challenges Archives - All the Way Leadership Blog

Leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. First, I asked, Are you ready to be a strong leader in the post-pandemic world? Next, I continued the conversation by listing many bold predictions that did not come to fruition in the post-pandemic world. In October, I discussed three big work-related changes that all leaders need to understand to be successful in the post-pandemic world. In this blog, I will focus on how leaders can address big change number one – fewer people and resources to get the job done. The bottom line is that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world.

Many organizations have fewer people

As I wrote in a previous blog, many industries reduced their workforce during the pandemic. Some that were hit hard, like travel, hospitality, and entertainment, rebounded and are on a positive trajectory in the post-pandemic world. Others have not faired so well. If you are wondering which industry laid off the most people this year, the answer is technology, according to my research assistant, ChatGPT. Here is what my assistant said when asked what sector laid off the most people in 2023.

“In the past year, the technology sector experienced many layoffs. Many tech companies, including major players like Cisco, Evernote, Oracle, Zendesk, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Cognizant, and Amazon, announced substantial layoffs. These layoffs affected various departments and were often attributed to cost reductions, restructuring plans, and a need to adapt to changing market conditions. The layoffs ranged from a few hundred employees in some companies to larger percentages of the workforce in others.”

Laying off employees is nothing new for many industries. The change this time around is the scale of the lay-offs. For example, the technology sector laid off over 100K employees in 2022. Numbers for this year are not final, but many believe it will be another large number. What does that mean for leaders? You will not have as many people in many industries to do the job as before. Sometimes, your team may be severely short-staffed, which can be challenging.

Some organizations have fewer resources

Not only did organizations reduce their workforce, but some also decreased their resources. What does that mean? Smaller investments, reduced offices, decreased benefits, lower budgets, less travel, and other ways to save money by cutting expenses. Don’t be surprised if fewer resources are available than before, which will limit your options. For example, if you use consultants to augment your workforce, you may be less able to leverage them as you did before the pandemic. I know many companies have “tightened their belts,” which makes leading in the post-pandemic world more challenging. However, lean times can sometimes lead to innovative solutions.

Leaders will need to set clear priorities

Given this new reality of fewer people and resources, leaders must set clear priorities to succeed in the post-pandemic world. Why? As a leader, you cannot waste your team members’ time on activities that don’t matter much or expend resources on low-return items. Gone are the days when you quickly produce better results by throwing more people at the problem. Neither can you afford to blow your budget early in the year and hope to get more resources later. No, wise leaders will set clear priorities so that the things that matter most get done first by their team members and themselves.

Strong leaders invest their own time in top-priorities

Let’s not forget that leaders must also set clear priorities for themselves. How you invest your time is hugely important. Please don’t waste it sitting in endless status meetings or low-impact activities. No – you need to focus on the top priorities. Over the years, I have witnessed many leaders who do not understand how to invest their time. They let others dictate how they spend their days without considering it. How can you spot a leader wasting their time on low-impact activities? Look at their calendars. It will tell you all you need to know. We will talk more about calendar management for leaders later this year in case it is one of your obstacles.

Leaders need to focus on the top priorities.

In the next blog, I will discuss a tool to set priorities.

What about you? Do you know how to set clear priorities for your teams and yourself? Do you have the tools you need to perform this critical function? If not, don’t worry. In the following few blogs, I will talk about tools that will help you set clear priorities and help put you on the path to success this year. Even if you already know how to set priorities, read the following few blogs. I will challenge you to be even more ruthless when setting priorities so that you can lead successfully in the post-pandemic world.

The most precious resource we have is time.
Steve Jobs

ATW! will make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

What is a horrible mistake to absolutely avoid when making decisions?

Our Battalion Commander figured no one would notice. He was deployed, and so was she. They just happened to be in the same unit. Work forced them to spend a lot of time together. He decided to start an intimate relationship with this Army Major. Two big problems – he was married, and she was his direct subordinate. Others did notice that they were rather casual around each other. Too casual – so they looked into it. My battalion commander was caught red-handed in an extramarital affair which is unacceptable behavior for an officer, especially a West Point graduate. He was removed from command and sent back to the States in shame. A twenty-year career down the drain because of his horrible decision. He knew better.

A bad personal decision can take your career off a cliff.

A horrible mistake is making poor personal decisions

There is a marketing campaign that says whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Clever slogan. Unfortunately, this is not true for leaders. The horrible mistake you should absolutely avoid when it comes to decisions is making poor personal choices. What does that mean? Do not lie, cheat, or steal. You will get caught at some point. Pay attention to the choices you make after hours as well. Some of you may say that it doesn’t matter. I believe that is a naive perspective. It does. I remind the leaders I work with before every holiday party – to have fun, but don’t become legendary. Don’t drink so much that others talk about you for years to come.

A marketing slogan – not a leadership principle.

We live in the age of transparency

For better or for worse, we live in the age of transparency. If you are a leader and do something stupid, like sleep with a subordinate, people will find out. Nowadays almost everyone has a phone that includes a camera and microphone. It is easy for someone to record your bad behavior and share it with others. If you sexually harass your employees it will be revealed at some point in time. What should leaders do? Think before you act. I am not saying that you need to live a monk’s lifestyle. Rather I am saying to be smart when it comes to making personal decisions. If your parents or spouse will be embarrassed by what you are about to do…don’t do it.

Phones and cameras are practically everywhere nowadays.

Many leaders fall into this horrible trap

I could list leaders who have fallen into that trap. But, I don’t need to do that. We all know a leader who made a poor personal decision and paid the price down the road. For example, I have watched leaders get fired after a corporate off-site or holiday party because they decided to get drunk which led to unacceptable unprofessional behavior. It probably seemed funny to them at the time, but was it worth it? The answer is no. I cannot emphasize this enough – be smart when it comes to your personal decisions to include what you post on social media sites. The last thing you want to do is explain a stupid tweet you posted long ago when you knew better but did it anyway.

Some leaders don’t learn from their poor personal decisions.

One caveat – enjoy yourself when you are on vacation

I am a big fan of relaxing and having a good time when you are on vacation. Let your hair down and enjoy yourself. If you are a strong leader and work hard at your job, you deserve to take a break from the daily grind every now and then. Just make sure that you don’t go overboard and end up making poor personal decisions you will regret.

The opportunity to step away from everything and take a break is something that shouldn’t be squandered.
Harper Reed

ATW! will make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

How to lead your team to win a championship

The University of Virginia men’s basketball team won the NCAA National Championship this year. Unbelievable. They were one of the top seeds in the tournament, but I do not believe that many thought UVA would actually win the tournament. Especially after their historic loss to UMBC in last year’s tournament. Several experts predicted UVA would advance past the first round, but few pictured them winning it all. The experts were wrong.

Oddly enough Charles Barkley predicted that UVA would win it all.

One helluva turn around this year

UVA’s performance in this year’s tournament marked a spectacular turn around. What a difference a year makes. There are many reasons they played much better this year. I am convinced that leadership played a crucial role in their championship run. Coach Tony Bennett convinced his players that they could win it all. They believed him, and they did it. In this blog post, I will explain five reasons UVA won their first men’s basketball national championship.

UVa was crushed by UMBC in the first round of the tournament. — UVa was crushed by UMBC in the first round of last year’s tournament.

Reason #1 – everyone on the team contributed to the victories

UVA plays a different style than most teams. It emphasizes relentless defense and total teamwork on offense. They do not rely too much on any all-star players. Don’t get me wrong. The team is comprised of great players, but the team comes first. More importantly, everyone is expected to contribute. Look at the results during the tournament. Different players made meaningful contributions along the way. No single player dominated the box score which is the approach several other teams used and lost.

Diakite was the hero against Purdue. He only scored two points vs. Auburn.

Relying too much on all-stars

At work, it is tempting to rely over and over again on your all-stars. Give them the ball – they will get it done. It is not a prudent approach. What happens when you keep asking the same team members over and over again to deliver the results needed to win. Eventually, you will lose. Everyone has a bad day every now and then…even your all-stars.

Carsen Edwards played like an all-star for Purdue, but they lost to UVA.

I know this lesson all too well

On more than one occasion I went with an all-star approach and it failed. Don’t make the same mistake. Be like Tony Bennett. Emphasize teamwork and expect contributions from all team members. You will get better results.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
John Wooten, famous UCLA men’s basketball coach

Reason #2 – they kept putting points on the board

Tony Bennett’s teams are known as grinders. They play hard, especially when it comes to defense. What changed this year is that they kept grinding away on offense as well. Traditionally UVA was known to play a conservative style after gaining a lead. The offense would go into cruise control mode. The goal was to hold the lead and keep the score low. This approach was their Achilles heel against strong teams who could score a lot. This year they kept putting points on the board until the end.

UVA’s pack-line defense is known to be tough on opponents.

The offense was more important this year

The offense was not emphasized in previous tournaments. Not this year. They changed their approach. Instead, they kept putting points on the board until the final whistle. This year the team averaged over 70 points a game which is higher than normal. Those additional points were critical to multiple wins during the tournament. Coach Bennett had learned the lesson that offense wins championships in college basketball.

UVA Coach Tony Bennett on the sideline. Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Playing conservative at the end may cause you to lose

I cannot count on my hands how many times I have watched leaders at work get conservative at the end. This mentality focuses on not losing instead of doing what it takes to win. I have fallen into this trap several times because it is appealing. We tell ourselves lies like “we got this. Let’s not mess it up by trying too hard”. Unfortunately, it is usually not the best approach. Push your team to keep putting points on the board. You may never know exactly how many points you need in the end to win.

UVA scored 80 points to beat Purdue in overtime.

Reason #3 – they scored many points with little time on the clock

Just look at the last few games UVA won for the championship. They were behind in all of them with less than a minute left in the game. Talk about having your back against the wall. Each game they took a gamble in order to win. None is more memorable than the last-second basket to tie the game against Purdue. Coach Bennett told Ty Jerome to miss his free throw so that they could tie the game and play overtime. Gutsy call – it paid off. They won.

The last-second shot ties the game against Purdue sending the game into overtime.

Reason #4 – they won key games by playing well in overtime

UVA played multiple overtime games during the tournament. They won them by outplaying the other team. UVA beat Purdue in an epic overtime game. They kept the pressure on Purdue which caused them to make errors and lose the game. Simply put, UVA played some of their best basketball in overtime. During the championship game against Texas Tech, they did not miss a single free throw. They walked away with the trophy as a result.

UVA shot 12 for 12 from the free-throw line in overtime in Championship game.

Is your team good at playing well in overtime?

What about your team. Are they at their best when overtime is required? When I was in the military we worked long hours, especially when we were deployed. The best units I knew were the ones that thrived when things were toughest. The same is true in the civilian sector. Some work requires long hours and extra effort. The teams that deliver the best results are the ones who keep grinding and get the job done despite all obstacles.

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.
Muhammad Ali

Reason #5 – they were cool under pressure

One additional trait I noticed about UVA’s team this year is that they were cool under pressure. For example, Kyle Guy misses a three-point shot against Auburn but is fouled. As a result, he gets three free throws. If he makes all three – they win. He did. Later he would confess to being nervous, but you could not tell. He was cool as a cucumber at the line.

Kyle Guy played really well the last few minutes against Auburn.

Where does their calm confidence come from?

How could Kyle be so calm when stepping to the line? He was cool because Coach Tony Bennett is calm during the game, even when it does look good. Tony Bennett does not yell or scream at his team or the referees. He is remarkedly subdued. I believe that his team gets their confidence from Tony’s cool demeanor. He is calmly confident, and so are they.

Coach Tony Bennett is calm under pressure – a great trait for leaders to emulate.

The last few minutes of the game may matter most

What about your team? How do they respond under pressure? Do they remain cool and calm? Can they make the shot when it counts? DeAndre Hunter had to sink a last-minute three-point shot to tie the score in the championship game. He receives the pass and nails the shot without hesitation. Do you have team members who can do the same thing for your business? If not, then you have work to do.

The last-minute of the championship game was exciting.

What about you?

More importantly, how do you respond under pressure? As the leader – you set the tone. If you are bouncing off the walls, don’t be surprised if your team responds accordingly. That is what happened to several other basketball teams during the tournament. Their coach went into orbit rather than remain calm. Mistakes were made, and they lost. Don’t be that kind of leader. Your team deserves your best.

You set the tone as the leader

I am not saying that leaders cannot be emotional. Don’t be a robot. No one wants to work for a leader like that. Rather I am stressing the importance of staying cool when it matters most. Keep your head in the game and your wits about you so that you can make good decisions and lead your team to victory. That is what Coach Tony Bennett did this year. He was at his best when his team needed him the most. In fact, he was recently named as one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Well deserved.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Great leaders learn and get better every year

The University of Virginia’s men’s college basketball team is going to the final four. They have not been there since 1984. That is 35 years ago. I was a young man back then. It has been a long journey for my favorite team. Full of ups and downs…and a few big losses. None bigger than the one last year that abruptly ended their season. Yet, somehow they were able to pull it off this year. In this post, I will explore the reasons why they are better this year. As you might guess – it boiled down to leadership.

UVA men’s basketball team celebrate making the final four.

Last year’s season was magical

The 2018 season was a magical one for the UVA men’s basketball team. They finished with over 30 victories. They won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tournament beating rival North Carolina in the finals. UVA entered the NCAA tournament as the #1 ranked team in the nation. They were riding high and looked unstoppable. I was confident that they would win the tournament. I told all my friends to pick them. Then disaster struck.

UVA was ranked #1 going into last year’s tournament.

Last year’s NCAA tournament was a train wreck – they should have done better

UVA faced an unknown team in the first round, the #16 seeded UMBC Retrievers. UVA was supposed to win easily. They did not. They lost badly. It was a complete disaster. I have already written about why they lost that game. Needless to say, most UVA fans were skeptical about this year. How would the team recover from a train wreck like last year?

UVA lost by 20 points even though the score was tied at halftime.

This year’s season was similar to 2018

UVA had another sensational season this year. Once again they won over 30 games and finished the season highly ranked. Unfortunately, they did not win the ACC tournament and were not ranked #1 in the country going into the tournament. But, they were a #1 seed for the NCAA tournament which meant they would face another unknown #16 seed team during the first round. I am pretty sure all UVA were like me at the beginning of the tournament – nervous that lightning might strike again.

They stumbled again in the first round but did not fall

UVA played Gardner-Webb in the first round. You have probably never heard of the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. Neither had I. They are a scrappy three-point shooting team. By halftime, it did not look good for UVA. They were down by six points. All the announcers and analysts wondered if it was going to happen again this year. It didn’t. UVA came out in the second half and beat the Bulldogs handily. They outscored them by more than 20 points and walked away with a well-deserved win. They played better.

UVA played one helluva a second half to win this game.

The next two games went well for UVA – they were getting better

UVA also won the next two games. They beat both Oklahoma and Oregon without too much struggle. It was nice to see that the team had their swagger back and were playing well. For the next round, they faced the Purdue Boilermakers who had just beat the Tennessee Volunteers in an epic overtime game. Everyone anticipated that the UVA vs. Purdue game would be a barn burner. It was – one for the ages.

UVA gained momentum by beating Oklahoma and Oregon.

The first half against Purdue was tough

UVA did not look good the first half against Purdue. Their best shooter remained cold, and Purdue’s best shooter was hitting three-pointers. Luckily, the finished the first half almost tied. The Cavaliers went into halftime and Coach Tony Bennett decided to change the strategy. It was obvious to me that he had learned the most important lesson from last year’s loss. He made adjustments and went to “Plan B” for the second half.

UVA trailed by only a point at halftime. *(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)*

The “B” in “Plan B” stood for Big

Coach Bennett changed his lineup for the second half. He put in taller players like Jack Salt to try to disrupt the Perdue offense. It worked, although Perdue’s best shooter, Carsen Edwards, remained hot almost the entire game. This simple change helped keep the game close, not slip away like the loss to UMBC. It was a brilliant move by Coach Bennett.

Jack Salt’s defensive play helped keep the game close.

They addressed the biggest challenge

Carsen Edwards played the game of his life against UVA. He scored 42 points. He was killing the Cavaliers with three-point shots. Coach Bennett decided to have DeAndre Hunter defend against him. DeAndre is the best defensive player in the country according to many experts. This change helped limit Edward’s impact as much as possible. Other Purdue players struggled to pick up the slack whenever Edwards could not score.

Carsen Edwards was the best player in the game.

The coach called a play that gave them a chance to win

In the final seconds of the game, it looked like the Cavaliers would not win. Purdue was up by two points with 5.9 seconds left on the clock. Ty Jerome was shooting his second free throw. If he makes the shot UVA is still down by a point and Purdue would get the ball back. Coach Bennett told Jerome to miss the shot so that they had a chance to win. If UVA could make another basket before the clock ran out they would win. The odds were not good, but Coach Bennett called the play anyway. What happened next was magic.

UVA picked up the pace when it was needed

The game went into overtime. UVA picked up their pace during overtime. They outhustled Purdue and put the pressure on them. It paid off. UVA won the game by five points. Purdue played a great game but lost in the end. I believe Coach Bennett’s leadership made the difference. He led well and his team responded. They are in the final four for the first time in 35 years.

UVA celebrates going to the final four this year.

What about you? Are you getting better as a leader?

What lessons did you learn last year as a leader? Are you applying those lessons so that your team overcomes obstacles and wins the game? In 2018 Coach Tony Bennett took a lot of heat from the press and others about his team’s dismal performance in the NCAA tournament. He leveraged the lessons learned from that experience to lead his team to the final four this year. I hope you do the same. Your team deserves it. ATW Leadership! is here to help.

Coach Bennett hugs his dad, his mentor, after the game.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

How to avoid a historic loss when everything is at stake – Plan B

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament was excellent this year. Last year both the men’s and women’s competitions were thrilling, full of great games. This week I will talk about leadership lessons from last year’s men’s tournament. I have already mentioned this in previous posts, and I will say it again. Leaders can learn a lot from sports. Many of these lessons are directly applicable to the real world. You must have a “Plan B”.

Villanova won the 2018 NCAA Men’s basketball championship.

The wrong team won the men’s tournament last year

Villanova won another championship – their second one in three years. Winning the tournament is challenging. Winning it multiple times is really difficult. It is an impressive accomplishment. Villanova was not supposed to win the tournament. Sure they were one of the top seeds. But, they were not the top-seeded team. The University of Virginia was the unanimous #1 team going into the tournament. My mighty Cavaliers were supposed to win it all. They didn’t. In the last post, I described why a great team like UVa loses. Now I am going to describe the one major lesson we can learn as leaders from their historic loss.

Major leadership lesson – have a “Plan B”…always

Things never turn out quite the way we plan them. We all know this, especially as leaders. It is extremely rare that everything goes perfectly for you and your team. You will face obstacles. It is a given. In their historic loss, UVa’s plan was not working. For several reasons, Tony Bennett’s system was failing them and they fell further behind as the game progressed. Unfortunately, they did not really have a “Plan B”, or they chose not to change their plan. They did not make the proper adjustments and paid the price. They lost. Don’t let this happen to you as a leader. You must have a “Plan B”…always. Always!!

UVa's plan was not working and the players did not know what to do. — UVa’s plan was not working and the players did not know what to do.

Leaders are responsible for having “Plan B”

Your team looks to you for leadership. Part of your many responsibilities is to determine when it is time for “Plan B’. Do not be surprised if your team turns to you and asks “what do we do now” when the current plan is not working. They will. They may wonder if they are on the right team if you do not have any ideas about what to do, much less a “Plan B”. Don’t disappoint them by choosing to ignore the signs that the current plan is not working, and tell them to just keep going. Winning teams make adjustments along the way.

Looks for signs of trouble. Everything is not always fine. (Photo by Justin Lubin/NBC)

The “everything will be fine” mentality

I have fallen into this trap many times. It is a naive approach. Don’t stick your head in the sand and hope that things will get better. Make the call. Change to “Plan B”. Of course, it is impossible to implement a “Plan B” if you do not have one. Leaders are responsible for having a “Plan B”. Don’t rely on your team’s performance to overcome the fact that you did not plan well enough to include a “Plan B”. It is not fair to them. Do your job as a leader.

Coach Tony Bennett failed to implement a Plan B during the game.

Good leaders create “Plan B” well before it is needed

Trying to make up a “Plan B” on the spot can be challenging. I am not saying it is impossible. I have served with leaders who were quick thinkers and could figure out a new plan on the spot. They were at their best when the situation around them was falling apart. But, that leadership attribute is rare. Most of us do our best thinking when things are calm, not in the heat of battle. Think about your contingencies and talk through “Plan B” with your team beforehand. This approach will give your team more confidence and better prepare them for success.

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Your team may have “Plan B” already figured out

As the leader, you are responsible for having a “Plan B”. But, that does not mean you should avoid getting inputs from your team members. When you talk through contingency plans ask your team for inputs. Ask them questions like how should we respond if this happens. They may already have “Plan B” figured out, especially your more experienced team members. Leverage their knowledge and experience for the good of the team. Some of the best contingency plans I executed as a leader came from team members, not me. Here is an example from my own career.

Your team may already know the best answer for "Plan B". — Your team may already know the best answer for “Plan B”.

What to do when your normal approach will not work

One time my client faced a challenging situation and I was not sure what to do. She was asked to radically revamp the organization’s strategy, and to do it quickly. When I asked her how long my team had to craft the new strategy she said a month. Wow – that was fast given the size of the organization. I met with my team to discuss our approach. We laid out the timeline using our normal strategic planning process and came to the conclusion that it would take three months. We had one month, not three. Obviously, we needed a “Plan B” before we even got started.

Plan B may be your best option from the start.

Sometimes the “B” in “Plan B” stands for bold

I had no idea what we were going to do so I solicited ideas from my strategy experts. The two most junior members of the group had some ideas that just might work. They recommended we use a new approach known as design thinking to formulate the strategy. I was somewhat familiar with design thinking but had not implemented it before. Next, we would create a short powerpoint deck for the strategy instead of the normal lengthy word document. Lastly, we would repurpose time at an upcoming event to gather feedback from stakeholders in a group setting vice in separate meetings.

Design thinking requires a new way of collaborating.

Get buy-in for your “Plan B”

The plan they described was bold. Would it work? I did not know, but it was worth a shot since we did not have any better ideas. We briefed the new plan to our client. We told her it was bold but we were committed to making it happen. She was willing to try it. It was a radical shift from the normal approach, but it would achieve the result she needed.

What training do your team members need? — You need to make sure everyone understands “Plan B”.

You must commit to Plan B or your team may fail

We moved forward with “Plan B”. Many stakeholders questioned the new approach. We heard questions like is this really going to work? Why aren’t we following the normal approach? All reasonable objections. My role as the leader was to address these questions and keep the team moving. I showed my commitment by not hedging my bets. Rather I was committed to “Plan B”, and the team knew it. We were either going to be successful together, or I would take the blame if it did not work. It is a risk that you must be willing to take.

Business is about people. It’s about passion. It’s about bold ideas, bold small ideas or bold large ideas.
Tom Peters

Some of your best results may come from “Plan B”

My team did not disappoint me, or the client. They worked hard. They made it happen. The new approach forced everyone to think differently about the solution. We came up with a much better strategy than the previous one. It was simple to understand and would propel the organization forward at a much faster pace. When our client briefed the new strategy to her boss it was a huge hit. Big success based on a bold “Plan B” from two junior team members who had the courage to share their idea.

What I learned from that experience

Afterward, I thought about what would have happened if we stuck with our normal approach. I am convinced we would have failed, just like UVa did during the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. Make sure you always have a “Plan B”. You never know when you will need it, and your “Plan B” may end up being the better way in the long run.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost Poem

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

How in the world does a great team lose big?

A year ago disaster struck. Millions witnessed the best men’s college basketball team in the country have a total meltdown. I watched in horror as my mighty University of Virginia Cavaliers experienced the biggest upset ever in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. UVA lost to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers by 20 points. How in the world did they lose that game?

The game was not even close

I will say it again – UVA lost to UMBC by 20 points!! Many expected UVA to rally and win like the Louisville game I described in a previous post. It did not happen. The game only got worse and worse in the final few minutes. Like other alum, I turned off the television and went to bed shocked at what had just happened.

We lost by 20? We lost by 20. By 20 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That pretty much sums it up itself.
Devon Hall, Guard on the UVA basketball team

There are always surprises in March Madness

Upsets are common in the NCAA tournament. They happen every year. But, this loss was different. The top-seeded team lost in the first round to the lowest-seeded team. I will say that again – the #1 team lost to the #16 seeded team in the bracket. As we all now know a #1 team had never lost to a #16 seeded team before…in the history of the tournament.

UVA was the #1 seed in the South bracket. UMBC was the #16 seed.

It was a blowout of epic proportions

What in the world happened? What caused this historic loss? In this post, I will explain why they lost and what we can learn from the game. For leaders, some of the best lessons come from when things go horribly wrong.

Who has never tasted what is bitter does not know what is sweet.
German Proverb

Most college basketball games are close up until the end

It is somewhat rare that a college basketball team is losing by so many points that they do not have a chance to win. Do blowouts happen? Sure, but many games are won in the last minute. The NCAA tournament is well known for its last-second victories. They happen every year. It is one reason so many fans watch the games. They are usually exciting up to the end. In this game, the last minute did not matter. The unprecedented upset was completed well before the final whistle.

Players on the bench watch as UVA fails to rally against UMBC. — Players on the bench watch in dismay as UVA fails to rally against UMBC.

There are many reasons a sports team loses

In all sports, a team can lose for many reasons. In basketball, it is important that a team play well on both offense and defense. Coaching philosophy and strategy seem to matter a lot. Most of the best teams in the country have the best coaches. UVA falls into this category. Shooting free throws can make a difference, especially in the final minutes. Keeping your players out of foul trouble is also important. Many factors go into determining whether a college basketball team wins or loses. Great coaches pay attention to all these factors as the game progresses so that they can position their team for the win.

Coach K is well known for being a great coach during the tournament. They keep winning.

Life is not much different when it comes to winning

I believe that the same is true in life, especially in business. There are many reasons your team will win or lose. You may have a bad strategy. You may not be a good leader yet. Your team may perform poorly when it matters most. Your competitors may simply be better than you and your team. They may have a superior product, a lower price, or a better plan. The list goes on. As a leader, it is important to learn from your losses so that you do not repeat the same mistakes over and over. A leader who loses and fails to learn from his mistakes will eventually be replaced by someone who knows how to win. It is the reality we face as leaders. Win or the organization will move on to a new leader.

UVA Head Coach Tony Bennett contemplates why his team does not play well during March Madness.

Why did the UVa Cavaliers lose to the UMBC Retrievers?

There are many reasons that UVa failed to beat UMBC. They lost a key player to an injury a few days before which drew much attention. I am not convinced being down one player is why they stumbled. Instead, I believe that UVA lost badly for three specific reasons. All three of them relate directly to leadership. I admire Coach Tony Bennett for his leadership philosophy, coaching prowess and ability to win. But, he did not perform well as the leader in this situation. He admitted the same after the game.

UVa Coach Tony Bennett talking about the historic loss after the game.

1. They failed to adjust their plan when it was not working

UVa looked good at first. They opened up a nice lead and seemed to be cruising along despite missing a key player. Trouble started to show. UMBC tied the game by halftime. The score was low which is not unusual. UVa’s defense is known for keeping the score low. Something happened after halftime. UMBC caught fire, scoring a lot of three-point shots. UVa was unable to respond. They struggled to score and the gap widened. Their plan was not working, and Coach Bennett did not make any major adjustments. He kept the team playing the same defense and offense, despite the fact it was not working. His unwillingness to change the plan cost them dearly as the game progressed.

UMBC shot 50% for three pointers, much better than UVa. — UMBC shot 50% for three-pointers, much better than UVa.

2. They did not solve the biggest challenge

UVa is usually able to keep the score low, and the game close. They are not a good come from behind team, and they know it. This game was different. They were unable to stop UMBC from scoring. It was no great mystery how the other team was scoring so many points. UMBC was drilling three-point shots. One of their players, in particular, Jairus Lyles, was having the game of his life. Every shot he took seemed to score. UVa did little to adjust the defense to stop him from scoring. Jarius ended the game with 28 points, twice as many as any other UMBC player. UVa failed to solve the biggest challenge – UMBC’s ability to score three-point shots.

Jairus Lyles scores one of his many baskets on the usually tough UVa defense.

3. They did not pick up the pace when it was needed

Things got worse as the second-half progressed. With ten minutes left in the game, UVa was losing by 16 points which is a lot. It was time to rally, time to pick up the pace. They kept playing the same offense. There was a little more sense of urgency, but not the kind you would expect to see when a #1 team is losing to the #16 by 16 points with only ten minutes left. Was there plenty of time left in the game? Sure. I am simply pointing out that sometimes a team needs to pick up the pace a lot to win. If you are losing badly the last thing you should do is act like everything is fine. In this case, it was not. The situation did not improve. It got worse.

UMBC increased their intensity the second half. UVa failed to respond. Credit: Chris Keane — UMBC increased their intensity in the second half. UVa failed to respond. Credit: Chris Keane

The worst losses happen when you are expected to win

Losing sucks. I do not know any leader who enjoys losing. If I did I would recommend he or she stop leading and become a follower. The most difficult losses happen when you are expected to win. That is what happened to UVa. The game was supposed to be a cakewalk for them. They probably thought that going into the game, and paid the price. They ended up losing by 20 points. It was humiliating. The #1 team in the country lost what may become known as the worst upset in NCAA tournament history.

UMBC picked apart the UVa defense the last few minutes for easy baskets like this dunk.

You can avoid losing by not making the same mistakes

If you want to win as a leader it is important to learn from the mistakes of others. Make sure that you avoid this scenario. When you realize that your plan is not working – change the plan. Don’t hope that the situation will improve when you know deep in your heart that it won’t. Deal with the biggest challenges your team faces. Figure out what is causing the problems and fix them.

Pick up the pace so that your team can win, not lose

It is easy to fall into the trap of acting like everything is fine when it isn’t. I have witnessed this naive approach too many times to count during my career. Be a better leader. Next week I will go into more detail about how to avoid a historic loss for your team. You can do it, and we are here to help.

In the end, it was a remarkable season but we got thoroughly outplayed and that’s the reality of it. I hate for this team to lose like this. If you play this game and step into the arena, this stuff can happen.
Tony Bennett, UVA Head basketball coach

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Do you know how to rally your team to win?

I jumped off my couch yelling and screaming. To say I was excited would be an understatement. My neighbors probably thought I was crazy, but that did not matter. My favorite college basketball team had just pulled off an unforgettable victory. They were able to rally. They won on an unbelievable last-second shot. Holy Moly!! It was on 1 March 2018. What a great game! What a remarkable win!

Mar 1, 2018; Louisville, KY, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Isaiah Wilkins (21) and guard Kyle Guy (5) celebrate a last-second shot against the Louisville Cardinals. Virginia defeated Louisville 67-66. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

The University of Virginia is my school

This decade has been an awesome one for the UVA basketball team. They have performed really well. Last year they were ranked #1 in the country. It has been decades since the last time we achieved that kind of recognition. Over the years UVA has been good, but not great.

Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.
Jim Collins, from his book Good to Great

UVA’s leader makes them successful

The primary reason for the team’s success is the coach, Tony Bennett. Several years ago he turned the program around. Nowadays UVA is a winning program. Year in and year out – we have a winning basketball team. I wish I could say the same thing for our football team. Unfortunately, the UVA football program continues to struggle. Hopefully, that changes soon.

Great teams win, even when they are not playing well…they rally

UVA became the #1 team last year because they won a lot of games. They did not win them all, but more than other teams. Expectations for the UVA basketball team were low at the start of the season. They were unranked. No one thought UVA would beat teams like Duke last year, but they did. The team did not play well every game, but they kept winning.

UVA spent weeks as the #1 team in the country.

How did UVA climb to the top in 2018?

There are many reasons. Coach Bennett teaches a specific approach to the game. They focus more on defense than offense. The team keeps the score down so that they always have the opportunity to win. Some critics call Tony Bennett’s coaching approach boring, but it sure does work. UVA wins games, even when they do not play well. He also teaches a specific philosophy for how the team will play the game.

UVA basketball is about humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness.

Winning teams know how to rally when they are down

Another reason UVA won so many games last year is that they know how to rally. They were able to overcome adversity. Several times during the season it did not look like they would win. The offense was not clicking, and they were unable to score many points. During more than one game they rallied and walked away victorious. If you are going to be an effective leader, then you need to know how to rally your team to win.

https://youtu.be/5jBSzUhwvJ4

Coach Tony Bennett talks about his basketball philosophy.

The best example happened on March 1, 2018

UVA was playing Louisville. The team was not performing well. They trailed almost the entire game. In fact, they were down by several points with only seconds left in the game. Somehow they managed to win. It was a big surprise, especially to the Louisville fans. This game provides several lessons that we can learn about how to rally your team. I will describe only three of them.

The team celebrated after the win. — As you would expect the team celebrated after the win.

1. Keep your team focused when they are struggling – prepare to rally

Louisville was playing better than UVA almost the entire game. It was obvious to everyone. No matter what UVA did they could not close the gap. But, Coach Bennett kept his team focused. He did not come up with some radical new strategy to win. He kept the team playing their style, chipping away, keeping the game close. The chances of UVA winning were slim. But they still had a shot.

This graph shows the odds of UVA winning the game.

What about your team?

As the leader, how do you respond when they are struggling? Do you keep them focused on winning? If not, then don’t be surprised when you lose. The leader’s role is to inspire the team to win, no matter the odds of losing.

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
Michael Jordan

2. Craft a strategy that gives your team a chance to win

In the last few minutes of the game, Tony Bennett called several timeouts. During these breaks, he communicated the strategy to the team. Tony called the plays. He was drawing the plays on the clipboard that they ran to try and inch closer to winning. It is the same for most basketball teams. When the coach huddles the team he or she tells the team the plan. You will notice that the coach does not turn to the team and ask them for ideas. No – there is not the time for that. Instead, the coaches craft the strategy.

Coach Tony Bennett directing the team from the sidelines.

What about you?

Do you know how to craft a winning strategy, especially when your team is struggling? Don’t turn to your team for the plan. They will expect you to do that for them. Make sure you know how to deliver when it counts.

Hope is not a strategy.
Vince Lombardi

3. Call the play that will win the game

The game clock showed less than one second, and UVA was losing by two points. Louisville had the ball. They were ready to pass the ball into play. Everyone was expecting UVA to lose, especially the Louisville fans. Coach Bennett called for a tight defense to try and force an error. The Louisville player made an error – a big one. He moved down the line which is not allowed. As a result, UVA got the ball back. Coach Bennett called for a three-point shot. UVA passed the ball in for a three-point shot. The shot went up. It was not pretty. But, it went in. Three points. Game over. UVA wins. If you have not seen the highlight video. It is below, and worth watching.

Are you able to rally your team to victory?

I am sharing some observations from a team that was able to overcome adversity several times during last year’s season. Learn how to rally your team from UVA basketball team coach Tony Bennett. Keep your team focused when they are struggling, craft the strategy that gives your team a chance to win. Call the play that will win the game. As the leader, it is up to you to rally the team. Now – get out there and make it happen.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Do you have the right mindset as a leader?

All The Way Leadership! believes a new mindset is needed. One that acknowledges that many organizations are over-managed and under-led. Too many companies are following the Common Management Model rather than the Uncommon Leadership Model. Their performance suffers, and they do not know it. There is a better way, if only they would choose to follow it.

I read a book called Mindset. In there there’s this very simple concept that Carol Dweck talks about, which is if you take two people, one of them is a learn-it-all and the other one is a know-it-all, the learn-it-all will always trump the know-it-all in the long run, even if they start with less innate capability.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO

Many modern-day managers have the wrong mindset

The modern-day manager views his career as a ladder. One that he must climb in order to be viewed as successful. The picture below is the classic example. Notice three things about this manager. First – he is staring up. Looking good to his boss is more important than taking care of his people. Second – he is dressed for success. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have is the mantra. No need to roll-up your sleeves. The hard work is for others. Third – he is alone. This manager believes that the way you get ahead is by taking care of yourself first, others next.

This modern day manager is climbing the ladder - alone. — This modern-day manager is climbing the ladder – alone.

Effective leaders possess a better mindset

A high performing leader views the work world as an obstacle course. Her job is to get her team to the finish line. Think Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, or Warrior Dash races. The picture below is a good depiction of this kind of leader. She is tough, strong, and not afraid. Note three differences when contrasted with the modern-day manager. First – she is not looking up and moving on. Instead, she is leaning back to help others. Second – she is dressed for battle. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty. After all – no one wears a suit to an obstacle course race. Third – she is part of a team. She leads a group that is getting after it. Making it happen. This leader believes that if you take care of your people, they will take care of you. She is right.

The All The Way Leader helps others move ahead. Photo credit - Reebok Spartan Race — All The Way Leaders help others move ahead. Photo credit – Reebok Spartan Race

The modern world is like an obstacle course

As leaders let’s face it. We need to deal with the harsh reality of the modern world. It is an obstacle course. It is a complex maze littered with challenges that can hinder progress. Successfully navigating the course is challenging. If you are a leader – think about it. When is the last time you had an easy day, a silky smooth week, a care-free month, or a year without major difficulty? It does not exist. Leaders are expected to deliver results in this environment. I am not arguing that we have it worse off than our predecessors. Instead, I am highlighting the fact that we need all the help we can get making progress in today’s hyper-competitive world.

Getting through obstacles can be challenging.

It takes a strong team to complete the obstacle course

Effective leaders recognize the importance of teamwork. It takes a team to get through an obstacle course. Trust me. I was snookered into a Spartan Sprint race a few years ago by a friend. We had a small but mighty team. There is no way we would have finished without working together as a team. It really helped to have team members to brainstorm ideas before attempting each obstacle. If an approach did not work we came up with a new idea. We kept trying until we cleared the obstacle. We started the course as a team and finished as a team. It was an awesome feeling when we reached the end. All The Way Leadership believes the team approach is the better way to get to the finish line. Don’t go it alone. You may not make it.

Sometimes we need help getting over an obstacle.

We are here to help your team reach the finish line with a new mindset

All the Way Leadership! will continue releasing relevant content for leaders who are looking to increase their effectiveness, to get better at completing the obstacle course. We will discuss important topics like how to take care of your team members for maximum results. We will start publishing a weekly leadership journal later this year. It will contain curated content from a diverse set of leading experts. This winter we plan to launch our first online leadership course. We will do all that we can to help leaders everywhere get their team to the finish line.

Working as a team gets you to the finish line. Photo courtesy of Spartan.com

The more courses you finish, the better you become

The good news is that the more courses you and your team complete the better you will become. Your confidence will grow at each finish line. Just remember – as your career grows you will be asked to run harder obstacle courses. The length and complexity of the course will increase. If you and your team cannot handle the obstacles in front of you now, you are in trouble. When I ran the Spartan race plenty of people quit. They did not finish the course. Don’t be like that. Become an effective leader who is good at getting your team to the finish line. The leader who others turn to when they are dealing with their own obstacle course.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Get a good glimpse of the shark before fighting it

Last week I wrote about one particular type of challenge – the most daunting ones. The challenges that scare leaders. I called this type of challenge “the shark”. This metaphor is taken from the famous movie Jaws. In Jaws, a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers in a fictional summer resort town.

Jaws made us all wonder if it was safe to go into the water.

Someone must hunt down the shark

The local police chief played by Roy Scheider is chosen as the leader to keep the town safe. Roy Scheider’s character recruits two team members to help with the hunt. They are going to be in the battle of their lives. A battle that will test their abilities and require great sacrifice. As a leader, you may find yourself in a similar situation.

Bruce the mechanical shark from Jaws (1975). — Bruce the mechanical shark – problems prompted Spielberg to not use Bruce much in the movie.

How big is the shark you face?

Jaws is a thrilling movie full of suspense. The theme music is haunting. The director, Steven Spielberg, builds the drama scene by scene. One brilliant decision Spielberg made was to not show the shark until later in the movie. In a well-known scene, the three-man team of shark hunters finally gets a glimpse of the shark. They learn that the shark is a lot larger than expected, and is going to be much more difficult to kill than any of them anticipated. If you have not seen the movie before a clip of this scene is below. Caution – the scene includes foul language. Pretty sure I would cuss if I was ever that close to a large shark.

Make sure you get a glimpse of “the shark”

What about you. Are you dealing with a shark? If so, have you actually seen “the shark”? Do you know the magnitude of what you are dealing with? Not sure, then I suggest that you ask questions until you gain an adequate understanding of the challenge. I am not saying that you need to know everything before moving forward. Rather I am recommending that you spend enough time assessing the situation before shifting into problem-solving mode. Get a good glimpse of “the shark” before deciding how you are going to deal with it. Otherwise, your fight with “the shark” may take a long time, and be a more painful experience than necessary.

The marine biologist played by Richard Dreyfuss gets a glimpse of the shark in Jaws.

Tell others to describe “the shark” accurately

I have dealt with a fair amount of sharks in my career. On several occasions, I did not get a glimpse of “the shark” until late in the problem-solving process. I have learned that it is critically important to ask your team questions until you know enough to address the challenge and solve the problem. The bigger “the shark” the more important it is that you get a good glimpse of it. If you get false reports, then you are likely to come up with a solution that will not work.

The art of communication is the language of leadership.
James Humes

Clear and frank communication is critical

I let the leaders on my team know that I want to hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly. As leaders, we are paid to deal with all three scenarios, especially the ugly. Don’t fall into the trap of letting your team members only bring you good news. Let’s admit it, the larger your responsibility as a leader, the more sharks you have to deal with. Some of them may be big, really big, like the great white in Jaws.

In Jaws the shark is so big that it eats the boat. — In Jaws, the shark is so big that it eats the boat – one tasty bite at a time.

Are you ready to face “the shark”?

Are you prepared to deal with “the shark” and keep your town safe? Yes – go get after “the shark”! If not, and you need a bigger boat then we are here to help. If you are the kind of leader who is looking to increase your effectiveness, then you are in the right place. We will help you increase your leadership abilities so that you have a bigger boat and are ready for “the shark”.

The shark ends up eating the professional shark hunter in Jaws.

We are here to help you hunt “the shark”

All the Way Leadership! is here to help. This year we will continue releasing relevant content for leaders who are looking to increase their effectiveness, to get better at hunting “the shark”. We will start publishing a weekly leadership journal later this year. It will contain curated content from a diverse set of leading experts. This summer we plan to launch our first online leadership course. We will do all that we can to help leaders everywhere get better at hunting sharks. The good news for all of us leaders is that the more times you hunt sharks, the better you get. Your confidence will grow along with your leadership abilities.

In the final scene the hero kills the shark - note the boat is gone. — In the final scene of Jaws, the hero kills the shark – note the boat is gone.

The more sharks you hunt, the better you become

Remember – as your career grows you will be asked to handle larger sharks. If you cannot handle the one in front of you now, you are in trouble. You don’t want to end up like the hero in the movie Jaws. Does he deal with the shark? Yes. But, he loses a lot in the process. Don’t be like that. Become an effective leader who is good at hunting sharks. The leader who others turn to when they are dealing with their own sharks.

We should be afraid of sharks half as much as sharks should be afraid of us.
Peter Benchley, author of Jaws

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Are you prepared to fight the shark?

Leaders are expected to achieve results, make things happen, and get stuff done. Some tasks that you need to accomplish as a leader will be easy. You check them off the list quickly and move on to the next item. Other tasks may take more time, effort, and energy. They will challenge you. And sometimes you will face a really difficult task. One that seems impossible to complete. You may have no idea how to complete the task. You may be overwhelmed simply by the thought of attempting to complete the task. I am going to refer to this type of task as “the shark” because it is frightening. I don’t know anyone who is not afraid of sharks. Just thinking about swimming in the ocean near a shark gives me the chills. Perhaps it does for you also.

No one wants to see a shark when swimming in the ocean. — Who wants to see a shark nearby when swimming in the ocean? Scary!

Jaws scared everyone

I fear sharks because of a famous movie released in the 1970s called Jaws. According to Wikipedia, Jaws is a 1975 American film directed by Steven Spielberg. It was based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel of the same name. In the story, a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island, a fictional New England summer resort town. It is a great movie. A scary movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and make you think twice about going out into the water the next time you visit the beach. Jaws is considered one of the greatest films ever made, a blockbuster hit. It became the highest-grossing film of all time until the release of Star Wars in 1977.

Leaders need to be brave enough to get in the water

In Jaws, someone must hunt down the shark in order to keep the town safe. Somebody must face the shark, or else the town will be in trouble. Residents will not be safe. Tourists will not visit either. The local economy will suffer. A really bad situation for everyone will result. The local police chief played by Roy Scheider is chosen as the leader. He has some help, but not much. None the less, he leads the three-person team to hunt down the shark. It is a daunting task. As the movie progresses we learn that the shark is a lot larger than expected, and much more difficult to kill than any of them anticipated. Despite all these challenges, they accomplish the mission and kill the shark. If you have not seen the movie, I will not spoil it for you. Watch it tonight on Netflix, or YouTube.

The team tries many methods to kill the shark. — The team tries many methods to kill the shark in Jaws.

After all, somebody has to hunt the shark

If you are a leader, you will likely have to deal with “the shark” at some point. What do I mean by “the shark”? A task that terrifies you, but must be done. An important issue that you have to address. A complex problem that needs a solution. A challenge that others have failed to solve. “The shark” could be many things. It might be your competition, the market conditions, your crazy client, a looming deadline, a problem employee, your nagging boss, or anything else that puts you on edge. Sure you can do your best to avoid “the shark”. But, you know deep in your heart that you will have to face “the shark” at some point if you are going to succeed as a leader. If you don’t “the shark” will continue to terrorize you, and more sharks will show up.

If you don't hunt "the shark" more will show up over time. — If you don’t hunt “the shark” more will show up over time.

You may need a team to kill the shark

Just like in the movie, you are going to need help dealing with “the shark”. Don’t go it alone. Roy Scheider’s character recruits two team members to help with the hunt – a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter. An expert who knows a lot about sharks and someone with relevant experience. I recommend you take a similar approach when hunting “the shark”. Identify and solicit the help of experts and those who have experience. A mentor or peer may have the exact insight or solution you need. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and always offer help to other leaders when they approach you for help. None of us should hunt “the shark” alone.

The three person team who hunt the shark in Jaws. — The team who hunt the shark in Jaws. A professional shark hunter, the local sheriff, and a marine biologist.

All The Way Leadership! is here to help

All the Way Leadership! is here to help. This year I will continue releasing relevant content for leaders who are looking to increase their effectiveness, to get better at hunting “the shark”. I will start publishing a weekly leadership journal later this year. It will contain curated content from a diverse set of leading experts. This summer I plan to launch an online leadership course. I will do all that we can to help leaders everywhere get better at hunting “the shark”. The good news for all of us leaders is that the more times you hunt sharks, the better you get. Your confidence will grow along with your leadership abilities.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!