Every situation in life has two outcomes: win or learn. After last night's huge upset win for St. Peters over Kentucky, our CEO and lifelong Kentucky Fan Bryan Setser, woke up this morning with a growth mindset and a renewed commitment to learning. |
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After the game last night, my son came up to me and hugged me, and said it's OK Padre, tomorrow will be a better day. Multiple people texted me to check on me after the game, and my crazy cousin vowed to never watch them again. But, for me, I'm still rocking with Coach Cal and the Cats. Today is the first day of what we can learn from the loss. If I know Cal he's returning in reflection to his famous toughness sheet today and thinking already about how to help his team and staff process the tough night.
I first came across Calipari's press conference on toughness as well as the Jay Bilas article on the toughness sheet in 2009. As I read the points again this morning, I feel compelled to transcribe the points for leaders, teams, and organizations. There's a lot we can learn in terms of the practice of being a tough-minded leader, team, or organization. Moreover, the following phrases are some of the ways in which the toughness sheet can correlate to exceptional teammates in organizations.
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How do you make your organization tough and future-proof?
Here are a few lessons we learned on the court:
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Set Good Screens
Think about how you can help your team this week at work. Can you collaborate on a burden or project? Can you help them with a deadline? How can you be a servant leader for them?
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Set Up Your Cut
Get your head out of your desk and anticipate. Take and schedule time to set up your next move. Predict the possible and consider what might happen and then prepare for it.
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Talk on Defense
Don't over-communicate by email. Connect with people and solve problems together. Have crucial conversations with the people who need to hear them, not with everyone else.
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Jump to the Ball
Don't wait for someone to give you something to do. Show effort and initiative. The best teammates step into the work and ask forgiveness rather than permission.
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Don't Get Screened
See the angles. If you sense someone is acting unethical or trying to throw shade, communicate clearly and call the question. Use data to express your point of view and ask to be placed on the agenda.
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Hands Up
Create a culture that is on the ready. Work with each other to jump in and participate. Don't abdicate your role or responsibilities. Raise your hand and ask to be tapped when opportunities come your way.
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Play the Ball, See Your Man
Keep your focus on what matters. Understand who your point of contact is and make a connection with them.
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Dive! Dive! Dive!
Go after what is loose. Help shore up the first gap observed with an approach or strategy. Get on the floor, stay late if you need extra reps, and do whatever it takes to help the team. Everything is your job at every level - this is how great teams win.
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Post Your Man, Not a Spot
Be all in. Be physical, commit to mixing it up with travel, walking across town, hanging out in a part of the organization others would avoid. Understand the work on the ground.
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Run the Floor
Don't blame your non-participation on travel or being too busy. Be present. Show up at unexpected times and go with the team. Roll your sleeves up and make the copies, prep the room, fold the chairs, etc. Commit.
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Play Hard
Arrive early. Be there for each other. Put in the time and don't delegate what is yours to model, lead, and own.
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Man Down
Be the next person up. Prepare others in terms of succession. Give people opportunities that stretch them. Don't be afraid to put people in positions that test their comfort level. You are preparing others for the next level always.
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Finish Plays
Review the work again. Seek others' opinions. Be humble and open to feedback. Practice and execute the routine you've worked on several times. Excellence is not a one-time event, it is a series of habits for mind and muscle memory that have been rehearsed many times.
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Strong Body Language
Don't let others see you sweat. Be confident in your data, your knowledge, and your expertise. Show others your enthusiasm and have an infectious attitude.
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And finally, get better every day. Read, observe, practice, learn from others, and spend time at the feet of mentors to sharpen your skillsets. Be tough. Be different. Be exceptional. |
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Want to know how great schools and districts pass the toughness test?
Despite constant learning disruption, some U.S. schools achieved record-breaking graduation rates and student engagement during the pandemic, according to a new national report, What Made Them So Prepared by Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), and eight partner organizations. How did some schools do it? By adopting or creating “genuinely different learning models for their students: learning models that emphasize student agency, self-direction, resilient adaptiveness, real-world problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and effective collaboration.” Read three case studies of how schools made it their mission to prevent students, families, and staff from disengaging during the pandemic.
*Bryan Setser sits on the NGLC board.
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Want to share Setser Group on social media?
How tough is your team? See how you can elevate your team at www.setsergroup.com/connect.
#FutureOfWork #FutureOfLearning #SetserGroup #TeamWork #MarchMadness #NGLC #Leadership
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