Cocktails with Carl
The Importance of Identifying and Fostering a Winning Mindset
I’ve noted before that both my daughters play highly competitive golf. They are constantly teeing it up against the best players in their respective age groups and every time they do, expectations are high and stress levels are elevated. As a spectator, I am always curious to watch which participants embrace and thrive in this environment versus those that look lost and struggle. It’s usually pretty easy to spot the difference. The confident walk and intimidating stare juxtaposed to the uncertain routine and slumped shoulders. It’s evident some are there to compete for a win and others are hoping not to come in last. The final leaderboard is usually a direct reflection of these attitudes.
Recently, we made a coaching change for each of the girls and it was my youngest daughter's first interaction with the new coach. She was just coming off an important Jr. PGA event where the new coach was present to watch her (unbeknownst to her) and some of his other students. She didn’t play particularly well and the following exchange took place a few days later at her very first lesson.
Coach: “How did you finish at the tournament?”
Player: “Not great”
Coach: “Oh, not great. Why did you play in this tournament?”
Player: “I don’t know”
Coach: “You don’t know?”
Player: “I mean, I guess because I enjoy playing golf”
Coach: “OK, you enjoy playing golf. That’s good. How were you feeling when it ended?”
Player: “Not good”
Coach: “Why?”
Player: “Because I was upset with my finish”
Coach: “So finishing well is important to you?”
Player: “Yes”
The conversation went on from there and included discussion about expectations, goal setting, focus, work, and improvement-but what the coach was really trying to figure out initially was how intense my daughter's competitive fire is. He wanted to know if winning was important to her or if just playing was good enough. Once that answer was established he understood the type of student he was dealing with and how he would apply his coaching style to fit her level of ferocity.
As business leaders we deal with a lot of similar situations, especially as it relates to talent acquisition and/or further development of our current teams. We want to be certain we are identifying winners and fostering a culture of healthy competition. This can go a long way to achieving our goals and realizing success at the highest level.
On the flip side we can experience indifference or complacency which ultimately leads to lethargy and lack of accountability. Once this mentality is allowed to permeate your organization and take root in the culture, it’s almost impossible to get things headed in the right direction. You become mired in failure and can’t get out of your own way. If you don’t believe me just do a little research on the Detroit Lions—pathetic!
At June Co we decided early on that our core value system needed to include something related to winning and competition. We define it this way, “An environment that encourages a passion for winning with others, not at their expense.” That’s a fairly simple sentence, but breaking it down in more detail reveals the following:
We’ve established first that winning is important. Our business is brutally competitive and shelf space is at a premium. Without a desire to win we will get run over. Losing should sting a little bit.
We believe in the “win, win” mentality. That means when we win our customers, vendors, and business partners should feel like they have won as well.
We will not win unethically or at “all costs”. We will remain true to our core value system as a whole.
We go over this definition regularly as part of our normal internal communication and it helps solidify in the teams mind how we want to compete…..fiercely but ethically. It also reminds them that this is a culture focused on winning and I challenge everyone to think about how this aligns with their own set of values. If it doesn’t we may have a bad fit. Lastly, there are a bunch of positive natural byproducts from emphasizing an environment focused on competing and winning. Here are a few good ones:
Preparing to compete is a team unifying experience that keeps us focused on what’s important.
Winning validates our effort, builds confidence and increases morale.
The momentum gained from notching a few wins in a row can carry a team to great achievements.
Winning means we get to celebrate, have fun together and strengthen our relationships with one another.
When Juwan Howard became the head coach of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team, he created an internal mantra that is on the back of every practice jersey as well as hung up in multiple places in the locker room. That mantra is “For Competitors Only” and it signifies how hard each team member and coach is expected to work. Nothing will be handed to anyone regardless of position or talent. When he recruits players or new coaches, he is specifically looking for those that will embrace this mantra 100%.
Moving forward, as you contemplate the state of your business and/or your personal goals, I would encourage you to consider the important role that a winning mindset plays. Is your desire to win great enough to fuel the work that needs to be done to achieve success? Are you surrounding yourself with (or is your team made up of) people that love to compete and challenge you or others to elevate your game? Have you incorporated language about healthy competition and winning into your core values and do you communicate it clearly to your team members and potential employees? If not, it may be time to reevaluate and make the difficult but necessary changes.
Good Luck.
Cocktail Recipe: Ranch Water
Enjoy this refreshing summer drink invented in west Texas.
3 ozs Tequila Blanco (ex-Patron Silver)
1.5 ozs fresh squeezed lime juice
½ cup Topo Chico Mineral Water
Lime Wedge Garnish
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the tequila and lime juice then top off with the mineral water. Garnish with the lime wedge.