|
||||||||
| On-The-Court Leadership by Mike Wagner |
|
When
recently attending my first-grade grandson’s basketball game, I was shocked
to see the coaches on the court with their players – during the game.
This is markedly different from how I learned the game and I quickly realized this change was a good one. The coach's ability to give the team quick feedback and keep them focused on the goal greatly accelerated the first-graders development and understanding of the game. It’s really very similar to leading a business.
When moving your organization toward customer-centered, brand-focused performance you are coaching your team to play a new game. This requires you to be an on-the-court leader who:
Focuses on the goal: In the early stages of reshaping your organization’s brand managers, supervisors and employees will not automatically know what to do – they need your input. Stand with your “players”. Work together in challenging your business decisions and processes, “How does this fulfill our Brand Promises? Is this relevant to our sweet-spot customers? Will we be demonstrating our brand if we do it this way?”
Gives feedback: Just as a coach won’t wait until the end of the season to correct a player’s errant jump shot, you can’t wait until an employee’s annual appraisal for feedback on their performance. This is true anytime, but it’s never more important than at the beginning of the performance brand journey. Employees need to know quickly if their actions are helping to “put the ball through the hoop”. This is also true when praising employees. Giving your fellow leaders and employees “high fives” for delivering on the brand is crucial in reinventing your brand.
Knows when to back off: For a first-grader just learning basketball, it makes sense to have the coach on the floor during the game. If the coach still needs to be on the court for a high school senior something is wrong. Over time mangers and employees learn to make the right decisions based on fulfilling a company's Brand Promises. A good leader knows when an “on court” presence is no longer required – but is always within arm’s reach of their employees to offer their expertise or a guiding hand if needed.
As you begin, or continue, down the road to a strong performance brand you are going to be asking more and different things of your employees. At first, they may not know the rules or even the goal of this “new game” you're having them play. You will have to take your leadership skills “on the court” with them, for a time. However, as your employees grow and develop, so too will the organization’s ability to deliver remarkable customer experiences which result in bottom line growth.