An interesting video did the rounds on social media recently. It was an interview with Geno Auriemma, head coach of the Connecticut Huskies women’s basketball team (who recently won 107 consecutive games!). You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYP7H-SumdQ
In the vid he highlights how important a positive attitude is for team success. He says that kids today are obsessed with trying to be cool, which makes them standoffish, selfish and lacking in team spirit. He goes on to say that he’d rather lose than play someone, however talented they might be, whose lack of enthusiasm impacts negatively on the team.
The video got me thinking. That coach is absolutely right, and his ideas don’t just apply to sport. At work, even if you’re not on your “A” game, you’ve got to be constantly willing to support the rest of your team. More than that, you’ve got to show that you’re willing. Cumulatively, your attitude and support will have a massively positive impact on team performance.
People who project a negative image and don’t care about their impact on others are “destructors”. They pollute and infect the team environment. And as the coach says, no matter how talented or expert they are, they need to change or should be dropped. It’s no accident that when hiring, Google values humility, leadership and the desire/ability to learn above college degrees and expertise. Destructors may have degrees and specialist knowledge, but they will never show those other essential attributes.
The video also got me thinking about leadership. This American basketball coach is so successful because he leaves his team in no doubt as to what’s expected of them. He simply won’t allow his team to be lazy or to resent the achievements of others. Rather than wasting time and energy managing personalities and egos, he’s cut all of that right out. If it gets to the point of having to manage your ego, you’re out of the team. Simple.
So what can we take away from Geno Auriemma’s video? For me it’s all about maintaining self-awareness and remembering that your attitude always impacts on others. So bring your “A” game. Show your enthusiasm. Support your team.
Personally, I think it’s a good idea to rate yourself – out of 10 – every day that you go to work. Each day I ask myself what I’ve done, how many people I’ve helped, and whether I’ve achieved what I set out to achieve. Could I have done more? Then I give myself a mark out of 10. My golden rule is that your desire level must always be 10, even if your output score dips on some days. I reckon I average an 8.752! (With the help of an occasional double espresso!). What’s your score today?