I’ve been very fortunate over the last two decades to work with many of the best leaders and organizations in business, sports, healthcare and education. I’ve found that the best in these different fields implement the same principles and practices. Here are some of my findings:
1. The best know what they want. They have clarity that drives their actions. When you are on a mission with a vision you won't give up when faced with challenges. It’s essential that everyone in the organization is clear on the vision and mission and knows how they can contribute to it.
2. The best build a great culture. Culture drives expectations and beliefs. Expectation and beliefs drive behaviors. Behaviors drive habits. Habits create the future. If you want the fruit you must invest in the root. Culture is the root. Culture creates sustained success.
3. The best do ordinary things better than everyone else. Success is all about the fundamentals. Vince Lombardi once held a 4-day coaching clinic and spent 2 full days on one play: the power sweep. Opponents knew it was coming but still couldn't stop it.
4. The best are mentally stronger. Through adversity their belief is greater their circumstance. Research at Duke University shows that optimists work harder, get paid more and are more likely to succeed in business and sports. Because they believe it, they take the actions necessary to create it.
5. The best overcome their fear of failure. Everyone has fear but the best overcome it. They don’t allow it to control, limit or paralyze them from taking action. The greatest success strategy is to focus on the love of what you are doing instead of fearing the outcome.
6. The best build great relationships and teams. No once creates success alone. We all need a team to accomplish something great. The best leaders and teams utilize the 4 Cs. They communicate, connect, commit and care.
7. The best transform negativity. They allow negativity to sabotage their team and mission. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Great leaders and teams feed the positive and weed the negative.
