“Bear” Bryant is believed by some to have been the greatest college football coach of all time. He used to say that members of a winning team needed five things:
Tell every member what you expect.
Give every member an opportunity to contribute.
Let them know how they are doing.
Give them guidance when they need it.
Express appreciation for performance.
This is a good checklist for leaders and followers alike.
If your team isn’t winning, why? Which of these elements aren’t being fulfilled?
For leaders, it’s a searching inventory.
Are expectations clear? Am I sure everyone understands?
Who’s not fulfilling expectations? Why? Is there more training required? Do they actually know we are falling short?
Finally, appreciation. Are we paying fairly? Do we thank folks enough? Do they feel a part of what we are doing?
Take measure today. Is the team you’re on winning? If not, which of these five things do we need to emphasize?
