Since there are far fewer examples of success than failure, it stands to reason that “good luck” has much more to do with winning than “bad practice” has to do with losing. Let’s use the 128 college football teams who have an opportunity to participate in the first four-team playoff this season. Only four out of the
I may be projecting but I am sure most people would answer the following question with the same answer: would you rather learn from someone who is lucky or someone who is good? I am willing to bet that most people will say they prefer to learn from the “good” rather than the “lucky”. Most people do
A team dynamic is a fragile thing. The relationships must be cultivated and this takes courageous work. Teams are made of individuals who will likely have competing priorities at times. When competing priorities arise, a team leader must take the advice of my favorite character on my favorite TV show, Once Upon a Time. When faced with
Great teams have teammates who can take a day off. Life happens and regardless of our well-made plans, life will interrupt those plans. Teammates who can be self-aware enough to know when to take a day off are a benefit to the team. The team is counting on us to be as close to 100% as possible.
I know that I have micromanaged my team when I am necessary for nearly every function of the team. There is a sweet spot between abdication and micromanagement that every team leader should strive to accomplish. When my teammates have been conditioned by me to check with me before every decision, I have micromanged them to the
I have been writing a lot about the reasons for micromanagement and today I am writing about a reason that turns my stomach when I witness it. There are leaders who micromanage because they don’t believe their teammates can ever change or improve. The saying that is thrown around is that past behavior is the best predictor
Every great team understands the season they are in. They don’t miss the moment. I am a firm believer that everyone is on a team because we all have family, whether that family is blood related or not. My dad taught me that family is defined by who we choose to be around and who chooses to
What is the cause of a lack of trust a leader has with a team? There are many reasons for someone to withhold trust. One of the most unfortunate is when a leader doesn’t believe in his team. Perhaps it’s an insecurity that I won’t be needed or necessary if a teammate shines without my direct involvement.
A leader who never really trusts anyone will always micromanage his team. Micromanagement is a symptom of a lack of trust. This is not an evil way of leading but can become oppressive if it’s the only way a leader operates. Micromanagement is normal during a teammate’s orientation phase. Training and information are great ways to give
If a team leader creates an atmosphere that communicates a zero tolerance for failure, the team will be oppressed under the pressure that expectation creates. If my teammates have to be perfect in order to be trusted, then I just began motivating them by the fear they will lose their reputation. Under those conditions, mistakes will be