Full Time-Out: March 2020
With the Selection Show coming up this Sunday, March Madness is officially upon us!
This is without question, my favorite time of year for sports. The NCAA tournament is so magnetic that people that don’t even like basketball tune in!
And it’s bittersweet for businesses. According to a CNBC report:
- Most companies have office pools that they say is great for team member moral
- Yet corporate productivity losses last March amounted to $6.3 billion
I guess Diddy was right, Mo Money… Mo Problems.
Given the tournament is ‘lose and go home’, check out this mindset I’ve shared with every team I’ve ever worked with come playoff time:
You need the confidence to believe that on any given night… you can beat anyone. But you also need to have the humility to acknowledge that on any given night… anyone can beat you.
Confidence + Humility = Strength
Video Breakdown Series
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My favorite part about March Madness? The best team doesn’t always win… whoever plays the best that day does.
Talent plays a factor for sure, but so does playing HARD, playing SMART, and playing TOGETHER.
And the most powerful feeling known to man is BELIEF.
Every coach in the tournament shares this code with their team: BELIEVE OR LEAVE
On that note, the 3 most powerful phrases you can give a teammate:
- I got your back
- I believe in you
- I care about you
Please note… these concepts and mindsets directly apply to business as well!
Watch
W.I.N. List (What’s Important Now)
Here are 6 concepts and mindsets that apply to March Madness and to business:
- Before you can win… you have to know what loses.
- Bring your effort, not your ego. Your reputation must be earned every day.
- Strive to be the best for the team, not the best on the team.
- Don’t talk at a teammate. Talk to a teammate.
- ‘Listen with your eyes’ – Lock in your feet, hips, shoulders, head and eyes
- Be the teammate you want to be play with.
Special Edition: March 2020
As the mandated quarantining and social distancing continues, most of the world is now working remotely from home. This can create a massive disruption to your team if you let it.
So don’t.
If you are a coach, CEO, manager, director, or supervisor… it’s vital that you make a focused effort to connect and communicate openly and consistently with your team.
Whether you coach high school athletes or a Fortune 500 workforce, if you haven’t already done so, you need to personally call (yes, actually call) every member of your team and follow a customized version of this script:
- Ask how they are doing/feeling (as well as their family). Get a pulse on where they fall on the spectrum of anxious vs optimistic.
- Clarify exactly is what is needed/expected from them now that they will be working remotely. What is most important for them to focus on?
- Ask how you can help/support them. Do they have everything they need to work efficiently from home? Please encourage them to check in if something comes up or if they need help/resources.
- Clarify your plan for moving forward and what they can expect from you. Share your ‘new’ vision during this ‘new’ normal.
- Actively listen! Be open, empathetic, and compassionate. This needs to be a conversation, not a monologue.
- Let them know you are here for them, you care about them, and that you have their back. Make sure they know you are in this together. NOTE: Do not make promises you can’t keep – simply speak honestly and from the heart.
- Follow your call up with a concise, customized email summary of your conversation highlighting the key bullet points to ensure clarity. And feel free share this curated a series of FREE assets as well: https://AlanSteinJr.com/Free
As a leader, these calls are not ‘extra’ work – THIS IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORK!
And if you want to strengthen your support, you can order a bulk set of books for your team.
To ensure safe social distancing, you can leave copies outside your home/office for team members to pick up… or you can mail them each a copy.
If you’d like a 42% discount on team set (10+) of SIGNED copies, simply reply to this email to inquire.
While I believe things won’t be ‘back to normal’ for a while… I plan to resume my normal email newsletter rhythm in April.
So sit tight (ha ha, like you even have a choice, right?!) and get ready for next month’s Full Time Out, 30-Second Time Out, and Overtime emails.
PS: I got this message from a coach last week:
“COVID-19 has ceased our ability to physically practice together. But nothing can stop our ability to mentally practice together. We’re reading Raise Your Game as a team.”
Teams that read together, win together… especially in times like this.
