10 Things to Learn About Your Team to Maximize Performance
10 Things to Learn About Your Team to Maximize Performance
I live in the metro Detroit area, and for anyone who has a heartbeat here, we know that the Detroit Pistons are in the National Basketball Association playoffs. After last year’s poor 14-68 season, they’ve rebounded to 44-38 with a new coach and a physical style of play reminiscent of the 1989 and 1990 “Bad Boys” era when they won back-to-back championships.
A critical role in their success is the new coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who joined the team in June last year with a mandate from team owner Tom Gores to “immediately instill a culture of growth, development and inspiration.”1 He’s responsible for getting the team to work together to win. And like any other team in sports or business they want to win, especially after so many losses. (more…)
Imagine that you’re the captain of a container ship, moving valuable cargo all over the world. You’re also part of a worldwide network of maritime container shipping vessels that work together across consolidated routes to provide services. Businesses and people all over the world are depending on you to deliver your goods on time. This is your livelihood and traveling in the open water is your passion.
These are the words of singer Tina Turner’s biggest selling single.1 And since I typically write about leadership, you may be wondering right now, what’s love got to do with leadership?
The news media frequently reports on new leadership appointments across various organizations. Regardless of how these leaders are chosen, stakeholders can anticipate changes. The new leader will bring fresh perspectives, priorities, processes, and their own authority to implement change.
Helicopters are known for their unique ability to hover, take off and land vertically, and move in ways that traditional fixed-wing aircraft cannot operate. They are the air vehicle of choice for emergencies and crises. They transport people and things to locations where airplanes can’t land. They aid up-close sightseeing, aerial videography and photography, and agricultural work. They can maneuver into hard-to-reach locations, hover close to, or land on the ground. This makes it easier to off-and-on-load resources, observe the terrain, or support land operations. 
Almost daily, the business media reports on organizations announcing searches for, or the appointment of, new C-suite leaders. Sometimes this is prompted by the prior leader’s long-expected retirement or movement to another role. But often the vacancy reflects the emerging need to improve financial results and to bolster trust in their brand and the products and services they provide.
These days, leaders are increasingly facing expectations to respond to circumstances and situations occurring outside the work environment about which their employees and society have strong and differing opinions. No matter how or if they respond, many will be criticized, either for not doing enough or for doing too much.
Think of being in one of the following situations. How will you respond to it? Or if you’ve already been there, how did you respond?
An anchor serves a common purpose on a ship or boat…to stop it from moving. Lower the anchor and it engages and connects the vessel to the seabed, ensuring it stays put. It prevents drifting in the wind and current which would put those onboard at risk. It is a basic requirement for vessels on the water, typically with a sharp projection that hooks into the rock and soil. The stability it provides enables a variety of productive and pleasurable activities for those onboard.
As I sit here writing, I’m staring at my left foot. Several months ago, I injured the tendons in the ball of it. I was walking in a pair of shoes that I normally wear, but something was amiss and by the time I recognized I was experiencing constant pain, the damage was done.