Wednesday, May 20, 2009

 

Mindset Tune-Up: Lessons Learned from a Championship Soccer Team

"Champions tune-up their mindset and teamwork to win the BIG game." - Raj Gavurla


Wow, there was a BIG game last night for the SC Upper State high school soccer championship! Several adaptability links can be applied to your organization's team. It was a rubber match between the Eastside Eagles and J.L. Mann Patriots. During the early part of the season JL Mann won their first game with Eastside on Eastside's home field 3-0. Eastside made them pay on Mann's home field 1-0 in the latter part of the season. Eastside earned home field by being ranked #1 at the end of the regular season. The Eagles defeated the Patriots 3-2 in overtime to be the SC Upper State Soccer Champions!

With five minutes left in the game Eastside tied the score 2-2. Then the Eagles carried the momentum into overtime by scoring an early goal to make it 3-2 and tightening up their defense to win.

What are the mindset, mood, and motivation lessons and your adaptability link to be a champion?


Mindset
1. What happens in the regular season matters. A team should continually improve (get better) throughout the year to make a championship run.
2. You will face adversity such as star players being injured during the regular season and someone must be ready to step in.
3. Your intensity level increases to win in the playoffs.
4. Their dream and goal is to win the SC State Championship.

Mood
1. Eastside lost last year's SC Upper State Soccer Championship game. They want to win this year.
2. Having home field was a BIG boost to the players mood. With students cheering, drums, horns, and the eagle mascot waving the Eastside flag on their side any doubt of defeat was erased.
3. After the win, the students rushed the field to celebrate!

Motivation
1. To be the better team by consistently playing at the top of their game.
2. Raise the bar

To deal with doubt throughout the year Eastside had to tune-up their mindset to win.
There is one more tune-up needed for this Saturday's SC State Championship soccer game.
Teams have to deal with doubt, even the best. Give your team a mindset tune-up to increase your wins. I'm looking forward to hearing about your goals, callings, and dreams.

Be A Hero!

Raj




Tuesday, May 19, 2009

 

Pillars of Teamwork

Some companies and athletic teams use the words teamwork or team to describe how their organization works. That's extremely important. Some don't mention teamwork or team.These organizations are the ones that experience stagnation. My research indicates while many companies and athletic organizations taut teamwork, many do not grow teamwork methodology, processes, and skills to benefit from teamwork. Teamwork is a tangible. It requires conscious intelligent effort to blossom.

Andrew Carnegie, an extremely successful entrepreneur and former leader of US Steel once said, "Take away all our trade, our avenues of transportation, our money. Leave us with nothing but our organization, and in four years we shall have reestablished ourselves." Benjamin Fairless, another great US Steel leader said that, without organization, US Steel would amount to little; and without teamwork, "we would have no organization."

Championships are won by teamwork. The NBA's dynasty teams are the Boston Celtics (16 championships), Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (14 championships), and Chicago Bulls (6 championships). I guarantee those championship rings were won by teamwork. It also brought beautiful execution of plays, movement, and spectacular runs.

Move forward to a New Best Levelâ„¢ by giving teamwork a much-needed second look in your business and life.

As I observe and research the best companies and athletic teams, the pillars of teamwork readily appear as:

                                                        Responsibility
                                                        Skills
                                                        Accountability as fun

Responsibility has two parts. One: Treat each teammate well to create more respect. It takes special people to achieve special results. Be a special person at all times and you will easily gain results, admiration, and loyalty from your teammates. Two: Self-discipline keeps you on the upward trend to a New Best Level, and the team follows.

Grow your business and life skills. Michael Jordan had to learn the business of the NBA to help form a championship team. His talent and skills were honed and continued to grow because positive change happens. When it's time, take over the basketball game to win all the basketball games!

Without accountability, you and I have no fun, so we need to make each other accountable. This is the bond that says, "When you succeed, I'm there to give you a high five! When you fail, I'm there to help!" Then the championships, company profitability, and your life are revving for the celebration! Celebrate and, years from now, we all are going to have a whole lot of fun reminiscing.

Of course, the good intangibles are what separate a person, company, and athletic team from the not-so-good, and good tangible teamwork is necessary to feed and encourage good intangibles.


Sunday, May 17, 2009

 

Defining the Qualities of a Professional

In today's business climate, we are experiencing more interest in professionalism. The past five years provided many successes; however, most have been overshadowed by the nonethical behavior of a few. Some people lost most of their retirement savings, and the US population is demanding a stronger economy and a peaceful world.

We've seen quality job opportunities decreasing, and the need for profits has projects being partially or wholly completed overseas. Many employees are traveling to other offices in the US because of the lack of projects locally. If they choose not to travel, they are being asked to take vacation or risk being laid off.

In tough times, I look to fundamentals to help right the path. One fundamental is defining the qualities of a professional. Some define a professional as a person who is being paid for a service. True, we require money to trade. However, some get paid by doing illegal activities.

To simplify, you are a professional when you have three qualities:

(1) Trustworthiness. When you meet a person for the first time, you immediately associate a level of trust with him or her and their service. If the person happens to come via a recommendation, the trust may be greater. Regardless, just as relationships develop, so does the level of trust. People who associate with each other on a high trust level know how to talk to one another and provide reasons that the service they are representing can be beneficial. Knowing how to talk to one another is more than mannerisms. It is the ability to motivate one another to create positive results. Additionally, your involvement and input in your company, associations, volunteerism, charity work, and political party help develop trust. Not necessarily because two people agree on an issue, but because somewhere on this path a common trust level evolves as you share experiences. When trust is present, people will buy from you or recommend your service or ideas.

(2) Helpfulness. By being helpful, you are essentially putting the other person in a better position. Negotiating is a great tool to show your willingness to help. People like being dealt with as individuals. We, and our services, are too robust and diverse for "one size fits all." However, be sure you negotiate fairly. Don't provide an offer and service to someone unless they can provide valid reasons to do so. Putting together value metric points (goals) for your client is a great way to validate the value of your service. Be patient, ask questions to understand, have service options, and close win-win deals. Knowing how to make deals is essential to success.

(3) Caring. Caring shows a desire to gain a better understanding of an individual's current scenario and doing something that benefits them. It is the quality that says we may be individuals competing but, when a certain scenario or circumstance exists, we are united. When all three qualities of a professional are present, expect to see not only a professional but one that gets paid well and has a well-balanced life.


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

Subscribe to Posts [Atom]