Vince Lombardi said it best... What it takes to be Number 1

In honor of the Packers being in the Super Bowl this year, I thought I would post one of my favorite writings on the mentality of a winner: 

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE NUMBER 1

Winning is not a sometimes thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.

There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.

Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he's got to play from the ground up - from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That's O.K. you've got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you've got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you're lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he's never going to come off the field second.

Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization - an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win - to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don't think it is.

It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why they are there - to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules - but to win.

And in truth, I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.

I don't say these things because I believe in the "brute" nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he's exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.

-Vince Lombardi

This piece sums up the winner's mentality perfectly.  The mentality of a winner is a habit, and it doesn't happen by chance.  It happens after fought battles, grinding out everything you can to win and coming out victorious.  If your habits are not winning habits, you can change them.

There are always those teams/people who play to win and there are those who play not to lose.  There is a huge paradigm shift there.  One is a very offensive mentality, the other very defensive.  If you want something bad enough, you must go for it with passion and energy.  You can't sit on your heels and hope something good happens.  While you're waiting for it to happen, someone else is making it happen.  Abraham Lincoln said it best.."Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left over from those who hustle."

The part that hits home the most with me are the last two paragraphs.  You have to appreciate the grind and the discipline of becoming successful.  You have to expect it, embrace it and want it.  You can never grow as a person or a leader if there are no obstacles to overcome.  That experience will help you guide and direct others through the same experiences and help you lead them more effectively.  The discipline you learn with each trial will help guide you through each obstacle in the future.  

So go out each day with the intention and mentality of coming off the field victorious.  There is no greater feeling.

New Year, New Goals, New Vision

After watching the video above, it made me really rethink the way I approach situations.  The way I coach people, the way I think about my goals and the way I communicate with others.  I also try to help people find their "why" now.

Why do you do what you do?  Why do you love it?  It helps people find their purpose in their work.  If you have no purpose for what you're doing, you might as well not do it.

Well it's 2011 now!  New year, new beginnings, new opportunities, new hope for the future.  This is the time of year where people make their resolutions and they have every intention in the world of sticking to it.  But a whopping 45% fail by February!  Only 8% of people who make resolutions actually stick with them until the end of the year.  I believe there is a reason for this.

When you make a resolution, how many people do you tell?  The more people you tell, the more accountable you will be.  Do you write it down?  Looking at your resolution daily will also help keep you motivated.  But when I hear the word resolution, all that comes to mind is something just waiting to be given up.  Replace the word resolution with VISION.  Where do you see yourself on January 1, 2012?  That is your vision.

Why is it important to have a Vision over a resolution?

"I want to lose weight this year"  is the most common resolution there is.  If this is yours, you are subconsciously setting yourself up for failure.  Just by repeating the word "lose", you are constantly repeating negative thoughts.  Even though you mean it with good intentions, in your mind you are losing something, and that sets in an unproductive mindset.  We have to stray away from that negative language at all times.

"I want to have the healthiest year of my life"  Now that's a vision!  That's something you're gaining, not losing.  You're gaining your health.  Slimming down your body is an obvious byproduct of you living a healthier lifestyle.  This is now something that you incorporate into everything you do, not just hang out at the gym for 30 min a night.

Once you come up with your vision, you want to come up with smaller categories, initiatives, to help you incorporate your vision.  Taking the example from above for 2011 to be the healthiest year of your life, your initiatives could be 1. Eating healthier, 2. Exercise, 3. Cutting back smoking/drinking.  Once you have your initiatives down, you can create smaller goals attached to each one that you can hold yourself accountable to.

When you write your goals down, you already have an upper hand on 87% of America's population.  If you can create a strong vision with strong initiatives and smaller goals that are attainable, you will be on track to living a better life and achieving what you want to accomplish.

Now think about your "why".  Does your vision line up with your why?  When your vision, goals and your "why" all are in line you will truly be satisfied with what you are doing and you will accomplish what you want to this year.  When this happens you are excited to get out of bed, excited to put in a full day's work, excited for the future.

I wish everyone good luck in the new year!  Make 2011 the best you possibly can!

CB

White Collar Image, Blue Collar Mentality

Men and women have always taken pride in their association with these two terms.  The term "white collar" has long attracted people because of the image it gives off.  Suits, ties, pressed shirts...professionalism and, ultimately, success.  The term "blue collar"  has instilled pride in the workers whose description this fits.  They take pride in working with their hands, doing the dirty deeds and knowing they fulfilled a hard day's work.  There are many differences between the two classifications.  But to be a great leader, to inspire people, you have to be both.

The origins of these terms comes from the early 1900's.  Industrial and manual workers wear durable clothing that can be dirty, soiled, or scrapped at work.  A popular element of such clothes has been, and still is, a light or navy blue work shirt.  Usually a lower education level and lower wages can be associated with this type of labor as well.  However, the values associated with this stereotype must be respected.  

"White Collar" is again characterized by the uniform of choice.  Sharply pressed shirt, crisp tie, polished shoes and pinstripe suit are some examples.  This image is associated with higher education, salaries, individual offices and an abundant lifestyle.  Most people will view the white collar class as being the bosses and managers, with the blue collar class being the laborers who execute the plans.  There has also been a negative image of being deceptive, greedy and sometimes lazy.  Almost everyone has worked with or under multiple people who can fit into that stereotype.

Many high school graduates base their higher education decisions based on the demographic they want to be associated with.  Most kids choose a 4 year academic university to be able to get a job in the white collar sector, with the rest going to trade schools to enter the blue collar sector.  They make these decisions based on where they project themselves to be in their future.  However, the vast majority leave these schools with a sense of entitlement because they completed their coursework.  Unfortunately, this is also why it takes the average job seeker 7-8 months to find employment.  They feel like they are owed a $45k salary right out of school.  With competition in every field at all time high, you must be in the forefront and lead to get ahead and have an edge.  You must become a leader.  

To be a true leader, to be a true success, you HAVE you possess the characteristics of both white collar and blue collar.  I'm not saying you have to wear the best suits and $500 shoes to get the perfect white collar image.  But you do have to care about it.  You have to look the part.  Take an extra 5 minutes to iron your shirt.  Take another 5 to shine your shoes.  You must show everyone that you take the time and invest in yourself and your personal appearance.  This is the first chance to make a solid first impression, so make it a good one.  For most people, this is the easy part because it's the fun part.  As a child, you loved playing dress up, putting on your dad's or mom's shoes and walking around the house.  This is the adult version, so most people love doing this on a daily basis.  However, the next trait is the one that gets ignored mostly and is just as important if not more.

You have to back your image with the blue collar work ethic.  Blue collar workers pride themselves on working their asses off, getting dirty and putting in a full day.  Remember when you played baseball as a kid how great it was to leave the game with a dirty jersey?  You never wanted to be the kid with nice white jersey at the end of the game!  The dirt proved to everyone you work hard and you're not afraid to get dirty if that's what it takes to get the job done.  Some kids, myself included, slid into home when they didn't have to just to earn that badge of honor.  You must have that same mentality in business.  You can't be afraid to hustle.  You can't be afraid to slide and get dirty just because you wear a clean white shirt.  

Always remember that people are first attracted to your clean and professional image, but its the blue collar work ethic that inspires people to follow you.  They can see in your day to day business you have the hustle and drive to not only be successful for yourself, but you can lead them and show them how to be successful as well.  So take some time each week to invest in your personal appearance, look clean and sharp.  But don't ever be afraid to slide.

Dealing with the Critical Conversations

When we are leading people or even a group of people, we will notice the bad habits and actions that they are making.  It's only human nature to notice these bad things, and harp on them.  Now, its important to encourage people with the good things they are doing and build on those traits.  However, it is also important to point out one or two flaws you can correct to help elevate their success.  This is where the critical conversations come into play.

I'm sure you've had had to sit through one or two of these conversations when you were being coached.  Remember how you felt when your coach told you that you "needed to talk" or "we need to have a critical conversation"?  So many times when we hear the term ‘critical conversation’ we immediately think of something negative. We start thinking about what we’ve done bad or what did we do to get in trouble. It shouldn’t be that way at all. We need to replace the word ‘critical’ with ‘important’.

These conversations help keep our people on the right track when we can tell they are straying from it. It’s similar to having a tailight out on your car. All you’re doing is looking toward the road ahead so you never notice when that certain light is out. So when you get pulled over for it, that deters you from getting to where you’re going. Same concept here—our guys are always looking forward to hitting goals and moving up in the company and that one little tweak can be the thing that keeps them from getting there. It is our responsibility as coaches to have point these things out and help correct them. We are doing our people a disservice and slowing their development by not having these conversations!!

How do I have these Important Conversations?

As leaders, we must get in the habit of constantly reviewing the progress of our team. It is up to us to let them know which light is burnt out. So once you figure out what it is you need to discuss, the next big thing is figure out how you are going to deliver the message. Naturally, we are mostly non confrontational so that is why it is so difficult for us to have these talks.  It is a tough thing to get used to since these are conversations we want to naturally avoid in the first place, but the quicker you get used to them, the more effective they will be.

The keys to delivering a great important conversation are indifference and taking the emotion out of it. Let them know that you are having this conversation because you want to help them hit their goals; they have to see the “win” in their habit change. Be as forward as possible; don’t beat around the bush with these. It will only lessen the effect of what you’re saying. Again, be sure to let them know how this will benefit them, not you!

When should I have these Important Conversations?

As soon as you can!! When you notice there is a problem, don’t let your people keep doing bad habits over and over again when you know they’re wrong. That is just ingraining them more. The best way I have found to deliver these is outside of the office in a casual setting. Take them out after work and talk. Your message will be more received and they will be more comfortable opening up to a dialog about the situation. This also shows you’re investing your personal time into them and that you care about their progress.

I know having these conversations can be difficult the first couple times you do them. I avoided them for the first 7 months I was a coach! But my team's performance and standards reflected that negatively as well. The quicker you get used to having these is the quicker you, your team and your office will see immediate positive growth based on standards and accountability.

Relationships: A commodity worth investing in!

Relationships...we hear about them all the time. They are important in all aspects of our life.  A good friendship can provide an invaluable support system.  A strong family relationship helps you build foundation with which morals and values are taught and learned.  A strong relationship with a spouse or significant other makes you feel more like a complete person.  There are all types of relationships we try to build to enrich our lives and sometimes they take years to build, and sometimes it takes just seconds for them to be destroyed.  The key to building strong relationships with others is not just spending your time with them, but investing your time in them!

The root of all strong relationships is trust.  Genuine trust can not be developed unless you show how much you care by investing your time into the relationship.  When you were a child, who were the first people who invested their time into you?  Your parents of course.  They sacrificed nights out to be at home with you.  They sacrificed much needed downtime after work to help your learn to read a book.  They sacrificed family vacations to take you to a weekend baseball tournament.  They were investing in you.  They were investing money, but more importantly, their time.  Time is one resource we can never recreate.  That's why its more valuable to invest your time more than your money into a relationship.

Relationships are like any stock or commodity.  You invest in them because you want the value of that stock to grow in value for the future.  No one puts money into the stock market hoping it's worth less a year or two from now.  That would be crazy.  But you must invest smart, and with a plan.  The same rules apply for relationships.  You would never invest your time into a relationship with the hope that person means nothing to you in the next year or so.  So again, if you want to create meaningful, valuable relationships you must invest wisely and with a plan.  If you don't have a plan for how you will invest your time, you're just spending it with no return.


Now business relationships are no different.  They require the same, if not more trust on both ends for a partnership to really succeed and thrive.  There are also many different types of business relationships.  Employer-employee, employee-employee, upper management-middle management, etc.  It's vital to any company, team, organization that there is strong trust in the employees that management has the capacity and character to take them in the right direction.  Management has to trust that their employees are carrying out their work in line with the company standards and vision.  I believe the most important relationship in business  starts with a new employee and their direct supervisor or coach, and this is the relationship I want to focus on.

Many times in an office environment, the "new guy" doesn't know a soul in the office.  The first person they meet who can make a positive or negative lasting impression is the person who is responsible for their training and personal development within the company.  This is the person the new person has to feel comfortable with expressing their thoughts, ideas, concerns, problems.  Creating that trust can be a difficult task.  Learning how to naturally invest your time instead of just spending your time with them is something that must be practiced, just like anything you want to be great at.

The best thing I can recommend to anyone when you are trying to invest in someone new is to spend time outside of the office with them.  Make plans to grab a beer with them on a Tuesday.  Invite them over for a Sunday BBQ at your house.  When you show someone that you are willing to spend your time after work, or are willing to spend your weekend time in getting to know them and their significant other, it starts to create the trust you want in your relationship.  But spending time with them isn't enough.  Now is the time to invest.

Spending time with someone over a beer is a great way to get to know someone.  For some reason, a magical barrier comes down when you take the tie off and have a beer in front of you.  But spending time is asking them about the ballgame last night or what they did last weekend. However, investing in someone is asking them what motivates them.  Asking them why they do what they do.  Asking them what their future goals and family plans are.  Asking them how you can help them achieve their goals.  Letting them know your job is to help them with their goals because the team as a whole can't succeed if they don't.  Show them you care first.  Share your passions and dreams first.  Open up to them first and you'll be surprised how they will react to you.  You probably have more in common than you think, but you'll never know if you don't take the time to invest in the relationship.

So take the time out to invest wisely into those relationships you care about and have a gameplan for your investment.  With no solid plan or actions you're not investing, you're just spending aimlessly.