Know The Rules . . And Win
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So I’m listening to Jack Welch’s book Winning on tape. Part of the book’s chapter on Managing your Company stressed hiring the right people and specifically hiring people who know the rules. Presumeably people who understand the rules of their business are able to spot opportunities for pushing the business while still abiding by the letter and spirt of the law.
Jack’s got a lot of great insight in his book and he’s a great companion on my early morning walks, when I can get out of bed in time 
But Jack’s words did not ring true until something I just saw a couple of days ago. In fact most Rule Mavens I know would rather beat you over the head with their knowledge of the rules then look for ways to push the boundaries of the business within them.
On Friday I saw a link to a great story, it was about a couple of high school football coaches in California that spent the better part of 3 years developing a completely new offensive strategy called the A-11Offense. This new offense is so revolutionary that the coaches weren’t completely sure it was legal. But they poured through the rule books and were confiedent that it was.
To be sure they when meet with league officials and referees who agreed that the new offense scheme was both legal and revolutionary.
Unlike traditional offenses which telegraph which players are eligible and which are not by the way they line up, the A-11 makes it appear as though everyone is a eligible receiver and now the defense doesn’t know who to cover. The base offense also includes two quarterbacks lined up in shotgun formation.
They installed this offense in the spring of 07′ and ran it 40-60% of the time in the 07 Season. It took them a couple of games to work out the finer points, looking at the reaction of the opposing teams but then then ran off 7 consecutive wins.
The coaches have been fielding questions from all of the country about their offense. They started a website http://www.a11offense.com where they document their offense and provide information and support to other teams interested in learning how to run this offense.
Then it occurred to me this is the advantage of having players on YOUR team who understand the rules. They can rethink how we do business and create completely new ways to be more efficient and profitable. Helping us to be as successful as the Piedmont Highlanders of Piedmont, CA.
They Cannot Read Your Mind
Sometimes employees do things and you will be utterly amazed that anyone could do something so _______ (fill in the blank . . . .dumb, moronic, insensitive, career limiting, etc.) This can be especially hard on a manager when they manage experienced employees. If you supervise this group and one of these events occurs, your first thought might be -”Damnit . . . They Should Know Better”.
And while I may agree with you I think there is another system at play; our Personal Operating System or (POS). I firmly believe that we are all a collection of our experiences, our hopes, and our failures. This collection, that some people might call “baggage”, affects everything we see and hear. This collection influences our intrepretation of our environment, our view of the motivations of others, and any potential threat that may or may not exist. You’ve seen people like this . . . . “everyone is out for my job”.
If you have one of these moments you may need to upgrade the Personal Operating Systems of your staff. Unfortunately you cannot download the necessary patch or service pack. The key to successfully upgrading the POS of your staff is to share your own code and as objectively as possible share how the world looks through your eyes. This could be seen as determining the parameters (or expectations that you have) of your POS.
I’m not sure as a Manager I have ever had a discussion with my team about what my core expectations are. So I decided to write down as many of those as possible and I came to the conclusion that these were such a part of my being that I thought everyone thought this way and I probably hadn’t shared them in their entirety.
My Expectations
I expect that you are capable of everything I ask you to do. If you are not, you need to tell me; but before doing so ask yourself if I am expecting too much of you or you are expecting too little of yourself. Think of the requirements to be met . . .focus on the problem that needs to be overcome.
I expect that if you have a problem you will have considered the solution yourself first. In doing so, I expect that when presenting the problem to me, or any other manager, you will present your two best ideas for consideration with a particular recommendation. Think of the solution . . . . .
I expect that if your are on my team you will never say “That’s Not My Job!” Think of the opportunity that could be lost . . . .
I expect that if you know something, you will find an opportunity to share it. We operate in an environment with an abundance of work to be done, there is enough for everyone . . . . Think of the next guy (or gal)
I expect that if you need help you will ask for it. I also expect that if you see a teammate who needs help you will offer it. Think of yourself as a member of a team . . . .
I expect that each of you has an incredible future and as such will operate in a forthright manner toward you as I expect I may be working for one of you in the future. And I expect that you will be equally open and honest with your teammates and customers. Think about what you say and do . . .and how it will comeback to you.
In short my expectation is that you will Think
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By helping our staff “Think” like us, we will be upgrading their POS and have a direct affect on their work and ensure that the “Didn’t They Know Better” incidents are kept to a minimum.
– Kris
Read Faster!
Looking for that high impact training program for next year. Soon Managers across the country will be reviewing their training needs and laying out plans for next year. Let me offer a kind of wildcard you may not have thought of. I was in exactly the same position last year. And as I looked at the mountain of stuff in my in box I had a revelation . . . what if I could find a speed reading course to get through all of this stuff faster.
After doing a little research I found a company out of Charlotte called ExecuRead. Dr. Stewart, the primary trainer for ExecuRead, promised results in just two 5 hour classes. I was sceptical but willing to try. I was never a very confident reader mainly because I dreaded how long it would take me to read the book.
I can now safely say that it was the most impactful training I have every had the opportunity of taking. At the start of the lesson you perform a reading speed and comprehension test. I was tested at about 270 words per minute with 80% comprehension. In just 10 hours I was able to raise that to 1250 WPM with 100% comprehension. That’s right faster speeds and higher comprehension.
In the three months since Dr. Stewart’s class I have read more books, both business and pleasure, then I have read in the 15 years since high school. Dr. Stewart will come to your office to perform the training in fact many companies have standing engagements with him. This has truely provided me with a real competitive edge that is netting results. If you are interested call him up and mention that I recommended his service to you and he’ll give YOU $50 off. What a deal . . . . gotta get back to my book . . . .
Hi, My name is Kris Kovacs and welcome to KoFacts my blog about everyday leadership, management, technology, politics, scouting and other fun stuff. I have a diverse background in financial services and information technology so the topics I cover tend to be applicable to business and IT. Thanks for stopping by. Please subscribe to my blog or bookmark it and visit often.
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