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Looking Beyond the Short-Termers
| Guest post by: Lee Meadows |
Article Overview: The search for life lesson’s goes beyond the boundaries of a specific discipline, expertise or interest. Few would argue that, in recent years, the world of business and sports have operated less like Mars and Venus, separate but equal, and more like Twin Peaks, separate, but connected by a common base. The most recent NCAA basketball tournament has been a bizarre display of predictions gone wild. Yet, what has been interesting has been some of the surrounding dialogue that pertains to building blocks, teamwork, consistency and the ultimate prize. In doing so, the NCAA basketball tournament has provided some unique insights that have a direct bearing on how a business can achieve consistent success.
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Free Download - Trailblazing By Lee Meadows |
Looking Beyond the Short-Termers
The search for life lesson’s goes beyond the boundaries of a
specific discipline, expertise or interest. Few would argue that, in recent
years, the world of business and sports have operated less like Mars and Venus,
separate but equal, and more like Twin Peaks, separate, but connected by a
common base. The most recent NCAA basketball tournament has been a bizarre
display of predictions gone wild. Yet, what has been interesting has been some
of the surrounding dialogue that pertains to building blocks, teamwork,
consistency and the ultimate prize. In doing so, the NCAA basketball tournament
has provided some unique insights that have a direct bearing on how a business
can achieve consistent success.
Starting with the curse of the ‘short-termer’, most coaches
would agree that it is difficult to build long-term success into a program
without having the commitment of individuals who take a long-term view of
success. As several of the top seeds fell short of their tournament goals, the
focus shifted to discussions as to whether or not certain team members would be
around to help their team make another run. Sports reporters asked several of
the recognized ‘stars’ on the team if they would be back or if they planned to
make themselves eligible for the NBA draft. Well, those kinds of departures
will put holes into the foundation of any program. All the remorse about ‘not
playing with my team members ever again’ or ‘I hoped to have won a championship
before moving on”, becomes a little hard to hear since at the root of the issue
was the intentional short-term path to achieve an individual long-term goal.
Now, no one would begrudge a person trying to maximize the full use of his or
her talent in order to secure a bright future. However, it does present
problems for coaches, or managers, who have a long-term vision for their
program. Do you recruit the exceptionally talented and, obvious, short-term
player who can provide instant success? Short-term players can provide a quick
turn around, but it can wreak havoc on the foundation. At a time when there is
an abundance of talent available, is in the best interest of the business
organization to go with the talented short-term player knowing that long-term
success could be compromised?
The tournament has, also, produced more than its share of
‘Cinderella’ teams. When looking at some of the factors these teams have in
common, the one that stands out the most is the willingness to commit to a
long-term goal. Several of the ‘Cinderella’s’ were composed of team members who
have played together across the four years of their eligibility and who have
been able to measure their success in incremental steps on a long path to
recognition. The ‘Cinderella’s are teams with individuals who have blended
their talents into a consistent force, never wavering in their commitment to a
larger, more important goal. Rather than lose a ‘star’ to the NBA, they
maintained commitment to each other and overcame the challenge of more talented
opponents and the critique of less informed pundits. While the ‘Cinderella’s’,
eventually, gave way to a far superior team, what they gained in recognition
and support far outweighs the loss. The process of leading in an organization
is reflected in the overarching philosophy that guides the strategic choices.
The ‘Cinderella’s consistently make the case for recruiting for commitment and
developing the talent as opposed to the short-term lure of the ‘star’ who is
just passing through your galaxy.
It has been fun to watch the two competing philosophies work
their way through the NCAA tournament. As CEO’s and other leaders, within their
respective organizations, cheer and cajole their bracket choices, when the
tournament winner is finally crowned, here’s hoping these lessons can be seen
as useful ways to maintain a competitive edge.
Article Tags: Leadership, Star Performers
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About the Author: Lee Meadows RSS for Lee's articles - Visit Lee's website Click here to visit Lee's website   The demands of leadership Sculpting Your Business Focus The Importance of Training Transcendent Leadership Hitting the wall |
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