotion swirls about him. He doesn't or shouldn't create the issue-he should subdue it. Not so on Wednesday and not so in recent history.

Do you see this happen at work? Are there folks in your organization whose chant is "Me,me,me,me...? " How do you help them realize they are negatively impacting the organization? For many organizations, nothing is done. In most cases, it's not unlike a child seeking attention. For successful organizations, individuals are coached on their positive and negative actions on a routine (weekly or bi-monthly) basis. Without this constant correction and input, a culture starts to get corrupted and it spreads. Building a good team takes time, patience and perseverance. It also involves a lot of spade work to get it just right. Perhaps Major League Baseball needs to prune some of its own and make sure everyone knows their role.

Grinders

2010-05-15T15:42:00.002-04:00

In the last 24 hours, I've witnessed two events that celebrate the fortitude of the human spirit and how sheer willpower can help us achieve our goals. I don't watch much hockey and like most sports I believe the season is too long. Last night, however, was a remarkable game and feat by the Philadelphia Flyers. In the Eastern Conference semi-finals (2nd round of the playoffs), the Flyers found themselves down three games to none in the best of seven series. In other words, they were one game away from elimination. The Flyers fought back to tie the series and traveled to Boston for the final game. Ironically found themselves down 3 -0 after 15 minutes. As many of you know, the Flyers came back with four answered goals to win the game and the series. How improbable is that you ask? In the history of all major league sports, baseball, football, hockey, basketball, it has been done exactly three times prior to last night. The last time was in 2004 when the Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees.

This morning, I volunteered at the local Kennett Square (PA) Run. It's an annual event with nearly 3,000 runners and walkers participating. My job was to make sure cars didn't leave a neighborhood on the route. Often, it's a dangerous job, but I'm happy to report no incidents! My post was just short of the four mile mark at the top of a long incline. This was a 10K or 6.2 mile race. The first runners appeared to hardly exert an effort, though their pace was lower than 5 minutes/mile. The rest of the field was an assortment of athletes of all shapes and sizes-literally. I'm not sure the body is made to run like some of the folks did. Bottom line, they all made it up the hill and persevered. They may not have been going fast, but they were going. For many, it was a very difficult challenge. I saw a lot of grit and determination. As the last two persons jockeyed for the last spot, I wasn't sure if they appreciated their effort or were embarrassed to be at the end of the race followed by a police car. I hope they appreciated their effort.

In both cases, the effort to meet the goal was a circuitous one. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette summed up their journey by saying "It's not the ideal path, but its our path." No one wants to lose the first three games, but sometimes it happens. You can't always control events, but you can control your reaction to them. How hard are you willing to work to reach your goal? What happens if unanticipated obstacles get in your way? Do you grind through it or give up? Many of us give up just before we succeed. Perhaps the runners in Kennett Square and the Flyers can show us how to grind it out.

Gone But Not Forgotten

2010-05-09T13:50:00.003-04:00

Last week, baseball lost one of the good men of the game. Ernie Harwell died at the age of 92. For 42 years, Ernie was the play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Tigers. Coincidentally, his first season in Detroit was my second season of life. For nearly 20 years, he brought the Tigers to me through the radio. He matched the pace of the summer-some highs, some lows, but mostly a nice, relaxed pace. His presence was always assumed. In the past few years, I've seen shows about him or heard clips from games he called. Though everyone calls their announcer the best-Ernie Harwell was.

Last year, Philadelphia lost Harry Kalas and there was deep mourning for a lost friend. I know Detroit is going through the same hurt today. Ernie Harwell was 92 and as he said, worked at something he loved. I was saddened when I heard of his death on Tuesday. Memories of people I've known, neighborhoods, ball games, and high school all came flooding back because of the death of a man I never knew personally, but represents an impressionable part of my life. There is a certain sadness in thinking about all that's behind me. I'm also buoyed by the fact that I remember my family, friends and experiences in Michigan fondly and with clarity. In two years I'll see many of them at our 35th reunion. Until then, there is Facebook.

Most of us would sign up for a good quality of life into the 90's. Ernie Harwell knew he was blessed with a long life doing what he loved. To read the eulogies, the love was mutual. Willie Horton, the Tigers left fielder in the 60's and 70's said it was a blessing to have him in his life. Is that such a bad legacy to leave behind? Ernie Harwell left the world a better place. It's a goal worth living.

Mr. Bill and Miss Kathy

2010-05-02T19:42:00.003-04:00

My biographical series continues with a man I met growing up on the hard streets of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Just kidding, I don't think there's a more bucolic place in the country than Bloomfield Hills. We had lived in our house for a couple of years when a young family moved in across the street. They were young, hip and had a cool yellow Corvette. They had one child at the time. I was nine going on seven. It turns out that my life and Bill and Kathy Sante's lives would intertwine for many years.

As I recall, they were the first adults who treated me as an grown up-or at least a kid with a decent head on his shoulder. I'm sure there were others including my parents, but they don't count. It took a couple of years to get to know them given my busy schedule as a fourth grader. Soon though, I was doing odd jobs and babysitting on weekends. Bill has a great sense of humor and often used it to pass on a life lesson. He was excellent at helping me manage up the chain of command at our house while not taking sides. I helped him paint one summer and enjoyed his witticism and war stories-all appropriate for a young teen.

In 1978, while I was at college, Bill took a job with Rockwell International and moved the family to Pittsburgh. A year later, Bill was diagnosed with Hodgkin's and went through an aggressive radiation therapy. He survived and continued to be a mentor. As luck would have it, my first job took me to Pittsburgh. Bill and Kathy opened their home and took me under their wing. I know they appreciated my roommate and I cooking at 2:00 in the morning. It was during that visit that Bill got concerned about our choice of an apartment and shared his reservations with my dad. Good call-though I didn't see it that way at the time. I saw them frequently and Bill continued to give good career advice.

I left Pittsburgh in 1984 only to return again with a family in 1995. Bill and Kathy were wonderful and enjoyed the turnaround as I tried to manage two boys under the age of 5. They lived a couple of miles away and were frequent visitors. They also enlisted their oldest daughter Jennifer to help out. They have been great friends for us-always there when we needed them. The circle of life plays out in our relationship as they watched our boys while we attended my father-in-laws funeral and I have given their son Bill some career advice.

We saw Bill and Kathy a couple of years ago when we were looking at colleges for the boys. They are in great shape and have several grandchildren in the area to dote over. I have been blessed to have them in my life and appreciate all the love, support and advice over the years. One never knows what lessons will be learned drinking a Coke in the shade during a break.

A Code of Honor

2010-04-24T10:35:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I don't watch much golf. I usually hit the majors and maybe some of the Ryder Cup. Suffice it to say I didn't make plans to spend Sunday afternoon watching the Verizon Heritage from Hilton Head Island. In retrospect, maybe I should have.

Our local paper headlined that "Davis' Penalty Leads to Furyk Win." It was the headline because Jim Furyk is from the area. I read on to find out that Furyk and Brian Davis had a playoff to determine the winner as they were tied after 72 holes. Davis, an Englishman, has never won on the PGA tour. As he attempted to chip on the green, his pitching wedge moved a loose reed in the marshy area surrounding the green. He called for a rules official, explained what happened and called a penalty on himself! The rules official asked his colleagues to review the replay and soon confirmed the two-strok penalty. Davis conceded the hole to Furyk who became the winner.

What does this say about Brian Davis? Cynics might say that if he didn't call it, someone might have called it on him. I prefer to think differently. As I read the article (I didn't see it-even on replay) it appears he immediately called for the official and didn't even try the shot. Golfers, as a whole, take the rules seriously and consider adherence to them an outward sign of integrity. Mr. Davis showed all that and more on Sunday. It shows he is a man of honor, with a great deal of respect for the sport. He lives by golf's code of honor.

Would we do the same thing? If we make a mistake or omission at work, do we call ourselves out? Perhaps we do if we know we'll get caught. What if there is no chance of knowing you made the mistake or omission? I've asked myself that question this week. I believe I would, but won't know until I'm in that position. How does an organization reward those who have that integrity and not punish? These are not easy answers. A friend of mine defines honesty as being truthful in what you say and integrity in taking responsibility for what you do. It's a hard definition for all of us to follow, yet 90% of those I've worked with or met would say that honesty and integrity are among their core values. On Sunday, Brian Davis showed the world that he is a man of integrity and lives by a code of honor.

Order Has Been Restored

2010-04-11T20:23:00.003-04:00

There was a Nike ad I saw this week in Sports Illustrated that is the title of today's blog. It sums up this piece I had rolling around in my head since Duke won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship a couple of week's ago. Duke has been a perennial powerhouse in college basketball, though there has been a drought the past six years-no trips to the final four. 2010 put things back in order.

Duke is lead by their coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K). He had been there 30 years, nearly half his adult life. In that time, Duke has won 4 National Conferences (including 2010), been to the Final Four 11 times; have been in 12 Elite 8's, won the ACC Conference Championship 12 times and the regular season 12 times. They play meaningful games almost every night. To be this effective, there must be a system.

Whether you like Duke or not, you must respect what they've accomplished. The men on this team typically graduate and most don't have a career in the NBA. He brings in players that will excel in his system, not be standouts who will leave after their freshman year. He is a tactician, a motivator, and has a system that works. On occasion, he tweaks the system but there is no doubt it is his.

Every successful organization has a system in place in order to replicate success. One of the hardest thing for small organizations is to take the time to create processes that still allows creativity and the flow of new products. It's a delicate balance that many organizations can't achieve which stymies or extinguishes growth. Every organization needs a Coach K at a leadership level that will create and execute a successful system. What kind of order does your organization have? Maybe its time to create some.

Sometimes, The Best Person Wins!

2010-04-11T19:59:00.002-04:00

I don't watch much golf, but for some reason I always seem to watch the Masters and US Open. I had a run in my youth where I saw three out of four US Opens in a row. Incredible courses and incredible golf. Perhaps heading to Augusta is on my bucket list-but that's not the point of today's blog.

The Master's has been hyped for weeks as the return of Tiger Woods. Against all odds, he actually played well and kept himself in the tournament until late today. Fortunately, that's not the story. Today, Phil Mickelson won his third Masters. He is such a likable guy and like most of us on the golf course, takes shots that defy logic. In many of the major tournaments, those shots fail. He has finished second or tied for second five times at the US Open including last year. You may recall that his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks before the tournament.

Phil is an easy guy to root for. He seems like a regular guy who grinds his way to wins. Today he took the same shots he did at the US Open last year, but made them. On the 13th hole, after hitting his fourth tee shot into the woods, he made an impossible shot between trees and landed on the green. Pure Phil.

His wife continues to battle breast cancer and last July, his Mom was diagnosed with it also. If anyone should have won today it was Phil Mickelson. The embrace and tears after his win with Amy (his wife) was touching. Reminiscent of Tiger's emotions after his father died.

Who in your organization deserves to "win?" Most of us have people who battle personal issues but come in every day to do their best. Perhaps they have ailing parents and a special needs child. Maybe they've overcome an addiction and fight it every day. In our own way, we need to reach out and let them know they're appreciated-that they're making a difference for the organization. We all want to see our teammates do well-what should we be doing to support them? Just like Phil, the best person needs a win.

The Best Day of the Year

2010-04-05T04:31:00.002-04:00

Everyone has a favorite day. Perhaps it's your birthday, a holiday, etc. Today, is my favorite day. This is the day that baseball opens (officially) and the college basketball champion is crowned. It is a day of optimism, enthusiasm, pride, patriotic fervor and a chance to finally shake the winter.

This is a day that I've been anticipating for weeks, if not months. If I had thought it through, I would have taken the day off and watched 10 hours of baseball, taking a break to watch the first hour of "24" then settle in for the men's National Basketball Championship. I would have eaten a lot of junk food, monitored my blood sugar to make sure I would live to see tomorrow then struggled the rest of the week with my normal sleep patterns. It would have been a fine day. I'll have to write a note to myself to do it next year.

To be fair, I don't watch college basketball until mid-March. I play a pool and am usually humiliated, but have fun trying. There is so much about life that gets played out in 2+ weeks of the NCAA tournament. Hard work, determination, preparation and the feeling that on any given day, David can beat Goliath. I'm not sure that will play out tonight (Butler vs. Duke) but it's a nice thought. What I do know is that the tournament is the perfect lead in to my favorite sport-baseball. Today there are 13 games starting with the Nationals hosting the Phillies and ending with Seattle at Oakland. Thus, the long and winding road of 162 games culminating with the playoffs and World Series. Life is good!

What is your favorite day? Does your organization have a favorite day? We all need to look forward to something out of the ordinary that recharges our batteries and gives us a positive outlook on life. For many, this is done on personal time. Nothing wrong with that. Forward thinking organizations need to create days that bring a sense of fulfillment while helping to invigorate our thinking. It could be a retreat or training but it should help to motivate all your employees. Clearly, it's easier to do in small organizations but that shouldn't stop us from trying.

Enjoy today-no matter your motivation, interests or passions. I'll revel in the fact it's the best day of my year.

Birthday Celebrations

2010-03-31T18:32:00.002-04:00

This is a big week for our family. It turns out that my parents were born six days and four years apart. This Friday, my Dad turns 80 and last week my Mom turned 76. I probably get no points for stating their ages, but both are milestones to be celebrated. These are special days for both, with many experiences between them. Thankfully, both are in good health and stay active.

When one looks back on their lives, there are lessons and experiences that stick with us. Both of my parents were born and raised during the Great Depression. As many of you know, those raised during that time tend to be conservative with their money, have a great work ethic, and never want to be without again. My mom's side had it a bit easier than my dad's family, though the impressions formed run deep. Like many families, they never knew they were poor or did without. This allows one to grow up without airs or feeling like you need to catch up with others.

My parents represent the baby boomers and part of the "Greatest Generation." They have worked hard all their lives, put three kids through school, supported us when necessary, and provide an on-going example of how to live your life. They don't ask much in return and probably don't get much back. They have lead by example all their life and my siblings and I are better off for it.

Birthdays are a time of reflection and hope. We celebrate the past and hope it has positioned us well for the future. When you're 80 and 76, there is much to celebrate. I suppose one wonders about their legacy, did they make good decisions, and what if they had to do it all over again? We all make decisions throughout our lives that define who we are and what we have to give. My parents are no exception. My Dad was in the Marines then went to Virginia Tech. He met my Mom and then took a job with Chrysler in Detroit. For thirty-two years he worked there, and created a life for themselves in Michigan. In 1996, they moved back to Virginia to Williamsburg, about an hour north of where they were raised.

Who knows how many years they have left? By the looks of both of them-I'd say many. I can attest they have made good decisions and don't need to consider "what-ifs." I'm proud to be their son and thank them for all their love and support. I guess that's the best way to say thanks and repay them for all they've done and given to me. Join me in celebrating their birthdays and let's hope there are many more.

Nothing Left to Lose!

2010-03-22T19:28:00.002-04:00

The first weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament is a sports junkie's dream. For 96 hours, 32 games are played where anything and everything can happen. Just ask the men of the University of Kansas. They were the best team in America according to every poll and now they sit and watch. Murray State and Michigan State have won games at the buzzer. This is sports at its finest.

In my mind, no team has been more impressive than Cornell from the Ivy League. Typically, the Ivy League sends their champ to be a sacrificial lamb for a big school on their way to the final four. This year, Cornell dominated their opponents with a 27-4 record. On Friday, they whipped Temple and did the same on Sunday to Wisconsin (Big Ten). Next stop, Kentucky on Thursday night. I suspect teams like Cornell feel like they are playing with house money. They have nothing to lose. They have already gone much further than anyone thought. Now, they play on the national stage against one of the great basketball programs in the country. Expectations are low and their intensity will be high.

This reminds me of start up organizations. While their owners have a lot to lose, they're not given much credit (initially) in the marketplace. The organization is intensely focused on product launches, sales and effectively utilizing cash (or at least should be). It is hard to keep this intensity for long and soon process and ritual take over. Many organizations would be better off having the entrepreneurial mentality and going for broke. Most organizations settle into a certain pace where ultimately, mediocrity is the standard.

When making a decision this week, figure out how to light a fire under your organization and play like you have nothing left to lose.

Warning Signs

2010-03-14T12:25:00.002-04:00

On February 27th, a Georgetown University junior named Austin Freeman was suffering from a cold and stomach virus-like symptoms. He is their leading scorer with an average of 17.3 points per game. He had to take intravenous fluids to come off the bench against Notre Dame. By all reports, he was shaky and pale while scoring five points in 23 minutes. Two days later, he was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. He is 20 years old.

A couple of days earlier I felt chest pressure, numbness in my left arm and numbness in both pinkies. The chest pressure took me to the hospital. My heart is fine, but I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. I am 51 years old. Diabetes is a serious condition, but not life threatening. It requires a change in diet, exercise, and constant monitoring of your blood sugar. I was self injecting insulin for the first week of my diagnosis, but now take oral medication twice a day. There a things I have to watch for and understand how my body reacts to foods-but all manageable. The good news is that I've lost weight and maintaining it along with an improvement in eyesight. Go figure.

Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post wrote an excellent column on Austin Freeman, other athletes with Diabetes and his own diagnosis a couple of years ago. Click here for the link to his column. The good news for all of us and many of the 285 million people across the globe is that we know what we have and if we take responsibility, can control it. There are many who have it much worse, some who don't realize it.

Are there warning signs of disease in your organization? Is there less enthusiasm than normal? Is absenteeism up? Are people taking calls on their cellphones outside of the office? Are there more whispers around the water cooler? Leadership's first reaction may be to get angry and challenge folks. Look deeper-perhaps you're the cause. I find that there are buoys everyone in life-many are in the workplace. Look to read those buoys and react accordingly. Sometimes we make a decision without understanding the consequences. Think about the warning signs and get help. Many diseases are controllable-both in the body and the organization.

Rae Burton

2010-03-08T19:18:00.002-05:00

It's time for another profile. As I mentioned last month, I had the thought of writing a book and went about the business of interviewing those who have had a positive influence on me. This profile is about Rae Burton, a retired PPG Industries Vice-President, who I met in 1993 when I transferred to Lake Charles, LA. I reported to Rae through my plant manager, then on a dotted line basis when I was the Information Technology for the Chemicals division.

Rae is an "old school" guy who believes in personal relationships. Your word is your honor. He used the phone and travelled extensively to personally meet with customers, suppliers and his team. My first and lasting impression of Rae is that you had to be prepared and know your stuff. He doesn't suffer fools easily and helped me understand that preparation is the key to success. There are no free rides with Rae. You have to work for respect. He will not ask a person to do anything he wouldn't or hasn't done himself.

He is from San Antonio, TX with a degree from the University of Texas in Chemical Engineering and Business. He then went into the Navy for four years after graduation. Once leaving the Navy, he found PPG and stayed for 32 years, retiring in 2004. He picked PPG from the handful of offers because he felt they listened to him in the interviews and understood what he looked for in a career. He also felt they had high ethical standards, which would be supported throughout his career.

I'm a better person and leader because of Rae. I may not have always agreed with his methods, but he taught me that consistency and adherence to high ethical standards is a foundation for personal and professional success. With Rae, ethics are not situational. I define integrity as being true to your actions. Rae exemplified that core value for me. He would not tolerate unethical behavior and always moved quickly to root it out of his organizations. In addition, he lead his divisions to high levels of profitability year in and year out. I think of him often and hope I have the character to stick to my core values in every situation.

I wish Rae well and glad we had the chance to connect a couple of years ago. I know he is enjoying the three "g's" in his retirement-grand kids, golf and gardening. I hope he knows the impact he's made on me and those who worked with him.

Dancing with Purpose

2010-02-28T15:23:00.004-05:00

Sport is defined as an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or other for entertainment. Last weekend, students at Penn State University (PSU) added another wrinkle to the definition. In addition to entertainment (where there was plenty) they danced for the benefit of others. Over 700 dancers participated in the university's annual dance marathon, known as THON, to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund. This organization funds research and helps families with expenses incurred during pediatric cancer treatment. Over 300 student organizations, 3,300 coordinators and 15,000 student volunteers came together to raise an incredible $7.5 million.

I liken THON weekend to Jerry Lewis' Labor Day weekend for Muscular Dystrophy. Though I wasn't there, my son detailed the event-the energy, entertainment and absolute desire to succeed. The dancers were required to dance for 46 hours, not only to raise the money, but to do something bigger than themselves. My son called us as he was leaving the event excited, tired but proud of his participation. He didn't dance, but he supported those who did. He was touched and impressed with a young man named Tucker Haas. He was diagnosed with cancer at 2 and has been in remission for three years. Follow this link to watch Tucker wow the crowd.

As we've talked about in this blog many times, linking actions to your purpose or something bigger than yourself will always create a better effort, sustain energy and focus, and bring greater satisfaction. What is your organization doing to create a sense of purpose? Without purpose, we tend to go through the motions. Almost everyone is looking for a link to a greater vision or mission.

I'm very pleased that the kids involved at Penn State understand there is more to life than school and socials. THON will be a life lesson to all, that their dancing had purpose.

February 22, 1980

2010-02-21T18:34:00.003-05:00

Where were you 30 years ago today? I was a junior at Miami University and had recently been elected Commander (President) of my fraternity, Sigma Nu. We had a small controversy brewing. It was our first social with a sorority since the new officers took over and as the US Hockey team kept winning, it was clear they were going to play the Soviet Union during the social. It all worked out and the win helped all of us celebrate (like we needed a reason).

Many of you weren't born 30 years ago. It seems like yesterday. If you didn't live through that time, it's hard to describe. The US was getting beat up everywhere. We couldn't rescue our hostages in Iran, inflation was in the teens, the economy looked like 2008, and we had lost the respect of the world. There were no cell phones, e-mail, I-Pods or Twitter. Hard to believe, there was no ESPN either. For those of you who don't remember, the Soviet Union and the entire communist block played with professional teams in the Olympics. The Americans (and others) were amateurs, consisting of mostly college players. To make matters worse, a few days before the Olympics began in Lake Placid, NY, the Soviet Union pasted the US 10-3 in an exhibition.

What happened in Lake Placid was a miracle. It was a shot of adrenaline to an otherwise downbeat nation. Every few years we have this swelling of national pride. This was one of those times. Two days later, the team would win the gold medal against Sweden. On February 22nd, it didn't matter. They had come face to face with the enemy and won!

This weekend, there have been several documentaries celebrating the 30th anniversary. As I look at the names on their jerseys, very few were superstars. This was truly a team effort spearheaded by one of the great coaches in our lifetime, Herb Brooks. For six months, he molded them into a team, pushing them beyond their physical limits. By all accounts, they were the best conditioned team in the Olympics. He was a master of motivation. The combination of the men on the team and Herb Brooks and his coaches was a unique recipe for success.

Mark Eruzione, the captain of the team, made a comment that said that the team needed Herb Brooks, but Herb needed the individuals of the team. He also said they genuinely liked each other and never want to let each other down. It's a good concept to remember. How good could your organization be if they felt the same way as the 1980 US Hockey team? It's worth giving it a try.

It was a wonderful trip down memory lane and yes, I believe in miracles!

Solitary Man

2010-02-20T13:04:00.002-05:00

I can't say that I'm riveted to the television watching the Olympics. It has been a nice diversion to a horrible winter (weather wise). I did not see the men's figure skating (one can only take so much) but I did see the celebration as American skater, Evan Lysacek, won a gold medal. I started to think about all the time he has spent on the ice training and visualizing this moment. He will be 25 in June and won his first competition at 10. He had dedicated his life in pursuit of Olympic gold. He showed his grit in Torino finishing fourth after a horrible short program due to illness. He took IV's and rose from 10th to 4th. His hard work and dedication paid off. Barring injury, he should be set for life touring with the various ice shows and perhaps commentating in the future.

Lysacek is not the only Olympian that trains in virtual solitude and fixes their life on Olympic gold. He's one of many, not to mention the thousands (millions?) who train all their life and fall short. What's the difference in with those who medal and those don't achieve their goal? There is certainly physical ability, but that only goes so far. It is a positive attitude. We all know people in our lives, hopefully ourselves, that set goals and create a positive behavioral change through a positive attitude. A positive attitude gets us out of bed in the morning; it forces us to look for the good in people and situations; it keeps us focused; and it allows us to ask, why not me?

There are millions of people who have positive attitudes and create a better life for themselves. There are just as many (seemingly more) whose attitudes are sour and become victims of their circumstance. Where do you fall? You may never be an Olympian, but you can act like one. Take a look at your attitude and make it positive.

Playing with Purpose

2010-02-13T13:11:00.005-05:00

I am surprised and appreciative of all the comments I received on my last blog. I asked the question on Linked in who would give up millions to pursue their dream and happiness as Grant Desme seems to have done. I am impressed with the testimonials of those who have left lucrative financial careers to start their own businesses, work for non-profits, or start your own non-profit.

It turns out this is the perfect lead in to this week's blog. We all know about Hurricane Katrina and the devastation in New Orleans and much of the gulf coast that still exists today. It came through New Orleans in August, 2005 and made the convention center and Super Dome shelters of the last resort. Over 1,800 died, most from Louisiana, and the economic loss was nearly $90 billion. Through the umpteen hours of Super Bowl coverage, we know that the Saints renaissance began in 2006 with the arrival of head coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees and running back Reggie Bush. In one of the most memorable Monday night football games I have ever seen, the Saints come back to the Super Dome September 25, 2006 and win big against the Falcons.

The question is - why do the Saints matter and how does it relate to giving up millions to follow your dream? It's my belief that many of the Saints played the Super Bowl for the city of New Orleans rather than themselves. Perhaps I'm naive, but there is no doubt in my mind that Drew Brees will remain in New Orleans the remainder of his career. He has been extremely active in the New Orleans community along with his wife Brittany. They have become part of the fabric of their community. He, along with many of his teammates, felt they could finally lift their city out of the shadow of Katrina with a Super Bowl win. I believe they have.

How does this relate to your organization? Perhaps it doesn't. If that's the case, go back to your organization's mission and determine whether it's meaningful. It tells me that there is no mission link and your teams are there for the paycheck and personal gain. This may work in the short run, but your best and brightest will leave for a better paycheck and the promise of further personal gain. Everyone needs a purpose to exist. Those who don't become victims. As we enjoy President's Day, think about your purpose, your organization's mission, and how you can link these for organization. Think of the commitment you'll achieve at all levels.

The Pursuit of Happiness

2010-01-31T13:25:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, a story hit the wires that made news in baseball circles but did not get much play beyond us baseball freaks. A young man of 23 years named Grant Desme decided to leave baseball and begin the process of becoming a Priest. Last year, he played A ball at both Kane County and Stockton. Both are Oakland A's minor league teams. He batted .288 with 31 home runs, 89 runs batted in (rbis) and 40 steals. He was the only player at any level in the minors to have 30 home runs and at least 30 steals. In his fall league, he hit .315 with 11 home runs and 27 rbis in 27 games. This young man has talent and was expected to rise to AA or AAA ball in the spring. He was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying "I'm doing well in baseball. But I had to get down to the bottom of things, to what was good in my life, what I wanted to do with my life. Baseball is a good thing, but that felt selfish of me when I felt that God was calling me more. It took a while to trust that and open up to it and aim full steam toward Him...I love the game, but going to aspire to higher things."

How many of us hear the call to do something different but ignore it? Many of us have but not acted on it and find ourselves going through the motions. There are many factors one has to consider when determining your life's work. Money is certainly one of them. You have to admire this young man's maturity and decision. He is pursuing his call and willing to give up the potential of millions of dollars and a different kind of glory. How many of us would put our faith in God and forgo all that he has? It would be very difficult.

He has entered a Catholic Seminary in Orange, CA and will begin to discern whether the Priesthood is for him. Selfishly, I hope it is, but only God knows that answer. The fact that he is willing to put his trust in God is a good first step. For the rest of us, be open to your purpose and determine the right path for you. We don't get many chances to pursue happiness in our lives, so be open to it when you can.

Lead by Example

2010-01-23T13:01:00.003-05:00

In the summer of 2007, I decided to write a book based on people in my life that have influenced me in a positive way. I went through the process of interviewing twelve individuals or couples but have never taken the next step. I've felt bad that I took their time and didn't follow up.

Today, my goals don't include writing a book. Perhaps one day I'll catch up to my wife Joan, who's written three. To honor those who took the time to sit with me two years ago, I will feature one person/couple a month in this blog. Though it's not a sports example, the profiles provide leadership examples. Specifically, each represents some formation of one of my core values-not just as a younger man, but throughout my life. Each of these folks has lived a wonderful life with many life lessons. Today, we start with the first couple I interviewed, Dutchie and Larry Brandon who have helped form and strengthen my core value of courage and have led by example throughout their lives.

Larry is a Deacon at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in West Chester, PA and was ordained in the first class of diaconates in the Baltimore Archdiocese in 1973. They moved to West Chester in 1974. Larry is retired but had a very successful career in the insurance industry starting with USF & G in 1957 culminating as Chairman of the American Institute in Malvern, PA. He retired in 2001 but has been active and serves on several boards. Dutchie, his wife of nearly 53 years raised 7 children and has supported Larry in so many ways. The beauty of all my interviews rests in understanding a person's foundation. Dutchie and Larry have lived thier lives according to their moral compass. In their lifetime, they have marched with the Berrigan brothers, started charities in their community, and have been leaders in the Catholic church.

I'm drawn to the Brandons because of their quiet compassion and moral strength. They walk with confidence and without airs. Larry is so soft spoken that you have to strain to hear his wonderful homilies. They have a rock solid belief system that resonates from within. I am most impressed with their love for each other and their family (including 21 grandchildren). Their faith and love have carried them on a wonderful journey.

Larry and Dutchie have set an example for their family and friends. There's a calmness that invokes confidence, a grace that produces wonderment, and a passion for life that transcends generations. They continue to set a wonderful example daily.

A Slippery Slope

2010-01-17T11:37:00.003-05:00

This may seem a bit dated given all that has gone on in sports the last week. I want to take you back to the announcement of the new inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame. As you may recall, the very good Andre Dawson made it in the regular voting.

I am a passionate baseball fan so bear with me while I make the argument that Andre Dawson is not deserving of the Hall. I believe that the Hall of Fame is for the exceptional, not the very good. I have watched baseball for 45 years and have seen some very good players. I have also seen or watched on TV a handful of exceptional players. Let me recount them in alphabetical order: Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Lou Brock, Rod Carew, Roberto Clemente, Steve Carlton, Bob Gibson, Tony Gwynn, Catfish Hunter, Al Kaline, Sandy Koufax, Reggie Jackson, Mickey Mantle, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Cal Ripken, Jr., Frank Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, Willie Stargell, Carl Yastrzemski, and Robin Yount. This list is based on the best players I have seen in my lifetime. In 45 years, I believe there are 33 outstanding baseball players. A very elite list. Since 1970, 178 men have been elected to the Hall of Fame. Is it possible there's some dilution going on?

So what's the big deal. Here it is-as you add men who are good, they become the model and base for the future Hall of Fame voting. In the past, there were certain targets that if met, brought you into the Hall. Offensively, if you had more that 3,000 hit or over 500 home runs you were a lock. Pitchers who won 300 games also got in. These are automatic entries because it is so difficult to do. Unfortunately, a player like Andre Dawson doesn't match up. He had a .279 batting average, 438 home runs and 1,591 runs batted in. Now, the next guy who has similar numbers will have to be considered. Again, Dawson was a very, very good player but not exceptional. The Hall will continue to dilute and the exceptional will be crowded out by the very good.

How about your organization? Ever had to hire someone in a hurry to fill a position? You allow someone in your organization that "can do the job" but is not perfect for the job. You should only be hiring exceptional people. Once you dilute the hiring, all others interviewed are compared to the very good (or worse). What will eventually happen to your organization? It will move toward mediocrity rather than excellence. This will require more time supervising, mentoring, cajoling, documenting and ultimately firing. Not very productive from my standpoint.

Keep your standards high. Perform at your best and expect the same of others. It's a slippery slope once you go down the path of settling for less than the best.

What Took So Long?

2010-01-06T21:14:00.003-05:00

The first day of the new year brought us news that Gilbert Arenas and his Washington Wizards teammate, Jarvis Crittenton pulled guns on each other after a recent practice. By my calculation, the event happened in December. Today, NBA Commissioner, David Stern, suspended Arenas indefinitely. Commissioner Stern is being hailed as a "zero tolerance" man coming down hard on Arenas. Not to be impolite, but WHAT TOOK SO LONG? It seems to me if an employee brings a gun to their workplace, they are gone. At minimum, a whole week has gone by without any action. In fact, Arenas was in Philadelphia last night and mocked the situation by being photographed before the game pointing his index fingers as guns in amusement. He played in the game.

I am not a big pro basketball fan (see paragraph above) but I do have some common sense. Why didn't the Wizards suspend him and Crittenton pending an investigation? A firearm in the locker room should not be tolerated for any reason. It's incredible that nothing happened until today. Perhaps the Wizards should change their name back to the Bullets.

It is my belief that the Wizards will never be a winning organization. Accepting thug-like behavior transcends the team and crumbles a positive foundation. In business, there are rules, procedures, policies and guidelines in place that set the tone and culture for all employees. It's not the written word that defines the culture but the actions that support it. How does your organization live up to its mission and core values? Many of you have them on the wall in the reception area or in the hallways. Are they for show or are all levels walking the talk?

It's hard to do the right thing because we've become jaded by headlines like these. Go back to basics, blow the dust off your values statement and set the right foundation for your organization. You'll be surprised at the results.

Here's to the Good Folks of Sports!

2009-12-24T15:45:00.006-05:00

It's taken a couple extra days to compose this year end blog. I want to end on a good note. There are many players, coaches and executives out there that embody the good in sports and really are role models. To help put this together, I've asked my friends, David Kot, Ken Glenn, Melissa Squarcia and Patrick Curry to participate. I appreciate their efforts and have noted their input below. Keep in mind, any of these folks could fall from grace (see Tiger Woods) at any time. This is based on what we know. In general, I've selected people who provide inspiration to others and help them achieve at higher levels.

Roger Barta, Head Football Coach for the Smith Center, KS Redmen
Coach Barta has coached the Smith Center Redmen for over 30 years compiling a 289 - 58 record. His team has won eight state championships in a town of less than 1,500. His team had a record 80 game winning streak broken in the 2009 championship game. Coach Barta and his team are the subject of a great read: Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen by Joe Drape. Coach Barta is a great teacher and has led by example all his life. Read the book, it will all make sense.

Kris O'Dowd, Center, University of Southern California
Kris is a late addition to my list but no less worthy. I was watching ESPN while wrapping presents on Thursday when I saw the story of twelve year old Jake Olson. Jake is twelve and has battled cancer since his birth. It took his left eye when he was one. Over the next 12 years, the cancer came back 8 times. Finally, he had to have his right eye removed. Jake played center for his flag football team and became friends with Kris O'Dowd Southern Cal's center. He came to practices and O'Dowd took him under his wing. Kris was there before the surgery and has provided support since then. Kudos for looking beyond himself and understanding the impact he can have as an athlete. Follow the story on ESPN.

Tony Dungy, Retired Football Player and Coach
This is a good man, was a great coach, and now is the official rehabilitator of wayward athletes. He is a wonderful man who has shown us the pain of losing a son to suicide and knew when to hang it up. He continues to teach us right from wrong. My friend, Patrick Curry, lobbied hard for him. Coach Dungy needs to be careful not to get overexposed.

Toby Gerhart, Running Back, Stanford Cardinal
My friend Ken Glenn is passionate about this guy. The east coast didn't see much of Toby, but he has compiled impressive statistics over his four year at Stanford. He came in second in the Heisman and finished first in rushing yards (1,726) and touchdowns (26). He won numerous awards for football and plays baseball for the Cardinal. He will graduate in 2010 with a Management Science and Engineering degree. You get the feeling he can do anything he puts his mind to. He seems humble and focused. Keep an eye on this young man!

Derek Jeter, Shortstop, New York Yankees
He will go down as one of the most admired players in the history of baseball. Even Red Sox fans have to admire the "Captain." He set the Yankee record for hits this year in addition to having one of his best seasons. He is a person who goes out every day and hustles, works hard and achieves results. He will be a first ballot hall-of-famer. He also runs the "Turn 2 Foundation" and has given out over $10 million since 1996 to kids programs in Kalamazoo, MI, New York and Tampa. These grants help kids "turn 2" a more positive lifestyle.

Charlie Manuel, Manager, Philadelphia Phillies
He is a personal favorite. He has no airs and few expectations other than to win. He wants his ballplayers to hustle and think every play. I was one of the first to boo the decision to hire him in 2004. Boy, was I wrong! He has taken on sportswriters and members of his team when they don't perform or make the effort. The results, three straight years of playoffs, two trips to the World Series and a World Championship in 2008. He guided the team to the World Series in 2009 having to contend with a slumping Jimmy Rollins, the death of Harry Kalas, and a bullpen held together with rubber bands and bailing wire. Great leadership from a great man.

Michael Oher, Offensive Tackle, Baltimore Ravens
His life story (to date) is detailed in the book and movie, "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis. His story is incredible. He is one of 13 kids left by his parents to fend for themselves. He gets taken in by a wealthy family who raises him to be a good kid and excellent football player. The Tuohy's of Memphis probably deserve their own posting. He proves that a positive attitude, hard work, and the help of others will help bring success. He was the 23rd pick in the 2009 draft by the Ravens. He played college ball at Ole Miss.

Tim Tebow, Quarterback, University of Florida
My initial thought is he's too good to be true. His performance and leadership to date are unparalleled. He has led the University of Florida to a national championship in 2008. He came back in 2009 for his senior year and played well. He is a great student, athlete and person. His eye black with scripture readings is the real deal. My friend Melissa Squarcia made the suggestion and convinced me to add him to the list. Good choice!

Ed Thomas, Deceased, Football Coach, Aplington-Parkersburg High School (Iowa)
We read about Ed Thomas with great sadness last summer when an ex-football player came and shot Coach Thomas. He died of his wounds. He is hailed as a hero in his community by leading the effort to bring the town back after a tornado in 2008. He won 292 games in 37 seasons. He was more than a coach, he was role model for the kids and the town. Follow this link to the story in Sports Illustrated. Indeed, a good man down.

Kay Yow, Deceased, Basketball Coach, North Carolina State Women's Team
Kay won 737 games over a 38 year career as a women's basketball coach. She won 680 games for the lady Wolfpack. She fought a valiant bout against cancer for over 20 years but it ultimately took her life in January. She coached nearly to the end as she took a leave of absence in early January and died January 24th. She is a hero to all that played for her. She taught women how to win and showed all of us how to live. Her moving farewell brought over 1,400 mourners to tears and cemented her reputation as a teacher, motivator, and ultimately healer. Rest in peace. See the video on youtube.

There are thousands of people making a difference every day, these are but 10 that made my list. So many are in the shadows that is takes a tragedy to uncover their impact. There are role models for all of us. Be one yourself!

Here's to a great 2010. Thank you for following this blog and the comments I've received. We'll pick it up in January. Happy Holidays to all!

Here We Go Again!

2009-12-14T09:27:00.003-05:00

I found myself struggling for a topic this week. I was thinking about some of the positives in the sports world and decided that would be my last blog of the year. Yesterday, my son and I sat down to watch the Saints/Falcons game when within minutes, the idea came to me!

On Thursday evening around 10:45 pm, Jonathan Babineaux, starting defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons was pulled over and arrested for possession of 40 grams of marijuana along with some minor vehicle issues like too much tint on his windows, driving without a license, and an expired tag. He will now fall under the NFL's substance abuse policy because he had more than an ounce of marijuana in his possession.

Given this situation, some teams and coaches would sit the player as a statement that this alleged behavior won't be tolerated. Not the Falcons. They played their star lineman against the Saints and he recorded three tackles and a quarterback hurry. Coach Mike Smith of the Falcons had this comment: "First and foremost, anytime one of our guys show up in a negative light, I am and we are as an organization disappointed. With that said, this is a process that the league and the legal system goes through. We are going to let that process run its course."

In other words, Jonathan plays until the League says he can't or he's convicted of possession-whichever comes first. Two issues here: The Falcons should set the standards for their team and what is the example they are setting?

Most organizations have employee handbooks that describes and defines what's right, fair and tolerated. It will also describe the process by which deviations from appropriate behavior will be addressed. I'm sure the Falcons have a similar handbook, made more complicated by the Player's Union. The intent of these handbooks is to set the tone and expectations of an organization. It creates an overall sense of discipline. Once known, most if not all employees follow the rules or work to get them modified if they appear onerous. In the private sector, an employee who was arrested would still be able to work until decisions were made through the legal process. But, an arrest would follow them for a period of time as they filled out applications for credit or a new job. What message are the Falcons sending by allowing him to play? They could have sat him for a quarter, half or the whole game to let the rest of the team know that a player, no matter how good, has a responsibility to the team to be at their best. This certainly means not being arrested!

Good organizations set the tone for high expectations. The Falcons will continue to mire in mediocrity until they get their house in order and instill discipline in the clubhouse.

It's Always the Cover Up!

2009-12-05T15:52:00.003-05:00

What a week it's been. Every day since Black Friday we have woken up with news of alleged "transgressions" by Tiger Woods. It all began with the accident in the wee hours of the morning. Improbably, Tiger was saved by his wife Elin who "courageously" used a golf club (apparently one was handy) to break the glass in the back of the SUV Tiger was driving when he hit as many immovable objects as possible in his neighborhood. Elin then dragged him out of the car and waited for the paramedics to arrive. I suppose that when you break the glass in the back of a vehicle, it unlocks all the doors so the person "trapped" can get out. Kids, don't try this at home!

It appears the reality is that Tiger had some "transgressions" which he is deeply sorry for and has publicly apologized to his family on his website. In the meantime, we are led to believe he and Elin are re-negotiating their pre-nuptial agreement in an attempt to "save the marriage" so Elin will stay at least two more years. Does this mean she'll be a free agent in 2012?

Let's look at the facts. Tiger Woods wrecked his car at 2:30 in the morning after Thanksgiving. Does anything positive happen when people are out at 2:30? What happened after that appears to be an attempted cover up by the Woods family and advisers to create positive spin and save Tiger's image. Unfortunately, there are folks out there who kept some voice mails that seem to indicate some "transgressions" have taken place.

All this is none of our business. Unfortunately, Tiger and his team have made it our business. They have tried to cover up what really happen. It's the cover up that we can't stand. Athletes, politicians, stars, business tycoons and regular folks have trouble coming clean. Wouldn't Richard Nixon have been better off by explaining that his overzealous re-election team crossed the line and they have been fired?

In business, many feel that others can't handle the truth (see Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men"). Instead, we lie, understate, and cover up. Most of us can overcome a mistake or lapse in judgement. None of us can survive a cover up gone wrong. Eventually, the truth survives.

As leaders, we need to create and foster an atmosphere that promotes responsibility and the room for people to make mistakes. If the organization can create that accountability where the person admits a mistake, explains how it will be corrected, and is allowed to move on with their plan-then the organization will thrive. Are you aiding and abetting a cover up or promoting an atmosphere of trust, challenge and openness? Create Tiger's, not Cheetah's!

Retirement, Resignation or POI

2009-11-27T11:49:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all and welcome to the Holidays. Thanksgiving Day gave most of us a chance to take a break from our typical days and enjoy friends and family and give thanksgiving for what we have or what we can do. Enjoy the season.

The Holiday weekend began with Allen Iverson, late of the Memphis Grizzlies, announcing his retirement. It appears Iverson is frustrated that he can't find a team that will allow him to start so he's taking his ball and going home. He is a first ballot hall of famer who holds many scoring records. He also brings significant baggage with him at each stop. Philadelphians put up with good Allen and bad Allen for nearly 10 years as a 76er before being traded to the Denver Nuggets. If he's not playing, he's a disruption. I know he could bring values to a team, but he needs to take the role of elder statesman, teach others and contribute when called on. Many athletes face this point in their career.

Athletes aren't the only ones who face a role change as careers advance. Employees face this dilemma frequently due to the flattening of the organization and people staying in their job and potentially blocking advancement of higher potential employees. We have seen many jobs eliminated the last 18 months as associates have been given early retirement, retired, or POI'd. Being POI'd is a polite way of saying your contributions are no longer needed. Thus the employee is leaving to "Pursue Other Interests." In my experience, this is code for the employee being terminated, either for cause or they are no longer a fit. On occasion, it's the employees' decision, but not usually.

Employees need to properly assess their contributions with the help of management. In many cases, their ability to stay employed may be a result of their flexibility in assignments, willingness to mentor and ability to utilize their skills in a different way. This is not necessarily an age issue, but an issue for those in their jobs for a long time. Employees need to make the choice on their career, but they also need to understand their role and be willing to assist where they can best serve.

Awards and Recognition

2009-11-22T10:54:00.003-05:00

This past week, baseball gave out several awards for achievement during the 2009 season. We had both leagues Cy Young award winners announced, Tim Lincecum of the Giants and Zack Greinke of the Royals. The respective Managers of the Year were also announced, Jim Tracy of the Rockies and Mike Scioscia of the Angels. Next week the leagues Most Valuable Players (MVP) will be announced which should bring award season to a close.

All of these men were deserving, but are were there others that could/should have won? The answer is an obvious yes! Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright could make cases for a National League Cy Young. CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez could easily have won in the American League. I'm sure their fans howled a bit when Greinke was announced. On a personal level, I felt that Charlie Manuel, the Phillies manager, warranted a better showing than 6th place in the voting. He took his team back to the playoffs (the voting occurs before post season), he juggled his starters and bullpen all season, Jimmy Rollins didn't hit until June, and he lead the team through the death of Harry Kalas in April. Jim Tracy was the obvious winner in taking the Rockies to the playoffs, but Charlie deserved better.

This is the struggle we all face in organizations. How do you choose the best? What are the criteria for employee of the month or special recognition? This is a mine field! Every organization has employee recognition at the top of their list, but few execute it well. My experience is that there are more disgruntled employees as a result of the recognition process.

To do it well, you must identify the requirements, model the appropriate behavior and be firm about expectations. You must stay away from "favorites" and focus on results. Identifying requirements isn't easy in practice. This is the same for promotions. I know what I mean when I say the person must be proactive, do projects that affect the entire organization and have poise and confidence. The problem is, my definition is probably different than the person I'm coaching. I need to use examples and be diligent in pointing out those behaviors that meet the organizational definitions.

Recognition is critically important and must be done. Be deliberate and purposeful in your methodology in order to get the desired results.

The "T" in Team

2009-11-15T10:33:00.005-05:00

This week, the University of Chicago played their last football game of the season. It was a good season and ended on a winning note with a 24-7 win over the Tartans of Carnegie-Mellon. Both schools have a rich history of academic excellence. The University of Chicago has a storied football past as a charter member of the Big Ten and boasts the first Heisman Trophy winner in Jay Berwanger.

Yesterday's game was a match up of two Division III teams, neither a powerhouse, but neither a doormat. It was a good game on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Chicago. As an added bonus, the Maroons (University of Chicago) honored their six seniors who played their last game. For many Division III schools, there are fewer seniors due to the changing priorities, schedules and injuries. A freshman class of 20 may net out to few than 10 seniors. Most who play Division III are student athletes looking to play another 40 games, enjoy the fraternity of the team, and want an athletic outlet for their competitive drive. Maroon football does all that and more. While most think they could have won a couple more games, it was still a successful season. They were 5-4, celebrated their 40th anniversary of bringing football back (follow this link to a great story on espn.com), and many team members won league and Division III honors.

More than all the successes listed, Joan and I were delighted at the spirit and dedication of a number of players. They aren't starters, but they make the starters better; they play sparingly, but they play with heart; they cheer from the sidelines, but when they're in the game, their teammates cheer heartily for them. These are the teammates every organization needs. They are the proud, the dedicated, service oriented men and women that don't get the limelight, but don't mind sharing it for their team or organization. They know the harder they work, the better the team performs. They are students of the game, the organization and their profession. They are the "T" in team.

Joan and I are proud to be parents of a University of Chicago football player and student. We are also proud of his contributions to his team.

Second Chances

2009-11-05T20:01:00.005-05:00

Being a Phillies fan, it might seem natural to write this week's blog on the World Series. There are many lessons in the games of the last week. The baseball season has ended and now baseball fans look forward to the Hot Stove League that will carry us to spring training. Instead of a World Series entry, I found a more compelling story in Sports Illustrated last week. Here it is.

Those who follow this blog (thanks to all of you) may recall an entry on the new Oregon Duck football coach Chip Kelly. His star running back punched a Boise State running back after their first game then taunted the fans (the game was held at Boise State). The Ducks lost and Coach Kelly had some decisions to make. I was impressed he suspended his running back, LeGarrette Blount, but kept him on the team and allowed him to practice. In addition, his scholarship was not taken away.

Fast forward to this past weekend where the Ducks crushed the USC Trojans. This is no small feat as the Trojans are usually in the hunt for the National Championship. They beat them handily, 47-20. It seems the Ducks have moved on without Mr. Blount, in fact they've gone undefeated since his suspension. The Sports Illustrated article (November 2nd) detailed their season leading up to last week's game. The article also caught us up on LeGarrette's activities since the suspension. First, he asked Coach Kelly if he could call Boise State coach Chris Peterson and linebacker Byron Hout (whom he punched) to apologize which he did. Second, Coach Kelly consulted Kermit Washington, Tony Dungy and Harry Edwards who have counseled Blount. Third, Blount sent a letter of apology to the Oregon student newspaper. Fourth, Blount is a regular visitor to at-risk youth centers. He is going to class, being a leader at practice, and just might be reinstated this season. I was impressed at the punishment in September and even more impressed at the results. I hope this is a long-term change in behavior and will be a case study for the future. Blount should have been suspended. But Coach Kelly knew that throwing him off the team would devastate the young man and not provide a life lesson.

How about your organization. What are you doing with the misfits, bad boys and girls, poor performers? As I've said before, people don't get out of bed in the morning with the desire to mess up your organization. Something institutional may be going on that requires appreciative inquiry, counseling and constant attention. Is it worth it? Ask LeGarrette Blount. I can only guess his answer. Well done Coach Kelly! Let's hope LeGarrette's behavior allows him to play one more time before his eligibility is up.

Making Assumptions

2009-10-30T20:15:00.006-04:00

We all do it-we make assumptions about situations in life and more often than not its not true or backfires. An assumption occurs when we take something for granted without proof. Over the past several weeks we have all watched the baseball playoffs. As you know, many assumptions have been made by announcers, critics and fans about all the playoff teams. Here are a few that I heard:

Jonathon Broxton is unhittable. Perhaps he is at Dodger Stadium. The announcers on TBS said all the Dodgers had to do was get to Broxton and the Phillies would be toast. Broxton walks Matt Stairs, hits Carlos Ruiz and allows a walk-off hit to Jimmy Rollins in game four of the NLCS.
CC Sabathia will get the Yankees off to a good start. He pitched ok, but gave up two home runs to Chase Utley (see below). The Phillies went on to win 6-1 and took the lead in the series (it has since been tied).
Chase Utley is worn out and creates a hole in the Phillies line up. Mr. Utley hits two home runs in his first two at bats against Sabathia.
Jonathan Papelbon doesn't lose at Fenway Park. He gave up two runs in the eighth inning of game three and blew the save and game in the ninth as the Angels swept the Red Sox.

In baseball, every situation is different. The playoffs are pressure packed and unless you look at the situation in its entirety, you may miss something that will change your thought process. In each case above, there were variables that the pundits missed causing them to make an assumption that was incorrect.

Isn't this true in life and in the workplace. We make assumptions all the time about a person, department, management. Often, it is a cover up for your own failings and creates the blame game. Look at each situation in a new light. Analyze all the variables and give people the opportunity to react in their own way before you burden them with your opinion. Assumptions do make an a_ _ out of you and me. Do yourself a favor-stop making them!

Knowing Your Role

2009-10-23T20:08:00.003-04:00

This week's blog comes from my business partner, Tom Charno. He suggested the title after watching the fourth game of the National League Championship Series. As you probably know, the Phillies won their second National League Championship on Wednesday and are going back to the World Series. We saw the Phils play three games this week. While games three and five were blowouts (nonetheless enjoyable), game four was one for the ages. For an excellent historical perspective, read Jason Stark's article on ESPN.com. In that game, Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies shortstop, hit a triple in the gap toward right field to score Eric Bruntlett and Carlos Ruiz. Bruntlett was pinch-running for Matt Stairs who drew a walk pinch hitting for Pedro Feliz. Rollins was the hero, but the win spoke as much about the other three players, Stairs, Ruiz and Bruntlett.

Players who don't start and come off the bench are often called role players. In the case of Bruntlett and Stairs, they know their role is to pinch hit (Stairs) or pinch run or play the field (Bruntlett). They have no expectations of starting and must be ready at all times to come off the bench and perform. On Monday night, they did just that. Matt Stairs coaxed a walk off the Dodgers pitcher to get on base with one out. Carlos Ruiz, the starting catcher who morphs into "Senor Octubre" in the playoffs got hit by a pitch. Greg Dobbs, another pinch hitting role player, lined out to third for the second out. Two on, two out and Jimmy Rollins performs his magic, Bruntlett and Ruiz score. Phillies Win! A great game won by Rollins' hit but made possible by the role players. A true team effort.

How about your organization? Do you have role players? Do you have team members who know the reason they're in the organization and perform their duties without complaint and at a high level? For an organization to succeed, they need to have a vision and leaders who motivate their team to execute toward that vision. The daily execution is performed by role players who understand what they need to do day in and day out. Often this is called "blocking and tackling" because of the fundamental aspect of the job. Leaders were once role players who performed well and rose in the company. Some make careers out of being role players. No shame at all in that. In fact, some of the finest people I've worked with take pride in performing their role and being an important part of the company.

Does your organization have role players? Do they know their role? If not, make it a point to explain their value, what they need to do, and give them the tools to perform their best every day!

Personal Issues-Professional Impact

2009-10-17T14:24:00.002-04:00

Last week, Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, started the second game of the National League playoffs. He pitched five innings giving up four runs and ultimately took the loss. Not a sharp performance. We found out after the game that his wife Heidi was in labor and gave birth to a son the next morning.

Flash back one year. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, was benched in the second half of a game against the Baltimore Ravens after playing terribly. His play had been awful for several weeks. A couple of weeks later, his wife delivered twins. He had a great finish to the year and took the Eagles to the NFC Championship game against the Arizona Cardinals.

As sports fans, we expect that players will play at a consistently high level week in and week out. In fact, many athletes pride themselves in being able to compartmentalize personal or off field issues from game day. Personally, I don't buy it. Maybe for a few games, but not over the course of a season. It's hard to imagine you wouldn't be impacted by the birth of a child, the first pregnancy you and your wife are going through. I know I was excited and nervous for the birth of both boys.

The nuances of leadership require that you understand, appreciate and sometimes celebrate a staff member's personal life. Admittedly, results are what counts-but you also have to lead for the long run. I don't know if Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had much choice in starting Hamels against the Colorado Rockies. I do know it would take a unique individual to get on the mound and pitch knowing his wife was close to delivering their first child. Should fans hold athletes to a different standard than we would ourselves or a co-worker? A friend of mine says we should because of the millions they are paid. I say not so fast! We have to assume that personal issues will impact professional results. As leaders, we need to do what we can to be empathetic while getting the person back on track professionally.

I wish I could say that Hamels bounced back and pitched a gem against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. He pitched ok, but he'll need to improve if the Phillies are going to repeat as World Champions. Congratulations to the Hamels' family on their newborn son.

The Agony of Defeat

2009-10-09T17:01:00.009-04:00

On Tuesday, I watched one of the best baseball games I've ever seen. The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins were tied in the American League Central Division after a full season of 162 games. A one game playoff ensued. The game was pushed to Tuesday night to accommodate the Vikings-Packers game on Monday night.

Back and forth the the game went. After nine innings, the game was still tied. It seemed that they would play well into the night when the Twins finally won in the bottom of the 12th inning. As you can imagine, the Metrodome (home of the Twins) erupted in unbridled joy as did the Twins themselves. The Tigers on the other hand were left to wonder what happened. They had a 7 game lead in early September. They had a two game lead going into the last weekend of the season. They lost 2 of 3 and the Twins swept the Royals to end up in a tie. I'm sure there were many in Detroit who thought the division crown was in the bag and were planning for the playoffs. This includes players, managers and fans. The Twins-Tigers game showed both "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."

The past couple of years businesses have been witnessing and feeling the agony of defeat. Long-time customers are heading for greener pastures; businesses are closing expectantly leaving their suppliers holding the bag; the big sale doesn't happen even after promises have been made to the contrary. There should be no excuse for an organization not to see the signs of a customer leaving, closing or promising one thing and doing another. It means that the organization hasn't executed as a team. They haven't developed relationships throughout the organization. We haven't asked the tough questions. Good business practices requires execution on a daily basis. Fall down one day, pick yourself up and go at it again. Allow the organization to fall down and not get up quickly will create a death spiral. Just like baseball players, organizations can't turn themselves off and on at a moment's notice. Work hard, be consistent, demand much of each other. Execute properly to avoid the agony of defeat!

Celebrations and Memories

2009-10-01T11:21:00.003-04:00

This week, baseball teams across the land celebrated their advancement to the post season. First the Yankees, then the Cardinals, Red Sox, Angels and Phillies. We wait only for the Dodgers to win one game and the Twins and Tigers battle in the American League Central Division. Some wonder why teams celebrate getting into the playoffs. After all, it's on the first step. They know how difficult it is to win the ultimate prize, the World Series. After a season lasting six months, all teams understand the difficulties of staying healthy, performing at the highest level, and avoiding numerous pitfalls. Some known and others not fathomable.

Earlier this week, an especially poignant celebration occurred in Anaheim, California. You may remember a pitcher named Nick Adenhart. He was 23 and had earned on spot as the number three starter in the Angels rotation. In his first start, he pitched six strong innings in a game on April 8th. It was to be his last. As he and some friends were coming home from dinner they were hit by an alleged drunk driver. Adenhart died soon after from his injuries. It was a terrible loss that is still being felt by the Angels and their community. Fast forward to Monday night when the Angels clinched the American League Western Division crown. As the Angels celebrated on the field they paused then went out to celebrate in front of the Adenhart memorial in the outfield.

It is vitally important to celebrate the achievement of goals. While spraying champagne and beer over each other in your organization may not be appropriate-taking the time to mark and enjoy the achievement of milestones is. One thing that organizations universally lack is making time to savor the "win." These can last minutes or they can be done in the way of a retreat or trip. I once worked for a general manager that would have a party when the plug had been pulled on a research and development project. It was important to recognize the effort, even if the priority had shifted or the technology couldn't be developed. This did wonders for morale and told those involved that their efforts were appreciated. Don't be afraid to "pop the cork" or have a piece of cake as you achieve your goals and move your organization forward.

Milton Bradley is not a Board Game

2009-09-24T23:07:00.005-04:00

As a kid, I played many a game by Milton Bradley. It seemed like every board game I had was a Milton Bradley game. Battleship, Operation, Barrel of Monkeys, Stratego, to name a few. What a difference a few (say 35) years make. In 2000 baseball star Milton Bradley hit the major leagues. He has always been a tremendous talent, but turmoil follows him wherever he goes. Since breaking into the majors, he has played for seven teams, including the Chicago Cubs this year. He had a great year for the Texas Rangers last year allowing him to sign a three year, $30 million contract prior to the season. We must assume that the Cubs thought that Bradley had turned the corner given his MVP type year in Texas. Unfortunately for all concerned, this was not the case. Let's look at Bradley's year. In April, the league suspended him for a game for bumping an umpire. In June, he threw a ball to fans after recording the second out. Clearly a problem when it takes three outs to complete an inning. In June, Cubs manager Lou Pinella sent him home after a dugout tirade. Fast forward to last week when Bradley felt compelled to complain to a local Chicago paper, the Daily Herald, that "It's not just a positive environment. I need a stable, healthy, enjoyable environment. There's too many people everywhere in your face with a microphone asking the same questions repeatedly. Everything is just bashing you. You got out there and you play harder than anybody on the field and never get credit for it. It's just negativity. And you understand why they haven't won in 100 years here, because it's negative. It's what it is." General Manager, Jim Hendry, had enough and sent him home for the season with pay.

The question is why would any organization take on a Milton Bradley, Terrell Owens, or Allen Iverson. They are all extremely talented but selfish players creating a cancer in every clubhouse they reside. In each case, with any team, it's addition by subtraction when they leave. For us in our organizations, it's important to realize that talent alone won't ensure results. At the end of the day, organizations do much better with team players who are looking to get results for the benefit of the entire organization-not just themselves. In my experience, it almost never works out for the individual performer in the long run. Their resume gets longer and longer as they wear out their welcome. Even though job movement is not the red flag as it once was-do be aware when a candidate moves every 18 months to 2 years. It probably means they can't integrate into the system. It also means you won't be able to change them either. Let buyer beware when finding talent for your organization. The prima donna may not be the best fit.

A Leader's First Test

2009-09-17T05:50:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I was on the couch recovering from foot surgery and taking in any and all sporting events on television. As I was watching SportsCenter that Friday, the lead story was University of Oregon star running back, LeGarrette Blount, punching Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the face. It was quite a blow and knocked Hout down. Blount was restrained but then tried to go after Boise State fans who saw the blow and taunted from the stands. Once Blount was in the locker room and calmed down, he apologized and was contrite, but the damage was done. It turns out this was the first game for Oregon coach Chip Kelly. Quite a situation for a new leader. Kelly, after consulting with the University, suspended Blount for the season effectively ending his college career. He did not end his scholarship and is allowing him to practice with the team. The message here is that unsportsmanlike conduct is not accepted, but we're going to try to make a good citizen out of him. I think it has set a good tone.

Throughout our career we are given new assignments and are tested. For some, like Chip Kelly, it is early in his tenure, for others it may take awhile. How will you react when you are tested? What message will you send? Will this be a pivotal point that your team can look to or will you be inconsistent in your decision making. Time will tell for Chip Kelly, but for any one of us, that test and re-test can come daily.

As a new leader, you want to get the facts and make a decision based on your core values, the organization's core values (hopefully they are in alignment) and what's good for the organization overall. It's a chance for you to define yourself, set boundaries, and show your style of leadership. You must look at these tests as a blueprint going forward, not unlike a court case setting the precedent for future rulings. Though these tests are hard, they have impact. In my opinion, Chip Kelly acted swiftly, did what was right for the organization, but took into account football's responsibility for LeGarrette Blount. Let's see how it plays out.

September 11th

2009-09-11T06:51:00.004-04:00

Anyone born prior to 1995 remembers the events of September 11, 2001. It was a gorgeous morning; a bright blue sky and a chill in the air. All was perfect. So we thought. The morning turned into something out of a Tom Clancy novel with three attacks on our soil and a fourth thwarted by the heroes of Flight 93 over Pennsylvania. I will never forget that day; where I was, and the uncertainty that plagued the morning. I traveled to New York City frequently in 2001. The following week I was there and couldn't believe what I saw. From the train I saw the smoldering ruins of two great buildings. Once I arrived, there were thousands of pictures of those missing. They were all over the city, especially the train and subway stations. Families who hoped their loved ones were missing and not yet willing to admit they had perished. It was a terrible time but also a patriotic time. Briefly, this country and our allies were united in a way we may never see again.

As September 11th has become more poignant for us, it surprises me how many other events have occurred on this date. We live about five miles from the Brandywine Battlefield, a key battle in the Revolutionary War that almost took the life of George Washington and allowed the British to take Philadelphia. This battle occurred on September 11, 1777.

Other significant events on September 11th include Henry Hudson discovering Manhattan in 1609 (very ironic), the first cartoon appeared in a newspaper in 1875, the Hoover Dam is dedicated in 1936, Holland is liberated by the Allies in 1944, Florence Chadwick becomes the first woman to swim the English Channel (16 hours and 19 minutes) in 1951, and Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb's record of 4,191 hits in 1985. Our Manager of Office Services, Sue Frantz, was at that game. Who would believe Pete would fall so far?

It is indeed a day to remember. Let us never forget the ultimate sacrifice of all the innocent people who showed up for work on this date in 2001. Let us always be thankful for the first responders and their commitment to saving lives and serving as role models for all of us.

Hype and Hoopla

2009-09-03T11:47:00.006-04:00

Labor Day is by far the best weekend in sports. Baseball pennant races are heating up, the US Open Tennis tournament is in full swing and most importantly, college football begins. Colleges across the country will start their seasons with much hoopla-some have dreams of a national championship. The bands will whip the fans into a frenzy and the atmosphere will be electric. This excitement will continue as long as the team keeps winning. Unfortunately, after a couple of losses, students and fans will find other things to do.

This is not much different than most organizations. How many times has an organization kicked off a new initiative with much fanfare? Members of the leadership team march out and announce that this project will change the course of the organization. Everyone needs to participate and make the initiative happen. Those listening may get fired up for a while, but as soon as obstacles are introduced, that fire cools.

The key to any new initiative is to get "wins" early. Just like a college team builds interest and enthusiasm through good play and early wins, so should an organization. Just as major college football teams pad their schedule with smaller and less talented teams, organizations should go after the easy changes. Do things "they should have done a long time ago." This is called "low hanging fruit" in the business world.

"Wins" translates to interest. Interest translates to engagement. Engagement translates to change. College football teams depend on it-why shouldn't organizations.

Unbridled Enthusiasm

2009-08-26T21:01:00.005-04:00

Since my kids were ten, I have been an avid observer of the Little League World Series. It is the official end of summer. As the last out is recorded, my kids have known that school would start the next day. They hoped for extra innings! Both boys played on a District championship team and made it to the Regionals. That experience gave us a sense of the hard work and commitment needed to get to the World Series. What comes across the television and my experience locally is the enthusiasm and intensity. Every pitch has drama-every player, parent and specator are on the edge of their seat. They are uniquely focused on one goal-winning the Little League World Series.

What if your organization had the same enthusiasm toward your goals? Unfortunately, we're not focused on one goal, in fact we're not focused at all. How can a person, team or entire organization generate enthusiasm when each person has five to ten goals and needs the help of others (who also have five to ten goals) to accomplish them. Think of the obstacles the Little Leaguers have in accomplishing this one goal: talent, teamwork, logistics, attitudes, unselfish behaviors. How are those obstacles any different for organizations?

Each player on the team has two goals-one offensive and one defensive. That's it. Think about the power that can be generated if you only had one or two goals. Each person in the organization concentrated profitability or outreach or sales growth. Pick one or two.

We need to simplify the process and focus. Take all the energy and enthusiasm we can muster and complete the goal and achieve the rewards. Simplify and follow the lead of the kids as you complete your planning efforts for 2010. You'll be amazed at what you'll accomplish.

Time Will Tell

2009-08-19T09:16:00.007-04:00

I can't resist the topic of Michael Vick coming to the Eagles. Hard as I tried it just kept coming back. I thought I had something on Tuesday night when Jamie Moyer came in after a rain delay and picked up for Pedro Martinez. It's a great story and supports the professionalism of Jamie Moyer who I was critical of last week. He did a great job! Time will tell who pitches and when, but this week if off to a much better start.

Back to Michael Vick. I was shocked when the Eagles announced they had signed him for two years. I hadn't thought much about him after the commissioner gave the conditional approval to play. I never thought about him coming to Philadelphia. His signing has polarized the city in some respects. Without question, what he did was horrible! We have a dog and I can't imagine anyone treating another animal the way he and his cronies did. He claims he was caught up in it and been part of him most of his life. He's got a big PR campaign going which I'm not fond of either. Time will tell if he has turned the page. I hope he has. What has happened is that he paid his "debt to society." He was caught, put on trial and sent to prison. He was not able to earn a living and his extravagant life style was traded for prison garb. He did not lie on his "job application" as the Eagles knew exactly what they're getting. Based on all this, the question is whether he can contribute to this team. Apparently, the Eagles believe this to be the case. Time will tell.

We had an interesting follow up to this story earlier this week. An employee of the Eagles was fired earlier this year for posting to Facebook and being critical of the Eagles. At first blush, it appears that the Eagles have set a double standard. Upon further review, this is not the case. It was clear in the news report I saw that the employee flagrantly went against the Eagles' policy. It sounds like he was warned and continued to post. The Eagles terminated his employment. In my mind, he had a second chance and chose not to change his behaviors.

All we can ask of our employers is that they're fair, communicate policies and be consistent in the application of those policies. I don't know enough about the Eagles organization to know if they fit this fairness standard, but in the two cases mentioned, they have to me. Each organization must define appropriate behavior and hold all employees (especially management) to that standard. This is how a high performance culture is established. The real question for the Eagles is whether the hiring of Michael Vick challenges or enhances the culture. Again, time will tell.

There's No Whining in Baseball or the Office!

2009-08-13T11:36:00.006-04:00

As we hit the dog days of August, many baseball teams are making decisions on the future of their team. This may be a short term, 2009 view or looking ahead to next year. In Philadelphia, the Phillies made a decision to move veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer to the bullpen in favor of future Hall of Famer, Pedro Martinez. Jamie Moyer has been a great addition to the Phillies over the last 3 years both on the field and in the clubhouse. He was instrumental in the Phillies drive to the World Championship last year recording 16 wins and a 3.71 earned run average (ERA).

During the winter, Jamie signed a two year, $13 million deal. He struggled early on and started the year with a 3 - 5 record and 7.42 ERA. He has improved his record to 10-9 and lowered his ERA to 5.47. The Phillies signed Pedro with the intent of seeing what he can do. Last night was promising. It was a tough decision, but the right one. Jamie took it well the first day it was announced but called an impromptu press conference on Wednesday to say how "disheartened" he is and that he had an agreement to be a starter when he signed his contract. The problem is, he hasn't performed at a level to remain a starter. The Phillies made a decision based on results, not personality. What we predict in the spring may not turn out in August.

For those of you working in an organization, does this sound familiar? Your boss told you at your review in March that they had big plans for you. You started on a key project but there have been some bumps in the road. The results aren't what either of you planned. You're frustrated, angry and upset. The issue is results. What should you be doing differently to get improved results? In most cases, we need to look at ourselves, set goals and achieve at a higher level.

Humans love to blame others for their failings. We blame our boss, the company, our spouses, the kids, traffic, etc. The reality is that we need to take control of our own lives and careers. Yes, we all face disappointment, but how we handle it says volumes about who we are. Jamie Moyer is a great man. He does so much for his team and community. But he let his emotions get in the way on Wednesday. Don't let this happen to you. Stop whining and take charge of your life.

Training Camps Are Not Just for Football Teams

2009-08-05T17:03:00.007-04:00

All over the country, pro football camps have opened. Every team and their fan base is excited with the prospects of a winning season and trip to the playoffs. Bloggers and fantasy fans are preparing for the drafts that will come in early September. Just like the Spring, optimism runs wild.

Here in Philadelphia, all the television stations are running Eagles Training Camp specials. There is a real ebb and flow to the daily sessions. Their first draft pick signs but the middle linebacker is out for the season. McNabb looks good but the defense is struggling. All the reporters are breathless looking for a scoop. All Andy Reid wants to do is prepare his team for the season and take a look at the new players to see who stays and who goes. He is creating the foundation for what he and the team hopes is a successful season.

When do you and your organization work on your fundamentals? When do you have your training camp? My guess is you don't. Some of you have annual retreats that certainly help with team building. Some of you refresh your plans. Some of you start from scratch and claw out a vision, develop a SLOT analysis (Strengths, Limitations, Opportunities and Threats), and goals and objectives for the year. All this is critical to an organization's success. In my experience, less than 10% go to "training camp" each year. This is the time to be thinking about it. Get your team away for a couple of days and take a critical look at your organization. Take the time to prepare now rather than after the first of the year. If you do it right, it will take a couple of months of prep work to ready yourself for 2010 and finish 2009 on a positive note. Think of it as pre-season exhibition games! Time spent now preparing for 2010 will guarantee you'll be ready on January 2nd. Don't leave detail planning to football teams-get your team ready for the season ahead.