How Can We Motivate the "Middle Performer?"

By Mark Murphy, CEO of Leadership IQ | Aug 14, 2009

Most leaders assume that middle performers are already doing the best they can, and so dismiss taking any action to improve their performance. Middle performers, in turn, internalize this assumption and stop trying to be anything more than what they already are.

Employees need feedback, both good and bad, in order to succeed. Middle performers typically account for 70 percent of the workforce. This translates to two-thirds of your employee base that, if you are like most leaders, by the very merit of not being told whether they are doing "good" or "bad," are being encouraged to tread water at only average performance levels.

While it is likely that a few of your middle performers simply do not have any more to give, most of them, for reasons we will explore, have substantial unrecognized potential. In other words, middle performers absolutely have the ability to tip the scales of success in your favor. As a leader, it is your job to uncover this hidden talent and motivate middle performers to reach towards higher performance.

It sends a powerful message when you tell a middle performer, "You've got what it takes. Go ahead and run with this. I trust you." When you can say these words with conviction, and a middle performer suddenly realizes they can be more than what they currently are, it's a powerful moment for them, for you as a leader, and for the organization as a whole. You may even find that when given a little time and attention, middle performers will rise considerably on the performance curve and become high performers.

Middle performers are not some amorphous group that can be lumped into a single category and uniformly addressed. There are five critical reasons why middle performers remain middle performers, and we've created a grouping for each. In the course of working day-to-day with these folks, you should be able to pick out the patterns and key elements that assign them to one of these five groups. If not, it's time to get out there and get to know your middle performers. Most of them are eager to be noticed and heard, and with just a little prompting, they'll probably tell you exactly what you need to know. Let's take a look at these middle performer groups and explore what can be done to maximize their hidden potential.

Maxed Out
The first group consists of employees that are simply maxed out. These are the folks who are perfectly competent at doing what they've always done, but who are consistently unable to produce when given more challenging tasks. There may have been a time when those in the "maxed out" group had a desire to be high performers, but they've since reached a pinnacle of performance they're unable to eclipse. Most leaders mistakenly assume that all middle performers belong to this group; however, only 10 to 15 percent of those in the middle are truly maxed out.

It's a poor use of a leader's time to try and develop those in the "maxed out" group. This is not to say this group of middle performers is incapable of bringing value to an organization. Not everyone can run a four-minute mile, but this does not mean that those who can't should give up running. If this were the case, Mark, by his own admission, would never have started running, let alone plodded his way through a marathon! The "maxed out" are steady, reliable employees that meet expectations and tend to be generally happy where they are. They may not win the race, but they definitely know the way to the finish line. Investing time to develop "maxed out" employees may be unwise, but remember, these folks still have Shoves and Tugs that need to be recognized and acknowledged if you hope to retain them.

Don't Know How
The employees that make up the second group are those that just don't know how to reach high performer status. They seem to be going full steam ahead, but somehow always fall short of distinguished performance. The "don't know how" middle performers are often stuck in this performance rut due to working for leaders that don't take the time to clearly state high performance expectations---or any expectations at all. This is often a result of the afore mentioned misconception that middle performers have no more to give, hence the belief that it is a poor use of time to try and develop any of them. And so the cycle of middle performance begins.

As discussed in our other articles, a leader will never successfully create a high performance workplace if he or she does not clearly communicate expectations. Even a high performer is going to be at a loss for how to meet the mark if told, "Sales are just not good enough. I need to see improvement." Without knowing how much improvement and by when, the "don't know how" middle performer may give what he or she thinks is high performer effort, only to be met by dissatisfaction from the boss. Ongoing, this situation becomes a confusing hit or miss scenario where the employee is never sure whether or not they are on target. They start viewing their leaders as capricious, and making the effort to try and please them becomes obsolete.

No Confidence
Middle performers that lack confidence in their ability to achieve high performer status make up the third group. By and large, this situation exists due to an erroneous notion of what defines a high performer. When a leader's time and attention is primarily focused on combating low performers and praising high performers, a very clear, although often inaccurate, message of "good" and "bad" is absorbed by those in the middle. By merit of the positive attention they receive; high performers can appear to be perched on a pedestal that seems impossible to reach. Even though many middle performers possess the skills and attitude of a high performer, they simply do not see themselves as having what it takes to make the climb to the top.

As a leader, there is much you can do to induce "no confidence" middle performers to make the climb to higher performance. If employees don't get regular feedback from the boss, they are left to their own devices to figure out how they are doing with respect to performance. And if communicating displeasure over negative performance seems to come easier to you than giving positive feedback over a job well done (as is the case with many leaders), you are actually promoting negative reinforcement that will have an equally negative effect on getting middle performers to shoot higher.

Because middle performers tend to discount their own accomplishments, it is especially important to take the time to comment on the good work being done by this group of employees. Granted, their efforts may not be in the same realm as high performers, but their positive actions warrant your attention nonetheless. This is your opportunity to set the record straight that middle performers are of value to the company, and to start turning their confidence levels around.

Costs Are too High
A common misconception among some middle performers is that being a high performer goes hand-in-hand with being a chronic workaholic. The fourth group of middle performers refrains from giving their all as they foresee that the costs of being a high performer are just too high. It may be that they have been witness to a few high performers that compulsively feel the need to work, and who, in doing so, embrace long hours and weekends at the office. It may also be that this group of middle performers does not fully understand what the expectations of high performance are, and so imagine that the only way to move to the next level of performance is to trade personal life and outside interests for increased work time.

The "costs are too high" middle performers are blocked from becoming high performers by their apprehension over the Shoves they think accompany the role. It may be that these Shoves are only hypothetical, and that you can easily assuage these concerns by talking these middle performers through their incorrect assumptions. However, there is always the chance that these high performer Shoves are in fact quite real. Once again, employees can provide a clear view to organizational problems of which you may not be aware. It is worth your while to ask your high performers, during your monthly or quarterly Shoves and Tugs conversation, if any of these shove factors are factual. You may uncover valuable information by which you can instigate some changes that not only will help you motivate middle performers to a higher level of production, but will have the added bonus of working to retain high performers.

Benefits Are Too Low
The fifth group of middle performers is comprised of those employees that believe the benefits of being a high performer are just too low. These are the folks that have the skills and attitude of a high performer, and who would be happy to do what it takes to move up to the next level, if only they could see the tangible benefit of doing so. They question each possibility of advancement, and if they foresee no favorable return, suspecting instead that the "rewards" will be factors such as a minimal pay increase, added hassle, and little to no promise of promotion, they turn away from making high performer efforts.

Not unlike the "costs are too high" middle performers, those in the "benefits are too low" group may simply be reacting to hypothetical conditions. In this situation, middle performers will be demotived by what they perceive to be a lack of Tugs. Once again, this may be valuable information that should be investigated with your high performers during Shoves and Tugs conversations. If you find that the suspicions of the "benefits are too low" middle performers are not valid, you will need to reinforce the actual benefits of high performance. And if they are valid, you will need to address that factor.

Make sure that high performer benefits are things that will work to motivate all your employees. If some or all of your high performers concur that the benefits really are not all that great, it's time to consider making some changes that will retain your current high performers and induce middle performers to make the jump.

Information found on: http://www.leadershipiq.com/articles/motivating-middle-performers/#

Top 10 Leadership Qualities

By David Hakala on March 19, 2008

A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion."

A leader must be able to communicate his or her vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, inspiring others to do the same.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.

Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the team, only opportunities to achieve something great.

Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if … ?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is, “I know this is a dumb question ... ”

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.

Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that being underassertive or overassertive may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.

A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as todefuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the work environment. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.

Advice to Millennials

Written by Gary Polson, mentor.

"I believe that you may belong to one of the greatest generations of our time. You follow in the footsteps of other individuals who accomplished amazing things before they were 30. Steve Jobsco-founded Apple at the age of 21. Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft at the age of 20, and fellow Millennial, Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook at the age of 19.

So be proud of your considerable talents and ambition. Use your mastery of technology, your competitive spirit and intensity, your creativity and your aptitude for collaboration and communication. These gifts prepare you well for success in life and work.

It is important to remember, too, that all great people have had great mentors who have inspired and guided them. Bill Gates considers legendary investor, Warren Buffet, as a mentor, and Gates himself has been an important influence on Mark Zuckerberg. Similarly, you should find people from whose knowledge and wisdom you could learn. Buffet said the key to sucess is to know who to be the batboy for. Good mentors can teach you how to avoid the mistakes and landmines that can harm your reputation and career prospects. Additionally, they can arm you with the knowledge and skills to perform at your best.

Certain concepts are timeless: sacrifice and struggle for long-term success; going the extra mile to reach your goals; if you get knocked down seven times, get back up eight; and so on. Mentors can help you with these vital lessons, especially when you are struggling. They can give you the support and guidance to help you get back on your feet and embrace something Abraham Lincoln once said: 'Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.'"

Well said. Thanks, Gary!

A Man Without Passion is a Fire Without Light

A person without passion has no more value than a candle without a flame or a fire without a light. By passion, I mean zeal, enthusiasm, or fervor. It is the force that relentlessly drives one forward. Passion is a burning desire that create commitment to a person, project, or life. A world without passion is a world without Mother Theresa, Mozart or Michaelangelo. Every great endeavor has been fueled by passion.

The opposite of passion is indifference. A society in which no one cares about their job or country is on the verge of collapse. Passion is the motor that propels us to our destination and the glue that binds our society together. However, not all passion is good. That's why Henri Frederic Amiel wrote, "The fire which enlightens is the same fire which consumes." Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot, Jim Jones, and Charles Manson were passionate. Passionate, but grossly misguided. Instead of reaching for the stars, they dove into the depths of hell.

To be of value, passion must be illuminated by knowledge. Before giving our heart, we must make sure the object of our passion is ennobling, not destructive. Those on a spiritual quest should exercise great caution before joining any new group. Examine the claims and research the background of the group before getting excited. Otherwise, you could wind up becoming a cult member.

Also, passion is not to be confused with obsession. When we are obsessed, we are controlled by cravings. We become slaves to addictions and compulsions. The only progress we make is downward. Once we are in a tailspin, it's hard to recover by ourselves. So, if we find ourselves in such a predicament, we need to find outside help. Passion, on the other hand, is a conscious decision. We choose to devote ourselves to a worthwhile cause, such as our family, career, or charity.

Passion has magical power. It can bring the nonexistent into existence. For example, Walt Disney's passion helped him overcome severe setbacks, a nervous breakdown, and the discouragement of staff, peers, and friends. Acting against the advice of all, he transformed his dream of Disneyland into reality. Another magical quality of passion is its ability to lighten our load. With the wave of a wand, work becomes fun! Tedious effort becomes exciting! Passion is also power, for as Margaret Mead wrote, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

You will also find that doors that are locked for ordinary folks suddenly open for those with passion. How can one resist their enthusiasm? Even if the doors remained shut, the fire of their passion would burn them down! The passionate have big dreams and big dreams come with big problems. But who cares? Those with passion are focused on their goals, not themselves. They are wrapped up in their dreams, not their worries. They don't have the time or inclination for self-pity. When things go wrong, they learn from their mistakes and quickly continue on their way.

Consider for a moment, what are the alternatives to a life of passion? Would you rather go to work with a frown, instead of a smile? Would you rather lead an empty life or one filled with purpose? Would you rather delight in or dread the beginning of a new day? Would you rather be a survivor or a success? Whenever it is a matter of ability or passion, passion is always the victor in the battle for success.

Spike Lee offers this advice, "It is really important that young people find something that they want to do and pursue it with passion. I'm very passionate about filmmaking. It's what I love to do." The American Industrialist, Charles M. Schwab, had this to add, "The person who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to make money nor to find much fun in life."

What if we recognize the importance of passion but somehow lack it? What can we do to nurture it? Well, recognizing its importance is the first step. Other steps you can take follow.

1. Take responsibility. The only bad hand you have been dealt in life was dealt by you. From today, "Don't do things half-assed," says Hugh Young, "If a thing is worth doing at all, it's worth doing as well as you can possibly do it. Pick out something you think is worthwhile and do it or work at it with passion. Do it with all your might."

2. You find what you look for. Instead of looking for the bad in your job or situation, look for the good. Look for the opportunities. Search for the solutions. Look for the way.

3. Make a plan. Once you've found some opportunities and solutions, make a plan of action. What should you avoid doing and what should you start doing now?

4. Make a decision. Now that you have a plan, decide to act on it. Set deadlines and start following your new road map to success. Enjoy the ride.

5. Stoke the fire of passion. To keep passion's fire burning brightly, review the day's events in the evening. Monitor your progress. Relish your achievements and learn from your mistakes.

6. Don't douse the flames. You want to ignite your life with passion, but be careful of burnout. Work hard, but schedule breaks, leisure, entertainment, and family time. Don't forget to reward yourself occasionally.

7. Recharge your batteries. Make time for the gym, sports, long walks, or meditation to relieve stress, refresh you spirit, and renew your energy.

8. "Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." (Henry Miller)

9. Take brief "awareness breaks" throughout the day to remind yourself of the joy of being alive.

10. Avoid negative people and associate with enthusiastic people.

11. Share your zest for life with others. Brighten up their day. Their warm response will reinforce your passion.

12. Take "vitamins for the mind." That is read or listen to motivational material to keep the flames burning.

WRITTEN BY CHUCK GALLOZZI

It's All About Doing What it Takes to Increase Your Quality of Life

An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three kids. He applies for a janitor's job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test.

The human resources manager tells him, 'You will be hired at minimum wage of $5.35 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day.' Taken aback, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address.

To this the manager replies, 'You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. So, Good Day.'

Stunned, the man leaves not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling 25 lb. crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. Repeating the process several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.

During the night he decides to repeat the tomato business the next day. By the end of the week he is getting up early every day and working into the night. He multiplies his profits quickly.

Early in the second week he acquires a cart to transport several boxes of tomatoes at a time, but before a month is up he sells the cart to buy a broken-down pickup truck.

At the end of a year he owns three old trucks. His two sons have left their neighborhood gangs to help him with the tomato business, his wife is buying the tomatoes, and his daughter is taking night courses at the community college so she can keep books for him.

By the end of the second year he has a dozen very nice used trucks and employs fifteen previously unemployed people, all selling tomatoes. He continues to work hard.

Time passes and at the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of nice trucks and a warehouse that his wife supervises, plus two tomato farms that the boys manage. The tomato company's payroll has put hundreds of homeless and jobless people to work. His daughter reports that the business grossed over one million dollars.

Planning for the future, he decides to buy some life insurance.

Consulting with an insurance adviser, he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances. Then the adviser asks him for his e-mail address in order to send the final documents electronically.

When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess with a computer and has no e-mail address, the insurance man is stunned, 'What, you don't have e-mail? No computer? No Internet? Just think where you would be today if you'd had all of that five years ago!'

"Ha!", snorts the man. "If I'd had email five years ago I would be sweeping floors at a hi-tech firm and making $5.35 an hour."

The Black Door

Several generations ago, during on of the most turbulent of the desert wars in the Middle East, a spy was captured and sentenced to death by a general of the Persian army. The general, a man of intelligence and compassion, had adopted a strange and unusual custom in such cases. He permitted the condemned person to make a choice.

The Prisoner could either face the firing squad or pass through the Black Door.

As the moment of the execution drew near, the general ordered the spy to be brought before him for a short final interview. The primary purpose of which was to receive the answer of the doomed man to the query: "What shall it be - the firing squad or the Black Door?"

This was not an easy decision and the prisoner hesitated, but soon made it known that he much preferred the firing squad to the unknown horrors that might wait for him behind the ominous and mysterious door. Not long thereafter a volley of shots in the courtyard announced that the grim sentence had been fulfilled.

The general, staring at his bots, turned to his aide and said, "You see how it is with men; they will always prefer the know way of the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet I gave him his choice."

"What lies beyond the Black Door?" asked the aide.

"Freedom," replied the general, "and I've known only a few men brave enough to take it."

7 Leadership Lessons from an NBA Coach

Avery Johnson, coach of the New Jersey Nets, shares his keys to success in management, regardless of your industry.

By Lou Dubois | @lou_dubois | May 25, 2011 (inc.com)

Avery Johnson overcame the odds as a player in the NBA. Despite going undrafted in the 1988 NBA Draft, Johnson went on to play 16 seasons in the league for six different franchises, becoming one of only two players less than six feet tall to play in more than 1,000 games. In 1999, he was the floor leader of the San Antonio Spurs championship team (and was nicknamed the “Little General' for his leadership skills).

In 2004, he joined the Dallas Mavericks as a player/coach, but before the season began he decided to retire as a player and to concentrate on coaching. In his first full season as head coach in 2005–2006, he was named NBA Coach of the Year as he guided the Mavericks to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance. He left the Mavericks in 2008, and after spending three years as an ESPN/ABC studio analyst, was hired as the new head coach of the New Jersey Nets before the 2010/2011 NBA season.

Bringing a unique perspective as a leader has been important for Johnson throughout his career, and particularly when he took over for a Nets team that had won only 12 games in the previous season. He considers the qualities of being a good leader in the NBA very similar to those necessary for succeeding in the business world. Inc.com's Lou Dubois caught up with Johnson to discuss his seven keys to leadership, regardless of whether you're leading a team of 15 NBA players, a Fortune 500 company or are a young entrepreneur.

1. Cultivate Relationships to Build a Winning Culture

When I was hired by New Jersey, I knew the number one thing I'd need was patience because this was a total rebuild, for lack of a better word. It was a decimated situation, with the team having won just 12 games the year before I got here, going through two coaches and just kind of holding on for life, like any struggling business does. And we were moving into a temporary home for two years before our new arena was finished in Brooklyn. We wanted to come in and just totally change the culture of where we're going and implement a totally new vision, so we turned over the roster quite a bit (though we're still not done yet), were able to bring in (General Manager) Billy Kingwho has done a magnificent job at retooling this.

We have great ownership obviously and that's the only way you can do it in this business if you want to succeed. The good businesses all have great owners. And most importantly, being new to town, Billy and I share a vision on how to treat players. I meet with my players quite often in a one-on-one setting to see how they're feeling, what they like, what they don't like; and whether I agree with them or not, it's all about relationships with players and employees. That's key to the winning environment we're trying to build.

2. Know When to Push Your Employees

Coaching in Dallas was a great opportunity for me because having played there, I had an understanding of the personality and dynamics of the players that were there and the organization in general. So when my playing career ended, I had the chance to become an assistant head coach under Don Nelson, where he hired me to run a bunch of different practices. And when he was out sick or tossed from a game, I got the chance to coach—a great training ground. So when I officially became a head coach, the transition was relatively easy. I had background there with the Mavericks and a strong relationship with (owner) Mark Cuban, understanding what he wanted and where he wanted to go. So we just kind of hit the ground running. But to me as a leader, the key was knowing what buttons to push because of my familiarity with the players and the organization, and knowing what we needed to take that next step. That was a huge advantage.

3. As a New Leader, Respect Is Key

What makes me an effective leader? I think I bring credibility because of the way I came into the NBA, being undrafted and playing as many games as I did in my career. Sixteen years of being an undersized player and not being drafted, along with all of the different teams I played on (six in total). All of the playoff games, heated battles and high-pressure situations I've been in have helped, and to have a resume of coaching four years in Dallas as an assistant and head coach, being part of a lot of great moments and disappointing moments, is big. Through it all, I think it's about keeping my head high and continuing to work no matter how tough it can get. The guys know that they have somebody that's experienced as a player and as a coach, who has gone through a lot of highs and quite a bit of lows and knows how to get through them. Most importantly, my guys know I'm a rock that they can lean on for all of the highs and lows.

4. Discover Your Different Voices

I saw it in Steve Kerr when we were teammates in San Antonio. He was really impactful on my career and in actually helping me to become a better leader. He always talked about the different voices you have to have in order to be an effective leader. What voices do you need? You need a teaching voice, a disciplinary voice, an angry voice, a loving voice, and an incensed voice. So having those different voices that you have to have and knowing when to apply which one at what time, and with which employee, is so important. Players respond to those different voices.

5. Address Challenges Before They Arise

As an NBA point guard, you can see plays and progress on the court before they happen, which is why point guards are called the on-court leaders. Trying to get your teammates or employees to understand things before they happens, whether in training camp, preparing for the regular season or playoffs is vital to success. And again, that's what happens all the time as a coach and in business. So just being able to prepare individually but also to prepare your team for what is around the corner—that's what coaches, point guards and good business leaders all have in common.

6. The Six C's of Good Leaders

Really good leaders are more consistent in their approach both on and off the court. For me, I believe that what you do on the court (or in the office) parallels what you do off it, but it also parallels any business. In any business situation, if you're a CEO of a company or leading any group of people, you need to follow what I call the C-plan:

• Great communication

• Strong character

• Competitive drive

• Consistency in the way you lead

• Compassion

• Confidence

Those are the skills that a lot of successful leaders have in common.

7. Focus on Small Victories, Not Just Big Wins

I talked to the media a lot this year about small victories, and in a rebuilding process, I think that's so important to preach as a leader. The big victory for us is to become a 50-win team and a perennial playoff contender, but we're just not there yet. So I make it a point to focus on details and small victories. For us, it's learning how to practice, learning how to watch film, taking care of your body, getting in the weight room, knowing when to party and when not to party, trying to get the players to understand when to be a good teammate. Because it's more of a reconstruction project, we are happy with small victories. The big wins will come.

How to Develop a Leadership Mindset

1.) Set expectations with your team

a. People don’t mind negatives they just don’t like surprises

b. It’s what people expect to happen that didn’t happen that upsets them

c. As long as it makes sense; it’s cool…

2.) Teach your team “how to think” not what to do; to be solution oriented not problem focused

a. Telling the person the “why’s” behind things

b. If you tell them what to do you will always have to tell them what to do

c. Controllables vs. Uncontrollables

d. “Can’t” means “Won’t”

3.) Ease them into their development

a. Have Fun – there is a structure to everything

b. You can only be as hard on a person as the relationship will allow

c. Don’t listen to the nonsense

4.) Ability to “see it coming”

a. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best

b. Have a plan for all case-scenarios

5.) Progress over perfection; expect continued development and improvement in performance.

a. As soon as you figure out the answer they change the question

b. It’s not in the form of the production but in experience and growth

6.) Integrity is key

a. Always do the right thing especially when no one is watching

The Price of Paying It Forward

“Kindness,” as Mother Teresa so beautifully said. “Is the only language that we all understand.” We’ve all heard the saying: “What goes around comes around.” And the following true story is a wonderful reminder of how simple acts of kindness can come back to us when we least expect it.

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

“I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life.” “No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,” the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family home.

“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked.

“Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.

“I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.”

And that he did. Farmer Fleming’s son attended the very best schools and, in time, graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog, was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill.

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“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now...for I shall not pass this way again.” --William Penn