Feb 28 in Philosophy
Written by: Heather Rast
Let me illustrate my point with a story:
Herb Brooks was many things in the world of hockey, among them the head coach of the USA national team during the 1980 Olympics. Brooks is attributed with having said “You cannot be a team of common men, for common men go nowhere. You have to be uncommon.” His team of young, unworldly players won the gold medal that year, accomplishing the biggest upset in Olympic history – the first victory against the USSR in 20 years. Herb took a group of individuals and melded them into a high-performing powerhouse.
Known for introducing a radical hybrid style of play, Herb’s accomplishments on the ice are the stuff legends are made of, his strength of
character humbling. Detractors took issue with Herb’s methods and his process. They couldn’t see beyond traditional, rote approaches to the game. They couldn’t comprehend an unknown, untested solution. They didn’t like having their familiar cart upset, even while they wanted some of their pride back. Their view was one dimensional. It lacked imagination and creative problem solving, mired in the muck of institutionalized sameness.
Surpassing mere technical skill and talent is the way Brooks challenged his players to stretch beyond themselves, their prejudices, personal interests and motivations, to reach new heights as a unified team with commonly held goals. He taught players how to appreciate the differences in one another, respect the unique value each had to offer, and maximize collective assets while minimizing – even denying – individual weaknesses. His approach was to channel individual strengths within a creative system for the betterment of the entire team. Superior training and conditioning allowed players to focus mental and physical energy into other critical aspects of the game, effectively removing a barrier which had brought down more talented teams.
Brooks inspired each player to believe the impossible was achievable, and he led them to cherish the hope others placed at their feet. That hope became power and fuel in the face of adversity. His players didn’t just win for themselves; they won for everyone who needed a dream to become a reality. Ask yourself, do your employees want to win for the whole company? Are they looking for ways to support the greater good?
Hockey may be a game, and an Olympic win may be reduced to a tarnished medal 30 years following a shining moment. But a system of ideals which include personal sacrifice, commitment, self discovery and awareness, shared glory and generosity of spirit should always be in fashion.
Brooks’s kind of innovation and authenticity can’t be faked, outsourced, or effectively messaged on the back of a business card. You either foster the kind of organizational culture that encourages experimentation and discovery, or you remain the kind that thinks a solution to death while sucking the life and motivation out of people in the name of fiscal prudence and established process.
Which will you choose? I choose to be uncommon.
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