TableofContents

Cover

Titlepage

Copyrightpage

Dedication

Foreword:AdversityIntroducesUstoOurselves

IntroductionMICHIGANFALLINGTURNAROUNDSINTHEMODERNLANDSCAPE:THETEAMTURNAROUNDPROCESSOVERVIEWOFTHECHAPTERSMICHIGANRISING

1StageI:LeadingPastLosingOBSERVEANDLEARNFACEREALITYDEFINEROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIESTHEPLAYBOOKFORLEADINGPASTLOSING

2StageII:CommittingtoGrowthLAUNCHTHEVISIONADOPTGUIDINGVALUESESTABLISHAPLANANDSETGOALSTHEPLAYBOOKFORCOMMITTINGTOGROWTH

3StageIII:ChangingBehaviorsTEACHBEHAVIORMODELBEHAVIORREINFORCEBEHAVIORTHEPLAYBOOKFORCHANGINGBEHAVIORS

4StageIV:EmbracingAdversityTURNCHALLENGESINTOGROWTHOPPORTUNITIESBUILDRESILIENCETHEPLAYBOOKFOREMBRACINGADVERSITY

5StageV:AchievingSuccessDEFINESUCCESSADAPTTHEPLAYBOOKFORACHIEVINGSUCCESS

6StageVI:NurturingaCultureofExcellenceCONTINUELEARNINGANDINNOVATINGUNDERSTANDTHECULTURETHEPLAYBOOKFORNURTURINGACULTUREOFEXCELLENCE

7TheTeamTurnaroundWorkbookSTAGEI:LEADINGPASTLOSINGSTAGEII:COMMITTINGTOGROWTHSTAGEIII:CHANGINGBEHAVIORSSTAGEIV:EMBRACINGADVERSITYSTAGEV:ACHIEVINGSUCCESSSTAGEVI:NURTURINGACULTUREOFEXCELLENCE

Acknowledgments

AbouttheAuthors

Index

Copyright©2012byJoeFrontieraandDanielLeidl.Allrightsreserved.PublishedbyJosseyBassAWileyImprint

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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataFrontiera,Joe,1975–Teamturnarounds:aplaybookfortransformingunderperformingteams/Joe

Frontiera,DanielLeidl.–Firstedition.pagescm

Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.ISBN978-1-118-14478-7

ISBN978-1-118-26372-3(mobipocket)–ISBN978-1-118-23908-7(epub)–ISBN978-1-118-22574-5(pdf)1.Termsinthe

workplace.2.Organization.3.Leadership.4.Management.I.Leidl,Daniel,1974–II.Title.HD66.F762012658.4'022–dc23

2012016807

Toourfriendship,ourwives,ourteam

Foreword:AdversityIntroducesUstoOurselves

WhatdoNFLteams,aBroadwaymusical,auniversitychildcarecenter,apizzamaker, a public school system, amotorcycle trailermanufacturer, a collegiatelacrosse team, and a state all have in common? Stumped? They, and otherequallyfascinatingorganizations,arethecaseexamplesinTeamTurnarounds,ahighlyentertainingandenlightening readaboutverydiverseorganizations thatsharedonecommonproblem:theywereallfailingorflounderingandneededtoreversecourse.Becauseofthesheerbreadthoftheirexamination,it’shardtoimaginehowJoe

FrontieraandDanLeidlcouldpullthisoff.Buttheyhave—andtogreateffect.These stories are sowell narrated that you’ll thinkyou’re reading an edge-of-your-seat detective story. And Team Turnarounds really is like that in manyways.Herearetirelessleaderswhofaceseverelyvexingchallengesandpuzzlingsituations—manyofwhichtheyandothershaveneverbeforeencountered.Andthese leadersare refreshinglyhonest about the realitiesof life inorganizationsthat aren’t performing up to expectations. That life can be embarrassing,depressing,exhausting,andheartbreaking.Yet,at thesametime,itcanalsobeexhilarating, uplifting,meaningful, and rewarding. It all depends on how youviewthechallenge.While reading this book, we were reminded of a comment made by John

McDonnell,formerCEOofMcDonnellDouglas,whenthatcompanywasgoingthrough its struggles before eventually merging with Boeing. “Adversityintroduces you to yourself,” he said, reflecting upon what that struggle hadbroughtforhim.AndwerecalledanotherthoughtfromRandyMelville,whomwe interviewed when he was with Pepsi. Quoting his Princeton Universitybasketballcoach,PeteCarril,Randysaid,“Adversitydoesn’tbuildcharacter,itreveals it.”Challenges, difficulties, setbacks, adversities—they are all familiarsightsontheleadershiplandscape.Andoneofthethingsthattheycauseustodoiscomeface-to-facewithourselves.Theyarearatherharshwayofremindingusofwhat’simportanttous,whatwevalue,andwherewewanttogo.Leaders are no strangers to challenges. In fact, exemplary leaders thrive on

them. Team Turnarounds offers you the hard-earned lessons learned by the

amazing peoplewho led the transformations.And Joe andDan have done anexemplary job of pulling these lessons together in a way that is not justapplicable to the folks in the book. They show us how these lessons areapplicabletoallofus,andhowtheyareespeciallyusefulduringtheturnaroundswearenowdealingwith, orwill inevitably confront, inourorganizations andourlives.Therearelessonsinhereabouttheimportanceofvaluesandvisions,about commitment and meaning, about teamwork and relationships, aboutresilience and positivity, about initiative and commitment, and about courageandheart.But you don’t have to wait for things to get bad on your team or in your

organizationtobenefitfromJoeandDan’sinsightsandpracticalwisdom.Filledwithfresh,revealingexamplesfromsports,business,education,retail,andlargeandsmallorganizations, theexamplesare illuminating in theirdepthand take-awayapplications.Youandyourentireteamwillbenefitfromthebook’sTeamTurnaround Workbook—it alone is worth the price of the book. You’ll findessentialquestionsyoumustanswer,tasksyoumustcomplete,andpreparationsyou must take to successfully reverse the course of a losing team, a failingcompany,orastalledinitiative.TeamTurnarounds is, in theend,abookabouthope.Abookabouthowyou

can mobilize others to transcend the present difficulties, bounce back fromfailures,andreachforgreatness.It’sabookaboutthepowerofthehumanspirit.Enjoy.

JimKouzesOrinda,California

BarryPosnerSantaClara,California

March2012

Introduction

MICHIGANFALLINGIn 2009, the state of Michigan was in a downward spiral. Statewide, it washemorrhaging jobs, and unemployment offices were receiving 800,000 to1,000,000callsperday.Governor Jennifer Granholm, then in her second term, recalled, “In our

unemploymentoffices,peoplewereinlinedownthestreet.[Therewere]people[who]hadnevercollectedunemploymentbefore.Thesystemwaslikeacancerpatientthatwasbreakingdowneverywhere.”1

Granholmhadreasontobeconcerned,andastimewenton,thesituationonlyworsened. Moreover, she had long believed that Michigan’s manufacturingculturewasworkingagainstthesituation.“Peopleweresousedtoboom-or-bustcycles,”shelamented.“Theyknewthat

historically,when thenationwas ina recession,Michiganhaddeeper troublesbecausepeopleweren’tbuyinglargeconsumerproducts,likecars.”2AndwhenthemanufacturingindustrythathadoncesustainedMichigan’seconomybeganfailing,theshiftwascatastrophic,andthedamagewasunprecedented.Towardtheendofherfirstyearinoffice,Granholmhadtraveledtothe8,000-

person town of Greenville, Michigan, after learning that Electrolux, arefrigeratormanufacturerthatemployed2,700people,hadmadeplanstouprootitsoperationandmoveitsplant toMexico. Inher typicallyconfidentway,sheteamedupwiththemayor,thelocalchamberofcommerce,thecompany’sunionrepresentatives,andotherstoconstructacomprehensiveplantogetElectroluxtostay. Granholm’s team members met with executives from Electrolux andpresented them with an extraordinary package, laden with concessions andincentivesthattheythoughtnobusinesscouldrefuse.“Weofferedthemzerotaxesfortwentyyears.Weofferedtobuildthemanew

factory,$30million in concessions annually, anda$750millionpackageovertwentyyears.Itwasthemostaggressivewehadeverbeen—thatMichiganhadeverbeen.”3

Itwasagooddeal, and the teammembersknew theyhaddone theirbest to

keepElectroluxintheregion.Afterthepresentation,theElectroluxexecutiveslefttheroomtoconfer.About

fifteenminuteslater,theyreturned.AsGranholmrecalled,oneoftheexecutivesbegan,“Thisisreallygenerous.

Wehaveneverseenanofferlikethis.But,”hecontinued,“there’snothingyoucandotocompensateforthefactthatwecanpay$1.57anhourinMexico,sowe’removing.”4

With that, Electrolux was gone. Electrolux had manufactured its lastrefrigeratorinMichigan,andanotherMichigancommunitywasleftdevastated.Shortlyafterward, the stunnedcitizensofGreenvilleheldwhat theycalleda

“lastsupper,”apicnicatKlackle’sOrchardPavilion,alocalindoorfacility.Thetownwasconveningbothtorememberthepastandtomakesenseofthepresent.Granholmattendedthepicnic.“Itwaslikecommunitygrieving.…Peoplecouldnotbelievethattheirwhole

identityhadbeenstripped,andnotjusttheiridentitybuttheirlivelihood.”5

OneworkerapproachedGranholmwithhistwoyoungdaughters.Herelayedhowhisgrandfather,hisfather,andhehimselfhadallgonetoworkattheplantright out of high school. With his daughters looking on, he lobbed a hardquestionatGranholm:“So,Governor,whoisgoingtoeverhireme?”Granholmheardtheemotionalappealsofhundredsoffamiliesthatnight,allaskingsimilarquestions.Shestayeduntilthelastpersonleft.Thenshewenthomeandcried.Thousands of workers now needed to find a way to feed their families.

Crushed though Granholm was, she also began to realize that the people ofMichiganneededtochangetheirmind-set—specifically,theingrainedbeliefthatiftheysimplycontinuedtodowhattheyhadalwaysdone,theywouldsomehowturnthingsaroundandbringjobsback.“Wehad10millionpeople,”shesaid,“andittakesalongtimetogetawhole

cultural paradigm shift into people’s mind-set, and sometimes you could hitbottombeforeyoufullyacknowledge,‘Yeah,weneededtochange.’”6

Michiganderswouldhave to look tonew industries, trynew ideas, and shiftthefocusawayfromwhatoncehadworked towhatcouldbedonedifferently.Theyhadtochange,andtheydidn’thaveanytimetowaste.

TURNAROUNDSINTHE

MODERNLANDSCAPE:THETEAMTURNAROUNDPROCESS

Howcanagovernorchangeaculture,aningrainedbeliefsystem,inordertoturnanentirestatearound?Morebroadly,howcananyleaderworktobringateamfromthebottomtothetop?Thisistheprecisequestionwesetouttoanswerasweembarkedonourresearchprojectfiveyearsago.Isitpossibletotransformalosing climate intoone that fosters collaboration, innovation, andproductivity,especiallywhenleadersinallsectorsareforcedtodomorewithless?We began our research in the world of professional sports, speaking with

owners and generalmanagers in theNational Football League,Major LeagueBaseball,andtheNationalBasketballAssociation.Professionalsportsrepresenta unique business, where the on-field product—the team—has a hard timedistancing itself from its black-and-white win-loss records. In this world, it’seasytoidentifyaturnaround.Afterourinitialresearchwaspublishedinthe2010JournalofLeadership&

Organizational Studies, we expanded our questions to the world of business,talkingtoleadersatdifferentlevels,fromCEOstofrontlinemanagers.Someofourfindingssupportedpastresearch(forexample,thefindingthatleadersatalllevels,notjustthehighestleaders,cancreatechange).Butoneamazingfindingemerged. We discovered that, although the specifics of different turnaroundsvariedwidely,andalthoughtheyencompassedfactorsrangingfromthesizeoftheteamtothescopeofthechallenge,therewasremarkableconsistencyintheprocess that successful leaders in all sectors went through. We found sixelementsthatwerecommontoalltheturnaroundsweexplored.Theseelementsfit naturally into a six-stage model, one that we call the Team TurnaroundProcess,asshowninthefollowingillustration.

TheTeamTurnaroundProcess

StageI,shownatthebottomoftheillustration,iswhenaleaderfirstobservesthewreckage,thepoorperformance,andtheotherdynamicsthatarecommoninlosing teams.StageVI, representedat the topof the illustration, showsa teamthat has successfully changed and is striving to continually nurture a high-performing culture. Together, the six stages of the Team Turnaround Processformthelargerdevelopmentaljourneythatteamsgothroughastheymovefromfailuretosuccess.Eachstagecontainsspecificdevelopmentalmilestones—principlesthatleaders

andtheirteamstypicallymasterbeforeproceedingtothenextstage.Mostteamstend to complete a stagebeforemovingon to thenext, but you should expectoccasional overlap and possibly backward cycling. Every team is unique, andeventhoughtheTeamTurnaroundProcesscaptureshelpfulgeneralities,it’snotintendedtoaddressallsituationsandscenarios.Thegoalofthisbookistoempoweryoutobelievethatyoucanmakepositive

changes.Eachof the first six chapters is dedicated to aparticular stageof theTeamTurnaroundProcessandexploresvariouselementsspecific to thatstage,through the words and stories of executives, coaches, and leaders who haveturnedtheirorganizationsaround.Thefinalchapterisahands-onworkbookthatoffers discussion questions and exercises to further facilitate your own TeamTurnaroundProcess.Asyoureadthroughthechapters,youwilldiscoveraclear

andaccessiblemodel—aplaybook—forhowaturnaroundtakesplace,amodelthatwillhelpyouandanyoneelsewhoisintentonturningateamaround.Therewill always be factors outside your control, but as a leader, youwill find thatthere is plenty within your control. The stories used to capture the TeamTurnaroundProcesswillremindyouofthat.

OVERVIEWOFTHECHAPTERSStageI:LeadingPastLosingIn the first stageof turningyour teamaround, youmust honestly evaluate thecurrent state of affairs. You’re notwhere youwant to be.Youmay be losinggamesorsales,buteitherway,you’reunderperforming.InChapterOne,PhiladelphiaEaglesowner JeffreyLurie,Kendon Industries

presidentFrankEsposito,andJuniperNetworksvicepresidentDavidHelferalldiscuss what they saw when they began leading their respective teams. Theydescribe how they communicated those truths to their groups and how theyslowlytookactiontoclarifymisunderstoodrolesandresponsibilities.StageIisthestartingpoint,anditfocusesonconductinghonestevaluation,acceptingthereasonsforrecentfailures,andidentifyingtherootcausesofproblems.

StageII:CommittingtoGrowthAcceptingrealityisvitaltobeginningtheturnaroundprocess,butseeingpastthecurrent reality is just as important.Whereas stage I is about hard times in thepastandthepresent,stageIIisaboutenvisioningthefuture.InstageII,youhaveadistinctopportunitytodescribewhatthefuturecanbeandtocommunicatethatmessagethroughavision.Thevaluesthatwillguidethegroupforwardandtheplans and goals needed to focus the group on continual growth are just asimportantasaclearvisionforthefuture.InChapterTwo,Bill Polian, former president of the IndianapolisColts; Jim

Grundberg, co-owner of the SeeMore Putter Company (SeeMore Putters), asmallgolf-relatedbusiness;andJereHarris,co–leadproduceroftheBroadwaymusicalSpider-Man:TurnOfftheDark,all talkabouthowtheygotagrouptobelieve it could be better than itwas.You can begin the slow shift of turningyourorganization towardbrighterdaysby tellingyour teammembers thatyou

are all going to climb upward by introducing a unique set of values, and byclarifyinggoalsforthegrouptocommitto.

StageIII:ChangingBehaviorsIn the thirdstageof the turnaroundprocess, theemphasisshifts fromplanningthe future to actual doing. Throughout this stage, leaders introduce newbehaviorsandbestpractices,andtheyslowlyworktoreinforcethem.In Chapter Three, Ani Shabazian, director of a child care center; Marilyn

Masaitis,ownerofadiner;andKimMulkey,coachofanationalchampionshipwomen’s basketball team, tell their stories of how their organizations learnednew behaviors, how those behaviors were modeled, and, ultimately, howcelebration and discipline were used to reinforce champion-level efforts andaction.

StageIV:EmbracingAdversityOnceyouandyourteamhaveadoptedthebehaviorsneededforsuccess,you’llbereadytogooutandtestyourselves.Asyourteamslowlyturnsaround,itwillinevitablyfaceroadblocks,butthesechallengescanprovebeneficial.Yourteamwillgrowstrongerbymeetingthemheadonandovercomingthem.Asyouwill see inChapterFour,TimMcIntyre,RussellWeiner,andPatrick

Doyle, key members of the executive team at Domino’s Pizza; and BillStoneman,formergeneralmanageroftheLosAngelesAngelsofAnaheim,usedchallenges to create resilient, positive, and confident teams. In stage IV,challengesareembraced,andyourteambeginstofeedoffobstaclesasameansoftestingitsstrengthandbecomingevenstronger.

StageV:AchievingSuccessIn stageV, youwill finallymeetwith success.Your teamwill have identifiedwhereitwantstogo,takenthestepstogetthere,andprovedit’sacontenderbyovercomingchallenges.Yourteamwillnowbereadytowin.This is a stage filledwith achievement, but the team’s accomplishments are

also accompanied by the logical questionWhat’s next? Once you’ve achievedyourgoals,wheredoyougo?Howdoyourecalibrateandmoveon?Chapter Five—which features an inspiring definition of success offered by

MikeDaly,coachofanationalchampionshiplacrosseteam,alongwithauniquedescriptionofadaptationprovidedbyMattKopac,an intriguingexecutiveatasmall e-mail-based marketing firm—will help you come to view a win asmarkinglessofanendthanabeginning.

StageVI:NurturingaCultureofExcellenceThefinalstageinourmodelservesasthefoundationforfuturesuccess.Asyourteamevolves into stageVI, itwill continue to succeed, but now sustainabilitybecomes the focus.Asyou turnyour attention to sustaining theorganization’sprogress,youwillplaceanexplicit focusonthreeprinciples thathaveactuallybeenwithyousincestageIoftheTeamTurnaroundProcess;continuallearningand innovation, alongwith an intense understanding andmaintenance of yourculture,willtakecenterstage.BystageVI,yourteamwillhavebecomeawinningmachine,butmaintaining

adynastyrequiresaconstantefforttostayoutinfrontandcontinuallygrow.InChapter Six, you will hear fromDan Rooney, owner of what is arguably themostsuccessfulfranchiseintheNationalFootballLeague(NFL),andfromJerryWeast,recentlyretiredsuperintendentofalargeMarylandpublicschooldistrict.Bothsharetheirinsightsintocontinualachievementandexplaintheimportanceofalwayslearningandinnovating,andofnurturingacultureofexcellence.ChapterSeven,thefinalchapter,isapracticalworkbookdesignedtohelpyou

leadyourteamthroughtheTeamTurnaroundProcess.InChapterSeven,leaderswill find a number of exercises intended to help bring clarity to their ownthoughts and to the team’s internal processes.Other exercises are designed tohelp a team expand its overall awareness. The exercises in theworkbook areorganized to fitwithin one of the six stages of theTeamTurnaroundProcess.Depending upon where your team is in the process, you can easily identifyexerciseswithintheappropriatestagetohelpyourteammoveforward.

MICHIGANRISINGForMichigan, thebottomcame in2009,but that lowpointwasprecededbyachain of events far outside the control ofMichigan’s governor. The subprimemortgagecrisishadhitin2007,collapsingtheinflatedhousingbubble.Aglobalenergy crisis followed and drove gas prices to their peak ofwell over $4 per

galloninthesummerof2008.Michigan’sBigThreeautocompanies—Chrysler,Ford, and GM—saw their sales plummet; at the end of April 2009, Chryslerdeclaredbankruptcy,andamonthlaterGMfollowedsuit.TheentireAmericanautoindustry,whichMichigansoheavilyreliedupon,cametoascreechinghalt.AsGranholmrecalled,“Wehadthousandsofsupplierbusinessesthatfeedintothe auto industry.When [the Big Three] imploded, the ripple effect was justunbelievable.”7 Layoffs soon followed, jobless claims increased, and thegovernment’sability torespondto thisonslaughtwascompromisedbecauseofthereducedrevenuefromstateincometaxes.Granholmtoldbusinessleadersatthetime,“Wecannotallowourselvestobe

buffeted by the winds of this global hurricane. We have to steer into it andbecome the change that we have most feared.”8 She conducted a carefulexaminationofMichigan’shistory,andof theresources that thestateprovidedby virtue of its blue-collarworkforce and its geography, and she developed aplanthatidentifiedsixfutureindustries—lifesciences,advancedmanufacturing,cleanenergy, film, tourism,andhomelandsecurity/defense—thatcouldhelp todiversifyMichigan’sauto-relianteconomy.Shesetspecificgoalstoincreasetheeducational level ofMichigan’sworkers and to double the number of collegegraduates. She established policies (such as “No Worker Left Behind”) thataligned with those goals and allowed unemployed workers two years of freecollege education, provided that they studied for jobs in one of the six futureindustries.Shealsowentoverseasandaggressivelybrought jobsbackhometoMichiganbecause,asshesaid,“insteadofallowingourselves tobevictimizedby the globe, we need to take advantage of it.”9 Granholm resolved to turnMichigananditseconomyaround.Oncesheunderstoodwhatneededtobedone,shegaveitallshehad.ForGranholm,theimplosionoftheautoindustrymayhaverepresentedrock

bottom, but it also provided a rallying point. “This is Michigan’s crucible,”Granholmsaid,butshealsoassertedwithconvictionthatthestatewas“goingtocomeoutstrongerandmoreresilient”becauseofit.10

In 2008, as the crisis gained steam, the Pew Center on the States ratedMichiganamongthetopthreebest-managedstatesinthecountry.SusanUrahn,managingdirectoroftheorganization,saidatthetime,“Thegovernorhasnot,asshe says, ‘wasted the opportunity of a crisis.’ Michigan has used a strategic,statewideplantoensurethatthestate’scriticalworkforthepublicgetsdone—in

spite of a battered manufacturing sector that has affected state revenue.”11Ultimately,Granholmwaslargelysuccessfulinleadingthestatethroughchange.Evenifitwasslow,theturnaroundwashappening.Unemployment peaked at 14.5 percent during the auto crisis. But when

Granholmleftoffice,onJanuary1,2011, theunemployment ratehad fallen to10.7percent.MichiganledthenationinGallup’sJobCreationIndexfor2009–2010.12Inaddition,Granholmiscreditedwithcreating653,000jobsinthestateofMichiganduringhertenure.13Shealsolefthersuccessorwitha$600millionsurplus, and she left the state with the best technological infrastructure ingovernment.14

ThechangeinMichiganmaybeincomplete,butthewayinwhichthestatehasprogressed is reflective of the Team Turnaround Process. All the TeamTurnaroundProcess needs is one leader to see the truth, identifywhere thingshavegonewrong,andbroadcast thereality that losingisbothunnecessaryandnotgoodenough.Atthatpoint,theturnaroundjourneybegins.BynomeansdoesJenniferGranholmthinkthejobinMichiganiscomplete.

Her tenure was subject toMichigan’s term-limit law, but she is adamant that“therestillneedstobeacontinuousblastingofthewake-upcallinMichigantothisdaybecause there’s stilla lotofpeoplewhohavenotbought into the factthat they themselveshavegot to change.”15Granholm’s termasgovernorhasended,butherlegacyandherlargermessageofcontinualprogresswillliveon.Leadinga losing team to success isdifficult, and therewill be setbacks, but

there’s no end to the success you can achieve if youpushyour team to grow,challengeitself,andbebetterwhilekeepingitsfocusonwhat’spossibleinspiteofwhat’sactuallyhappening.Bigwinsnevercomeeasy,andsuccessisaprocesswith no end, but if you keepworking through the TeamTurnaround Process,victoryisinevitable.

Notes

1.Granholm,J.(2011,June17).Personalcommunication.2.Ibid.3.Ibid.4.Ibid.5.Ibid.

6.Ibid.7.Ibid.8.Ibid.9.Ibid.10.Ibid.11.Boyd,L.(2008).“MichiganRankedOneofBest-ManagedStatesinNation;RecognizedForBeingWellManagedDuringCrisis.”Availableathttp://www.michigan.gov/granholm/0,4587,7-168-23442_21974-186671-,00.html(retrievedJanuary12,2012).12.Jacobe,D.(2011).“NorthDakotaandWashington,D.C.,BestJobMarketsin2010.”Availableathttp://www.gallup.com/poll/146402/North-Dakota-Washington-Best-Job-Market-2010.aspx(retrievedJanuary12,2012).13.Headapohl,J.(2010).“GranholmToutsMichigan’sProgressinFinalRadioAddress.”Availableathttp://www.mlive.com/jobs/index.ssf/2010/12/granholm_touts_michigans_progress_in_fin.html(retrievedJanuary12,2012).14.CenterforDigitalGovernment(2008).“SurveysandAwards.”Availableathttp://www.centerdigitalgov.com/survey/61(retrievedJanuary12,2012).15.Ibid.

1

StageI:LeadingPastLosing

Organizations in stage I are at the bottom. For those who are guidingorganizationsatthisearlystage,thediagnosisisobvious.Yourteamisfailingasyou consistently and unequivocally lose games, customers, profits, andcredibility.Andlosingcanbecomeacomfortablenormthatteammembersclingto,acceptingpoorperformancebecausewinningsimplyisn’tseenaspossible.Totheoutsideworld,suchorganizationsappeartobehopelesscasestudiesof

bad decision making, poor management, and weak execution. Internally, thedestructivedynamicsarecrippling.Resourcesarescarce,attitudesandteamworkare abysmal, the willingness to accept failure is often trumped by convenientrationalizations and denial, and roles and responsibilities are both unclear andmismatched.Although organizations in stage I are largely defined by all they dowrong,

theyarefullofpromise.Asyouguideyourgroupthroughthisearlystage,therehastobeadistinctandnarrowfocusonunderstandingtheteam’slosingways.Observationandreflectionarethekeystomovingforward,andyouarechargedwithaskingquestions,discerningthetruth,andacceptingtheanswers.Workingto understand why the team is losing is the goal, and exploration andexaminationarecritical.StageIisaninvestigationintowhyyourorganizationisperformingpoorly.It’s

atimeforneitherjudgmentnordecisiveaction,butit’scriticalthatafoundationforgrowthbelaid.Throughoutthisstage,youarebuildingaclearcaseforwhychanges need to occur and for what those changes should be. You should beprepared to gather evidence regardingwhere your organization ismissing themark,andregardingwhatawinningorganizationdoesdifferently.Youalsoneedto identify justhowteammemberscanbeshifted intoroles thatbestsuit theirskills.Althoughmakingthecaseforneededchangemayseemlikeastraightforward

endeavor, don’t lose sight of the current state of the team.An organization instageIhasbeenbeatenandbattered,and thehopeofanoptimisticandhonest

leaderiscritical.Ultimately,theleaderofafailingorganizationnotonlyhastounderstandwhytheteamcontinuestofallflatbutalsomustbeabletorevitalizethe dejected teamby creating a light at the end of the tunnel, and pointing towhere thegroupcango.Todo this, it’snecessary tostudyanddefinesuccess.By studying industry success stories, drawing on the more personal andindividual successes, and talking with people who have led high-achievingteams,youcanbetteridentifywhatthegroupshouldbestrivingfor.TohelpyoubetterunderstandstageI,wewillexploretheexperiencesofthree

leaders who walked into failing teams with the goal of identifying what wasgoing wrong. Jeffrey Lurie purchased the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994 for arecord sum,only to spend thebetterpartofhis earlyyearsasowner trying touncover the problems that kept the franchise from winning. Similarly, FrankEsposito brought years of experience in the motorcycle trailer industry toKendon Industries, not only determined to uncover where the small companywasfailingbutalsocommittedtocommunicatingthetruthtothedesperateteam.AndDavidHelfermovedhalfwayaround theworld to studyhow theEurope,Middle East, and Africa territory of Juniper Networks could operate moreefficientlyandeffectively,focusingmuchofhisenergyonidentifyingtherolesand responsibilities best suited to particular teammembers.All three of theseteams were struggling, underperforming groups with far more potential thantheirachievements indicated.Their turnaroundsbeganwithpatientandcuriousleaderswhowere determined to uncoverwhatwaswrongwhile instilling thebeliefthatthingswouldeventuallybecomeright.

OBSERVEANDLEARNOrganizations that are losing know it. The profits aren’t there, customers areabsent,qualityischeap,andthebrandisn’ttrusted.Yetacknowledgingfailureispainful and difficult, even though all the facts may suggest that the team isunderperforming. Starting the turnaround process beginswith recognizing andhighlighting the group’s losses and shortcomings, but it requires the skill of apatient and determined leader. For an organization to begin the turnaroundprocess,theleaderhastoobservetheteam,learnwherethefailureslie,andthenexpose those failures. One team that knows this process all too well is thePhiladelphia Eagles. It took the help of Jeffrey Lurie, a Hollywood producerwith a Ph.D. in social policy, to get the organization to see what was wrong

beforeitcouldturnitselfaround.Teams in theNationalFootballLeaguedon’t comeup for saleoften, and so

prospective buyers are in the unenviable position of takingwhatever they canget.In1994,whenLuriedecidedtobuythePhiladelphiaEaglesfor$185million—thehighest price ever paid for a sports franchiseup to that point—heknewthat the team had underperformed over the previous decade. The team wascomingoffa1994seasoninwhichithadlogged7winsand9losses,andovertheprevioustwelveseasons(1982–1993)theteamhadaccumulatedarecordthatbarely topped .500, at 100wins and 98 losses. In the same twelve years, theEaglesadvancedtotheplayoffsonlyfourtimes,winningonlyoneplayoffgameoutofthefiveitplayed.Giventheteam’son-fieldperformance,Lurieknewhewasbuyingafranchise

that was accustomed to mediocrity. What he didn’t know was that theorganizational problems extended far beyond actualwins and losses.Not onlydidLuriespendarecordamountofcashontheailingEagles,healsoboughttheteamsightunseen.Oncehesawwhathehadbought,theextentofthefranchise’sissuesquicklybecameapparent.“I’llalwaysrememberthedayIactuallyboughttheteam,thefacilities,sight

unseen,”Luriesays,“Imean,IknewaboutVeteransStadium,butIreallydidn’tknow about the working conditions of the employees. It was startling anddepressing, the first fewmonths, to be in an environmentwhere there are nowindows.”ToLurie’scredit,hedidn’tfreakoutorletthedepressionoverwhelmhim.He

movedforward,exploringandcatalogingwhatwasn’tworkingandwhatmighthave to change, and eventually studying thewaysofwinning franchises in anefforttounderstandmoresuccessfulorganizations.OneoftheprimaryconcernsforLuriewasthefacilities.TheEaglesoperated

and played out ofVeterans Stadium, a Philadelphia landmark that had slowlydecayedintoarelicofthegoodolddays.Thestadiumhaditsappealasa“timeportal” capable of whisking fans back to its 1971 grand opening, but it hadserious flaws as a professional sports arena and operations home for an NFLfranchise.ForEaglesemployeesotherthantheplayers, theVethadbecomeanawful place to work. The dingy lighting, the basement-level work area, thebrokenelevator, the rumorsand fearsof rats, and thewindowlessofficesweredepressingmoralebusters.For theplayersand thecoachingstaff, thecrampedquartersmadeitnearlyimpossibletointeract,andtherewasn’tasingleroominthefacilitywheretheentireteamcouldmeettodiscussstrategyorwhereteam

memberscouldjustgettoknowoneanother.Andforthefans,watchingagameatthestadiumwasdisruptiveanduncomfortable.AccordingtoLurie,“Thesightlinesforfans,whicharethefirstthingIalwayskindoflookatwhenIgointoastadium,were so distant! It was one of thosemultipurpose stadiums thatwaspoorforfootballandpoorforbaseball.”Sufficeittosay,employeesdidn’tenjoytheir time working inside the stadium, and the fans weren’t excited aboutwatchinggamesfromthestands.Lurietooknote,continuedcatalogingtheVet’slimitations,andwaited.As real as the issues at Veterans Stadium were, the problems with the

organizationwerefarmorecomplicatedthanpoorsightlinesandafewrats.Butthe stadiumwasaneasy target. It couldn’tgetoffended, argue,or react to thecriticism, and its failures were shared by everyone. Nevertheless, as LuriecontinuedtoexplorewhatwaskeepingtheEaglesfromsucceeding,hestartedtolook past bricks andmortar and deeper into the dynamics of the actual team.WhatLuriebegantofindwasnotunexpected,butitwasunsettling.Championshipteamsoftenshareadistinctcollectionofcharacteristics.Losing

teams do, too. Patrick Lencioni, a leadership expert, defines the fivecharacteristicsofapoorlyperformingteamasabsenceoftrust,fearofconflict,lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.Lencioni suggests that each of these characteristics works to deteriorate theeffectiveness of the team, promoting dysfunction and ultimately failure. Forexample, if two individualsdon’t trust one another, theywill be “incapableofengaginginadebateofideas,”andthisshortcomingwillinevitablycompromisethequalityoftheideasdeveloped.1

The Eagles seemed to model Lencioni’s five dysfunctions. Communicationwaspoor,andtrustwasnonexistent.Healthyconflictdidn’ttakeplace,andteammemberslackedcommitmenttoeachother,tothefans,andtotheorganization.There was little accountability, and the team’s win-loss record was evidenceenoughthatthefranchisemaynothavebeenplacingmuchattentiononresults.ButwhatLurienotedwastheattitudeof theofficestaff.Heobservedthestaffand concluded that there “wasn’t a lot of excitement or enthusiasm.” Staffmembers just came to work, did their thing, and went home. They weren’tbringingpassiontotheirjobs,andLurienoticed.He explored further, watching the departments and personnel interact, and

concluded that therewas “clearly a largewall between the football operationsandthebusinessoperations,ortherestoftheoperation.”Therewasnounityand

there was no shared purpose. Each camp fought for itself, blaming the othercampforfailuresandmistakes.Iftheteamwaslosing,itwasthefootballside’sfault, which led to poor ticket sales and anger on the business side of theorganization. If the business side didn’t fill the house, the football operationswondered how any team could perform with a weak crowd. The two sidespointedfingersateachotherandwouldn’tcooperatetosolvetheproblems.AsLuriecontinued towatchandgather information,heunearthedmoreand

moretypesofbehaviorsandinteractionsthatwouldhavebeendestructivetothesuccessofanyteam.“It seemed very contentious,” he says. “It was sort of epitomized by the

equipment manager, who had a very negative view of players and was veryreluctanttoissuesocksandhandwarmers.”Theequipmentmanagerthoughtthattheplayerswereaskingforsuchitemsin

order to steal them. And this questioning of the players’ requests for warmclothes, in thecoldPhiladelphiaclimate,was justoneofmanyways inwhichmistrust within the organization manifested. On the surface, the issue ofhoardingsocks—becauseofthefearthatmillionairesweregoingtostealthem—may seem childish. But Lurie came to associate this type of exchange asreflective of a much larger problem. Regardless of who was right, it wasindicativeofthemuchmoreseriousissueofpervasivenegativity,whichcouldn’tcoexist with winning championships. Essentially, this type of mistrust andselfishness can spread like a virus, infecting one person after another andeventuallybringingthewholeorganizationdown.Individualshavethepotentialto be “walking mood inductors.”2 As such, they can exert an impact on theemotions,thejudgments,andeventhebehaviorsofotherindividualsandgroups.For Lurie, the Eagles were fighting an illness that had permeated the wholeorganization,andthedysfunctionalinteractionsweresymptomsofanunhealthyculture.“Ifeltlikethebiggestchallenge,byfar,”hesays,“waschangingthecultureto

onewhereyouexpecttobeverygoodandproudofyourfranchise,bothonthefieldandinthecommunity.”Luriehadseenenough.Aftercollectinginformationaboutwhatwaswrong,he

setouttoestablishablueprintforcorrectingtheproblems.Hewantedtoselltheorganizationonwhatitcouldbe,onwhereitcouldgo,andwhathardworkandfocuscouldleadto,butfirsthehadtopaintapictureofwhatsuccesswas.Heknewthatbetween1981and1994theSanFrancisco49ershadbeenamongthe

mostdominant teams in theNFL.Outof a sixteen-gameseason, the franchisehad won ten or more games every year but one (the 1982 season had beenshortenedtoninegamesbecauseofastrike).The49ershadmissedtheplayoffsonly once, and they had reeled in five Super Bowl championships.As a newowner,Luriewasintrigued.Hewantedtostudysuccess,andthe49erswereassuccessfulasanyteamgoing.HereachedouttoSanFranciscoandaskedifhecouldmeetBillWalsh, the49ers’headcoachfrom1979 through1988.Walsh,whodiedin2007,waslargelycreditedasthearchitectofthe49ers’dynasty,andLurie knew that Walsh would have plenty of insights into what makes afranchisegood.“I spent a lot of time with Bill Walsh and those guys out there because I

admired them,”saysLurie.“During the first sixmonthsofowning the team, Ispentmoretimewiththoseguysthananyoneelse,justbecauseIadmiredwhatthey had done, the culture, the expectation to be very good. I wanted tounderstand the approach they took to their own players, their employees, andtheirscoutingsystems,andIhadafeelingthattheydidwanttobethebest,andrecognizedthattheywerethebest.”Lurieconsiderstalkingwiththe49ersacriticalpointinhisdevelopmentasan

owner, but itwas also a critical point in theEagles’ eventual turnaround.Notonly did Lurie keep tabs on what would have to change within the Eaglesfranchise, he also went out of house to take a look at what a winningorganizationdoes.Insodoing,LuriebuiltacaseforwhatwouldhavetochangewiththeEagles,whyitwouldhavetochange,andhowitwouldeventuallyhavetochange.In thisearlyperiodof turninganorganizationaround,a leadersimplyhas to

take stock of what’s wrong. Lurie began by watching quietly and notingdeficiencies in the facilities and the team dynamics as well as taking note ofconcernswiththelargerculture.OnthegroundinPhiladelphia,heattemptedtounderstand why the organization was failing, but he also worked to definesuccessbytalkingwithBillWalshandthestaffoftheSanFrancisco49ers.Lurietook hold of opposite ends of the performance spectrum, and he grasped thestarkdifferencesbetweenthetwo.Eventuallyheworkedtobridgethegap,butbeforetakingaction,hestudied,watched,askedquestions,andworkedtodefinebothwhatwaswrongwiththeEaglesandwhattheyshouldeventuallybedoingright.AsFigure1.1 shows,Lurie’s early observations provided a solid foundation

fortheEaglesorganizationandultimatelyledtheteamtosuccess.Lurieworked

hard to correct the issues he had uncovered and to significantly raise theperformancestandard.From1995to1999,Lurie’sEaglesendured three losingseasons,accruingacombinedrecordof34winsand45losses,butheknewhewantedtobuildhisteamforlong-termsuccess,andhesawthoseearlylossesaspartoftheteam’sgrowth.TheEaglesturnedthecornerin2000andhavebeenone of the most dominant teams in the National Football League ever since.From 2000 through 2010, the Eagles have amassed 113wins against only 62losses.Theyhaveadvanced to theplayoffsnine times, to theNFCconferencechampionshipfive times,andto theSuperBowlonce.Their2004SuperBowlrun ended in their loss of the championship game, but the Eagles haveestablished themselves as a perennial Super Bowl contender and as adramaticallydifferentorganizationfromtheoneLuriepurchasedin1994.

Figure1.1.SRSforthePhiladelphiaEagles,1995–2010**ThisfigureshowstheSimpleRatingSystem(SRS)asitappliestothePhiladelphiaEaglesfrom1995through2010.TheSRS,createdbysports-reference.com,isastatisticalmeasureofagiventeam’soverallstrength,takingintoaccountitsmarginofvictoryandthestrengthoftheotherteamsitisscheduledtoplayinagivenyear.TheSRSleagueaverageis0.Numbersgreaterthan0indicatethatateam’sperformanceisstrongerthantheleagueaverage,whereasnegativenumbersindicatethatateam’sperformanceisweakerthantheleagueaverage.

FACEREALITYOnceyouunderstandwhat’swrong,it’stimetolettheteaminonthesecret—togobeyondplatitudesandfacereality,nomatterhowdisconcertingitmaybe.It’stimetoshinealightonalltheissuesthathavebeensweptundertherugforso

long, and to inform the group that the future does not need to look like thepresent.Thisprocesscanbehard,andconfrontingtheissueswillmakealotofpeopleuncomfortable,butit’snecessary.InmovingthroughstageI,onceyou’vegatheredinformationabouttheproblem,youhavetodeliverthatinformation.When people are in denial, there’s a truth out there that they are afraid to

recognize consciously, something that is simply too difficult to embrace.3Rationalizationsbecometoolstoexplainbehaviorsintermsthatmayfeelgoodbut are often used at the expense of reality. These rationalizations serve tosidestep theactualproblem,ensuring thatnothing reallychanges.Thiskindofthinkingisdebilitating,butitcanbesuccessfullyconfrontedandchangedwhenrationalizationsanddenialareexposedtoanonslaughtoftruth.Teams in any sort of lengthy decline become vulnerable to using

rationalizationsanddenialasameanstoexplainawayandignorebreakdowns.4Similar to an alcoholicwho tells hiswife he doesn’t have a drinkingproblemwhilehedownsacaseofbeer,anorganizationcanfailtoacknowledgeitsowndecline.Members look theotherway rather thanacknowledge the trouble thattheteamororganizationisin.Employeesofanorganizationmayrejecttheideathatacompetitor’sproducthasovertakentheirown,orthattheydon’thavethenecessaryskills,orthatthey’renotpreparedfortheimmensechallengesthatlieahead.Asdenialandrationalizationsincrease,theproblemsthatcomewiththemgrowinseverity.Theissuesbecomemoredebilitating,anduntilthetruthisdealtwith,theorganizationkeepsdivingdown.WhenFrankEspositowasnamedpresidentofKendon Industries,hewalked

intoanorganization thatwasmired in rationalizationsanddenial.Kendon isasmall company with around twenty-five employees in Anaheim, California.Kendon is in the business of manufacturing and selling motorcycle lifts andtrailers, and at one point these products were among the best in their field.Kendon was once an industry darling, but eventually the company fell fromgracewhilechasingthepromiseofquickgrowthandmillion-dollarprofits.Asaniche organization producing a specialty product, Kendon had been turningheadswitheye-poppingdesignsaswellashigh-endqualityandservice.But,asEsposito explains, the company bought into a faulty promise. When Kendoncommittedtothestrategythatitcouldbuilditstrailersfor20percentless,sell50percentmoreof them,and lower theprice, theproblemsbegan.ThecultureatKendonshiftedfromoneofconsiderate,creativeartisanstooneof“makealotof money, take costs out, be cheap, and get rich.” Success slowly turned to

frustrationandfailure.Theindustrydarlinghittheskids,withnothingtoholdontobutunsubstantiatedclaimsandthefalsepromiseofgettingrichquick.Productionwasoutsourcedoverseas.Regionalvendorswereput intobidding

warsanddumpedassoonascheaperlaborwasfound.Then,whenKendontriedtoenteradifferentmarketwithaproductthatthecompanydidn’tspecializein,customers as well as distributors and vendors started asking questions. Costswere continually cut, the quality of Kendon’s products began to decline, andeventuallycustomerservicebegantogo,too.AccordingtoEsposito,insidethecompanytherewere“amillionexcuses”despitedecliningsales,lostcustomersandpartners,andgrowingcriticism,andthecompany“basicallydeniedthatreal,relevant problems even existed.” Quality and profits continued to plummet.“Dealers and consumers started to get kind of fed upwith theKendon brand,which they had once loved,” Esposito says. Kendon was in the throes of adangerousdownwardspiralbutrefusedtoacknowledgethatproblemsexisted.Slowly the company began to fade, and a competitor eventually emerged

becauseKendoncouldn’tminditsshop.Theownerswatchedastheircompanybegan to tank. Profits dropped, relationships were damaged, quality wassacrificed, and employee satisfaction was gone. Kendon had hit rock bottom.Finally, and to its credit, Kendon acknowledged the truth. The company waslosingbadlyandneededhelpifitwantedtostayalive.“When they offered me the position, it was kind of a crazy phone call,”

Esposito explains, “because they’d already figured it out. They were losingmoney,andtheywerewatchingthecompanythatthey’dbuiltcrumble.Ididn’thavetoconvincethemthattheyhadaproblem,”headds.“Theyknew.”Kendon had been spiraling downward, but eventually the company had the

presenceofmindtofacefactsandreachoutforhelp.Webs of deceit are woven from uncomfortable pressures and conflicting

demands. Lies and denial, rationalizations and untruths, are not born ofcomfortablesituations.Deceitrequiresextraenergybecausethelieshavetobedealtwiththroughavarietyofrationalizations.Beyondtheinternalconflictsandinefficienciesthatriseoutofadeceitfulculture,thereareexternalramificationsof the internal lies,and theseconsequencesaren’t rosy,either.Anorganizationthatcan’tembracethefactsaboutitsperformancerunstheriskofsacrificingitsreputationaswellasitsrelationshipswithexternalconstituents.5

But the funny thing about the truth is that people oftenwant to embrace it.Theymaynotwanttohearit,butonceit’sspoken,everyone’sshouldersdropin

relief. Finally, someone has noticed that the organization has been skating by.Finally, someone is willing to confront the ugly reality. Finally, someone isputtingthesuccessofthegroupaboveeverythingelse.At Kendon, Esposito had the personality to match the task. Candid and

forthright,Espositodoesn’tcomeacrossasonewhoisabletoskirtthetruth.InJanuary 2009,when he came in to right the ship, he started strengthening theorganization’sweaksenseofrealitybytakingamoreobjectiveapproach.“I’mavalidator,”hesays,“Idon’tjustgrabmyownopinionandrunwithit.I

govalidatethingsprettythoroughly.”Hestartedbyinterviewingtheteammembers,askingthemaboutthedirection

ofthecompany,whereitwasgoing,whatneededfixing,andwhatneededtobechanged.Forthefirsttimeinalongwhile,Kendonhadsomeonewhowasgoingtorelyonfactsandseekproof.Nolongerwouldthegroupbevulnerabletoeasyrationalizationsandconvenientdenials.WhatmayhavebeenmoststunningforEspositointhoseearlyeffortswashis

discovery that denial seemed to permeate the organization but didn’t reside inindividual employees. When they were given the opportunity to share theiropinions,theemployeesclearlyweren’tsatisfiedwithpoorquality.“Theverycommonanswer,”Espositosays,“wasthattheywantedtobeproud

oftheproduct,andtheywantedtotaketheirtimeandbuildthebest.Theywereinstructednottodothat.”The individual employees wanted to be craftsmen, delivering a high-end

productwithpassionandcare,butthecompanyhadoutsourcedproductionandcut corners in a chase for profits that had compromised Kendon’s veryfoundation.Sadly,untilEspositogottheemployeestalking,thetruthwasbeingsilenced,andthecompanywasworkingitselfintoextinction.“Theyknewwhattheproblemswere,”Espositoexplains,“buttheywerejust

helpless, and theirvoicesweremuffled,or theywerehobbled.People literallygotreprimandedorputintheirplaceforspeakingup.Sotheygaveup.”In time, the truthwas not only suppressed, itwas discouraged. In short, not

onlyhadKendonlostthetruth,ithadalsolostoneofitsmostprizedassets—thepassionofitsemployees.When employees lackmotivation, engagement, and the belief that they can

positively impact their team, two sets of expectations are likely to develop.Therearethespokenexpectations,orstatedgoals,andthentherearetheshadowexpectations, or shared goals that have developed informally between team

membersand thatareconsiderably less rigorous than thestatedgoals.6Peopleknowthat theyhavetopubliclyshootforthespokenexpectations,butmostofthemhavetheireyesontheshadowexpectations,whicharemuchlower.Afterall,themembersoftheteamhavelearnedthatthey’renotcapableofachievingthe stated goals, and so there’s no use in trying if their efforts can’t get themwheretheywanttogo.Thisstanceistypicaloftheattitudeknownas“learnedhelplessness.”7

“WhenIfirstgothere,”Espositosays,“theculturewasjustverylifeless,veryslow-paced.Peoplejustdidn’tcare.Theyweremovingslowly,ignoringthings.Again,theyweretrained,kindoflikeadogslappedwithahand.Thenexthandthatreachesout,topetit—thedogstillshrinksaway.”The Kendon employees had given up. Esposito describes this phenomenon,

tryingtomakesenseofasadandconfusingsituation.“They’dhadtheroller-coasterrideoftheearlydays,ofeverythingbeingdone

right,andatremendousamountofpride,”hesays,buttheyhadbeen“knockeddown to the point where it was literally just a job, and just being paid forattendance, and ‘I’ll do theminimum amount and just get my paycheck, andnothingIsaymatters.’”Theemployeeshadliterallylearnedhelplessness.Theycouldn’tseehowtheir

effortsmight stop thecompany fromfailing.The falsepromiseofbigpayoutshadtrumpedthevalueofhonestfeedback,andtheemployeeseventuallygaveuptrying.Whytrywhennothingyoudomatters?Instead,theyputtheirenergyintocoping and getting by as opposed toworkingwith creativity and productivity,andtheresultsproveddisastrous.It’stakenafewyears,butthingsarechanging.Relationshipswiththetoptwo

distributorsinthemotorcycleindustryhavebeenrestored,aperformance-basedpay system has been instituted, manufacturing is now housed solely in theUnited States, and the brand has returned to its original position, focusing onquality and value.8 As for the employees, “they believe in the company,”Esposito says. “They believe inme. They haven’t had raises for quite a longtime.Theycommunicate.Theyworkwithpride.Theenvironmenthere—there’sasenseofurgency.Problemsdon’tsit.Peopletalktoeachother.Thecultureischanging.”Esposito uses caution in explaining what’s happening at Kendon,

acknowledging that the transformation is anything but complete. Likening thecompany’s progress to the process of emerging from a raging river, he says,

“We’restillclawingupthebank.”ButKendonhasdoneawaywithdenialandrationalizations,andhopeisslowlyreturning.Kendonisonanewpath.WiththehelpofEsposito,thecompanyisworking

toopenupcommunicationchannels,tovaluehonestandobjectivefeedback,andto maintain its commitment to being a niche company that makes darn goodtrailersandlifts.AsEspositoexplains,“Kendonhastobethepremierbrandoffold-up, stand-up, open-wheel trailers and lifts in the power-sports industry.Period.”The strategy has become very simple.Kendon has reinvested in some basic

principles and is focused on designing, building, and selling the very bestproducts it can. The company has patched up relationships with vendors,refocused on customer relationships, and is spending more time on buildingrelationships internally. Kendon has gone back to its roots, and back to whatworks.Thecompanyhasdivesteditselfofdeceitandinvestedinhardwork,andit seemsmore comfortable being a small company that can focus on productintegrityandslow,measuredgrowth.AtthisstageoftheTeamTurnaroundProcess,thetruthisanantidote.Itwakes

up zombielike employeeswho have been dealingwith failure simply becausetheyhaveseennootherway.Confrontingemployeeswiththefactsoflong-termlosses reminds themthat their jobsmatter.Whena leadersays that thecurrentstandardofachievementisunacceptable,peopleoftenbecomeexcitedwiththepossibility of a new standard and charged up by the passion of a leader whoactually cares. For Frank Esposito and Kendon Industries, the truth was alifeline.Kendonisslowlycomingback,butonlybecauseitacceptedthetruth.

DEFINEROLESANDRESPONSIBILITIES

Roleclarityisvitalforsuccessinanyorganization,butteamsinstageIlackit.Without clear roles and responsibilities, team members lose focus andmotivation and are left towallow inmediocrity. Individualswho are insecureaboutwhat theyshoulddoandhowtheyshoulddo itareoftenreluctant todoanything.As role ambiguity increases, job satisfaction and influencedecrease,anxietygrows,andperformanceandconfidencedecline.9,10

Clearly defined roles give employees a level of stability and promotemore

focused and more productive efforts. In guiding teams through stage I, it isimperativethatleadersidentifynecessaryresponsibilitiesanddefineclearrolesforteammembers.Nevertheless,aswithalltheothercomponentsofthisinitialstage of turning a poorly performing team around, leaders must first gatherinformation.JuniperNetworksisheadquarteredinSunnyvale,California,andpostedmore

than$4billioninrevenuein2010.Thecompany,aleadinginnovatorinnetworktechnologyandsolutions,offersproducts that rangefrommobile infrastructuretoanetworkoperatingsystemthatpromisestodecreasenetworkoperatingcostsbyup to41percent.DavidHelfer isvicepresidentofpartners for theEurope,Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) territory of Juniper Networks. Stationed inLondon,HelferisalongwayfromhishometownofEastLansing,Michigan,buthewas sent there from Juniper’s SiliconValley headquarterswith the distinctpurposeofturningthepartner(channel)teamaround.WhenHelfer first tookhisposition,heobserved thathis teamwas spending

timeandenergydevelopingrelationshipswiththewrongpeople.Apartnerteamissupposedtofacilitatethesaleofitsproductbyother,oftentimeslarger,orga-nizations, thereby leveraging an existing sales channel. But Juniper’s EMEAteamwas selling directly to smaller clients. The team’s approach reduced theoverallsalespotentialandhadasignificantimpactonproductivity.As Helfer began the task of turning the team around, much of his early

attentioncenteredonbetterunderstanding individual rolesand responsibilities.Oneofhisfirsttaskswastoidentifythejobsthatpeoplewereactuallydoing,incontrasttowheretheybestfit.“There was a real lack of consistency,” he says. “You had partner account

managers throughout EMEA, and many of them had different compensationplans.Theyhaddifferenttargets,theyhaddifferentobjectives,theyhaddifferenttitles,theyhaddifferentresponsibilities.Peopleweremovingforwardandtryingtodotherightthing,butnotnecessarilyinacohesivestrategy.”In otherwords,Helferwalked into a team that had great intentions,worked

hard, and was incredibly skilled, but many of its people weren’t in the rightplaces.Hehadpuntersactingasquarterbacksandoutfielderspitching.Theroleshad to be reordered and realigned, but first Helfer needed to identify wherepeoplewerebestsuitedtohelptheteam.Throughout his life,Helfer has played forwinning aswell as losing teams.

He’sbeenasuperstarandabenchwarmerandseemsequallyexcitedaboutandcomfortable with whatever role he has to play, if it will lead to victory. To

highlightthispoint,hetellsthestoryofhisseniorseasonascaptainofhisthree-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship tennisteamatKalamazooCollege.“Ididn’tplayasinglematchintheNCAAfinals,”hesays.Instead,hestrunga

sophomore’sracquetratherthantakethecourt.“ItwasabithumblingthatIwashelping the team in a different way. I wanted the team to win a nationalchampionship,butIdidn’tplay.”Ascaptainoftheteamthatyear,Helferwasseenasaleader.Hehadwontwo

consecutiveNCAA titles, and his teamwas going for a third. ButHelfer justwasn’tuptosnuffthatyear.Histeammatesweresimplymoretalented.Hecouldhavepoutedorevenquit,but insteadheassumedasupportiverole

and filled in where the team needed him. Even if that meant stringing anunderclassman’s racquet,Helfer resignedhimself tobeing thebestcaptainandteammatehecouldbe,andhiseffortspaidoff.Hecaptainedtheteamtovictory.Helfer may not have played in that final match, but he was an integralcomponentoftheteam,andhehasthreeNCAAringstoshowforit.Needlesstosay,Helferunderstandsteamwork,andthevalueofembracingrolesanddefiningresponsibilities.As Helfer worked to better understand where Juniper’s EMEA team was

challenged, hemethodically collected facts, askedquestions, and ran analyses.He made himself accessible, believing that “people don’t follow titles, theyfollowpeople.”Hewascuriousandgenuinelyinterestedinwhatwasholdinghisteam back, and he hoped to help not only the larger group but also theindividualswhowerestruggling.AsHelfergotdeeperintohisearlyinvestigation,hisconcernforhowrolesand

responsibilities were being determined grew. “Probably one of the biggerthings,” he says, “was actually the roles individuals were playing.” The rightpeopleweren’t in the right places, titlesweren’t reflectingwhat needed to bedone,andeventhewayinwhichrelationshipswithpartners(clients)werebeingdeterminedwasmuddy.HelferexplainstwoaspectsoftheEMEAteam,focusingonhowsalespeople

and accountmanagers are key playerswho need to assume radically differentroles.“Ourpartneraccountmanagersareverygood,”hesays.“However,theirentire

compensation plan, and what they were looking after, looked more like asalesperson than a partner account manager. Those are two very different,

distinct roles, and you would typically apply two different skill sets to thoseroles.”What was happening in Juniper’s EMEA territory was that there was

insufficient focus on aligning skills, titles, compensation, and expectations.Instead,peoplewereworkinghardandevenmakingprogressinthesesomewhatamorphousandoftentimesconfusingroles,butforalltheirefforts,theterritorywasn’tmoving forward. In otherwords, clarity and focuswereweak, and theteamwassuffering.Upon joining a team, an individual holds a belief about what his or her

responsibilities and contributions should be. Similarly, an employer hasexpectationsofwhat that individualwilldeliver.Regardlessofhowa rolehasbeen defined by a leader and interpreted by an employee, each of theminevitablydevelopsapersonalunderstandingofwhatthatroleis.Thisdynamic,thisunstatedbargain,iscalledapsychologicalcontract.11

Aswithanythingelsethatisunspoken,thereisroomformisinterpretation.Ifanindividualtakesafull-timepositionwiththeexpectationofworkingbetweenfortyandfiftyhoursperweekbutsoonfindsthatthereisnowaytocompletetheworkinunderseventyhours,thatemployeewilllikelyfeelthattheorganizationisnothonoringitssideofthedeal.Thissituationcouldleadtoafeelingofbeingdevalued, and even to the employee’s acting out. The employee may startexpending less effort,may become emotionally disengaged, andmay even dojustthebareminimuminthejob.Allofthesereactionswouldbefueledbytheperceptionthattheorganizationisnotholdingupitsendoftheunstatedbargain.When problems with a psychological contract occur, the existing

psychologicalcontractneedstobeeliminated,andanewonemusttakeitsplace.Tobeginanew,itisnecessarytooutlinethetermsinamoreexplicitmanner.AtJuniper, Helfer put more focus on communication, even brainstormingcommunicationstrategies,suchasvideomessagingandtexting,sothathecouldbetterconnectwithhiswidelydispersedteammembers.Healsobegantoaskthemost critical question of all: “You ask them the simple question ‘What’s yourjob?Howareyoubeingjudgedandmeasured?’You’dbeamazedsometimesathowdifferent the answer is fromwhat you’re expecting.But that’s the reasonyouaskit.”In asking this simple question, Helfer was uncovering the existing

psychologicalcontract,andgivinghimselfanopportunitytoadjustandclarifyit.Onekeytoaviablepsychologicalcontractisthatithastobeenteredintofreely.

By bringing to the surface and correcting employees’ implicit understandings,Helferallowedtheteammemberstofreelychoosewhetherornottheywantedtobepartiestothenewlydefinedagreements.WhenHelferarrivedinLondon,hejoinedagroupofhardworkingindividuals

mired in confusion about their individual roles and responsibilities. It wascritical for Helfer to understand how roles could be made clearer, and howresponsibilities could better suit individual skills.He set out to identifywhereroleswereambiguousand todiscoverwhat responsibilitieswerebestmatchedwithspecificjobfunctions.Ashisunderstandinggrew,hebegantohelphisteammembersunderstandandembracejustwhattheirjobsactuallywere.By continually working to find a common understanding, and by clearly

communicating responsibilities, Helfer was eventually able to bring oldassumptions to the surface and explicitly rectify anymisperceptions that teammembers had.OnceHelferwas confident that teammembers understood theirrolesandresponsibilities,heknewthathisteamwasreadytotakethenextstepintheTeamTurnaroundProcess.

THEPLAYBOOKFORLEADINGPASTLOSING

Underperforming teamssharedistinct traits.As theydrop to rockbottom, theybecome accustomed to losing, even comfortable with it. Their resources andattitudes are deficient, and teamwork and communication are limited. Theyignorethetruthsbehindtheirletdowns,relyingonrationalizationsanddenialtoget fromoneday to thenext.These teamshaveapoorunderstandingof roles.They lose motivation and fail to execute because expectations andresponsibilitiesareunclear.OrganizationsatstageIarebrokenandindesperateneed of leaders to step in and honestly appraise and acknowledge any and allshortcomings.StageIoftheturnaroundprocessisthecriticalfirststeptowardthefulfillment

ofeven themostunlikelyofdreams.Teamsat this initial stagehavedifficultybelievingthatanylevelofsuccess,letalonegreatorhistoricachievement,mightbe possible. But this early stage is the foundation on which greatness willdevelop.Atthisinitialstage,leadersarecalledontofindandcommunicatethetruth of the situation. You must explore your organization, uncover all theproblems,andstaredown,withopeneyes,theuglyrealityoflosing.Fromthere,youcancommunicatethetruthwithcourage,conviction,andskilltotherestoftheteam.Thetruthwilloftencomeasarelieftoteammembers,butembracingthefaults

and flaws of the organization is still an uncomfortable and sometimes painfulexercise. Nevertheless, seeing dysfunction for what it is will allow teammemberstoshedtheirdenialanddoawaywithrationalizations.Furthermore,asteammembersopenuptowhat iswrong, theywill lookforanswersregardinghow they can do things right. In this sense, you as a leader have a uniqueopportunity to redefine responsibilities while clarifying and assigning criticalroles.ThisiswhatJeffreyLurie,FrankEsposito,andDavidHelferwereallabletodo.Theyidentifiedharshrealitiesandbroughtthemintopublicview,takingthiscriticalfirststeptowardturningtheirteamsaround.Byacknowledgingtheproblems, thepeopleon their teamswere able tomove forward, strive towardloftiergoals,andputtheirfocusbackonwinningandworkingtogether.Thisfirststageisacoldshoweroftruth.Itfeelsgoodonlyafterit’sover,and

once it’s done, the organization is revitalized and energized tomove forward.Withdysfunctionoutintheopen,therealworkcanbegin.

Notes

1.Lencioni,P.(2002).TheFiveDysfunctionsofaTeam:ALeadershipFable.SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass,188.2.Barsade,S.G.(2002).“TheRippleEffect:EmotionalContagionandItsInfluenceonGroupBehavior.”AdministrativeScienceQuarterly,47,644–675.3.Twerski,A.(1997).AddictiveThinking:UnderstandingSelf-Deception,2nded.CenterCity,Minn.:HazeldenPublishing.4.Kanter,R.(2003).“LeadershipandthePsychologyofTurnarounds.”HarvardBusinessReview,81(6),58–67.5.Cialdini,R.B.(2004).“TheHiddenCostsofOrganizationalDishonesty.”MITSloanManagementReview,45(3),67–73.6.White,H.C.(2008).IdentityandControl:HowSocialFormationsEmerge.Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress.7.Seligman,M.P.,andMaier,S.F.(1967).“FailuretoEscapeTraumaticShock.”JournalofExperimentalPsychology,74,1–9.8.Norman,J.(2010,November13).“O.C.ManufacturerEnjoysTurnaround.”OrangeCountyRegister.Availableathttp://jan.ocregister.com/2010/11/13/o-c-manufacturer-enjoys-turnaround/49286(retrievedJanuary12,2012).9.Hamner,W.C.,andTosi,H.L.(1974).“RelationshipofRoleConflictandRoleAmbiguitytoJobInvolvementMeasures.”JournalofAppliedPsychology,59(4),497–499.10.Beachamp,M.R.,Bray,S.R.,Eys,M.A.,andCarron,A.V.(2002).“RoleAmbiguity,RoleEfficacy,andRolePerformance:MultidimensionalandMediationalRelationshipsWithinInterdependentSportTeams.”GroupDynamics:Theory,Research,andPractice,6(1),229–242.11.Rousseau,D.(2004).“PsychologicalContractsintheWorkplace:UnderstandingtheTiesThatMotivate.”AcademyofManagementExecutive,18,1.

2

StageII:CommittingtoGrowth

In stage II, your team is poised tomove forward, and it’s time for the team’sfocustoshiftfromwhat’swrongtowhat’spossible.Teammembersarefedupwithlosing.Theyrecognizethatchangeisneededandarecommittedtogrowth.Your team has gone through the emotional exercise of confronting itsinadequacies and acknowledging them, but it nowneeds direction. Itwants toprogressandleavethelosingwaysbehind,butitmaynotknowwheretogoorhowtogetthere.Itneedssomethingtobelieveinasitpushesoutofthehazeoffailure,anditwilllooktoyouforguidance.TheteamatstageIIneedsavisionforwhereit’sgoing,clearvaluestoguideit,andadecisiveplanofactionthat’schock-fullofspecificandattainablegoals.AtstageII,thereisalotofenthusiasmaboutwhatliesahead,butteamsatthis

stage are also quite fragile because they lack the confidence that comes withyearsofsuccess.Thisisastageforthedreamers,theplanners,andthebelievers,and you can push the group forward quickly with a passionate and credibleaspirationforthefuture.AsweexplorestageII,wewilllookatthreeorganizationsandtheleaderswho

gave them the vision, values, and goals they needed.Bill Polian, the architectbehind one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of the National FootballLeague, isamong themostaggressivevisionaries inprofessional sports. Inhisabilitytodreambigandinspireothers,heissecondtofew,andhisinsightsintowhatavisioncouldandshouldbeareinvaluable.Similarly,JimGrundbergandhisbusinesspartner,JasonPouliot,broughtlifetoalifelessbrand,theSeeMorePutter Company, which, as the company’s name implies, designs andmanufacturesgolfputters. Inrevivingthatpromisingorganization, theysetouttoestablishclearvaluestheywouldliveby,workby,andgrowby.Needlesstosay,SeeMorePuttersisstillfollowingthatearlycodebutisnowconsideredoneof the hottest properties in the putter industry. Finally, Jere Harris, co–leadproducer of SpiderMan: Turn Off the Dark, has one of the most compellingturnaroundstoriesgoing.Harrisbuckleddownandworkedwithhiscolleagues

toestablishaclearplanandaccompanyinggoals,andheisnowatopBroadwaywithasuccessfulshow.Allthreeoftheseleaderstooktheirorganizationsfromstage II to heights previously unimagined, and yet each one started with thebeliefthatthingscouldinfactturnaround.StageIIisaboutdefiningthefuturebecause great achievements can’t occur without the hope of making themhappen.

LAUNCHTHEVISIONForateamtomovefromcatastrophetoconquest,thegrouphastodefineapathforward.As teams rise up, theyhave to develop and embrace a vision for thefuture. What’s possible? What are the hopes? What’s next? What are thedreams?Avision is intended toprovidedirection,motivation, andclarity.Thevisionfocuseseffortandinspiresactionbydefiningwherethegroupisgoing.Avisionisintendedtocapturepossibilityandmayseemincrediblyunrealistictoateamnumbedbyfailure.Nevertheless, inspiteofhowridiculousavisionmayseem,it’stheresponsibilityoftheleadertoarticulateandsellit.As far as visionsgo, few inprofessional sports haveprovedbetter thanBill

Polianatsellinggrandiosedreamsunderincrediblyunrealisticconditions.Polianwalked into the Indianapolis Colts at a time when it was one of the worstfranchises in the history of theNFL.He established a vision for winning theSuper Bowl, and then he got to work, leading one of the most dramatictransformations in professional football. In fact, the Colts have to be in therunningforadvancingoneofthemostpreposterousvisionsofanyprofessionalfranchise in the history of American pro sports. When Polian walked into amoribundIndianapolisfranchiseafter the1997season,heunequivocallystatedthathisvisionfortheteamwas“worldchampionships.”Atthetimeheproposedthisvision,theColtswerearguablyoneoftheworstfranchisesintheNationalFootball League. Butmore than ten years and one Super Bowl championshiplater,Polian’sconvictionforhisearlyvisionisstillverymuchapparent.Ashesays,he“madenobonesabout it.Didn’tapologize for it.Didn’tcarewhetherpeoplethoughtitwaspossibleornot.Thatwasourgoal—wewantedtowintheworldchampionship.”WhenPoliandedicated the franchise toSuperBowlvictory, the Indianapolis

Colts had a reputation for losing. Since 1978, when the NFL inaugurated itssixteen-game season, the Colts had never wonmore than ten of their sixteen

games, whereas various NFL teams had reached that milestone 172 differenttimesoverthesametwenty-yearperiod.TheColts’averageannualrecordfrom1989 through 1998 was 6 wins and 10 losses, and the 1991 team has beenimmortalizedasoneoftheworstinNFLhistory,establishingafranchiserecordwith 1win and 15 losses. It’s a struggle to identifywith a loser, and in thoseyears, as TV cameras swept through the Hoosier Dome during home games,Coltsfansworepaperbagsovertheirheadstoavoidtheembarrassmentofbeingseenwastingtheirtimeandhard-earnedmoneysupportingthedismalfranchise.As further evidenceof howabsurdPolian’s initial vision seemed, theColts’

futilityinIndianapolisalsohadalongprehistory.OriginallybasedinBaltimore,the franchise had become a joke even before the move west. The Baltimoresquad,definedregularlyby its foiblesandfailures, rackedupa totalof2winsand 25 losses over the 1981 and 1982 seasons (a strike shortened the 1982seasontoninegames).Asaresult,the1981and1982Coltsareconsideredtwooftheworstteamsinthehistoryofprofootball,andin1983thedreadfulColtsfellshortof.500yetagain,rankingatthebottomoftheeasterndivisionoftheAmerican Football Conference (AFC). To add drama to debacle, the Coltsfranchise, to avoid being seized by the city of Baltimore in a political powerplay,literallysneakedawaytoIndianapolisundercoverofdarknessintheearlymorninghours ofMarch29, 1984.Football fans in Indianapoliswere initiallyecstatic about the unexpected arrival of a new pro football team, and season-ticketsalesspikedtounprecedentedlevels.ButthehoneymoonquicklyendedasthenewlyrelocatedColtsamasseda12-36win-lossrecordovertheirfirstthreeseasons in Indianapolis. And even this dismal showing was only a smallsamplingofthingstocome.InadditiontotheColts’on-fieldfailings,thefranchise’sfrontofficestruggled

withtheteam’sgeneralmanagement.FewtopdraftpickscametoIndianapolis,and thosewhodidwerequickly traded, or theyplayedout their contracts andleft.Notonlywereplayersinandout,between1989and1998theorganizationwentthroughfiveheadcoaches.Indianapolisfinishedthe1997campaignatthebottom of theAFC,with a 3-13win-loss record. The franchise hadmade theplayoffsonlyonce in theprevious tenyears, and therewas little reason to seeanylightonthehorizon.Itwasatthispoint—whatseemedtoberockbottom—thatownerRobertIrsaymadeacriticalplayandconvincedBillPoliantocomeinaspresidentandgeneralmanagerandtrytostopthebleeding.Polianhadalreadyprovedhimselfawinner,butthiswasabigproject.Before

heading to Indianapolis, he had built a reputation for being something of a

turnaround specialist as general manager of the Buffalo Bills, a team he hadtaken,ineightyears,fromback-to-back2-14seasonstothreeconsecutiveSuperBowl appearances. Similarly, when Polian took his skills to the CarolinaPanthers, he quickly created a winner—the Panthers competed in thechampionship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) when thefranchisewasonlyinitssecondyear.Clearly,Polianhadshownhimselfcapableofreversingthefortunesofbadandunprovedfranchises,butcouldheworkhismagicontheColts?NotonlyhadtheColtsbeenstrugglingonthefieldandinthefrontoffice,theyhadrelocated(underhistoricallysketchycircumstances)toamidwesterncitywithoutademonstratedfanbase.Therewerealotofconcernssurrounding theColts, and it seemedhighlyunlikely that they’dbewinning aSuper Bowl anytime soon. Simply setting their sights on the playoffs alonewouldhavebeenaformidablevision.A vision has to be unique to the organization and must assert a sense of

purposewhile also being practical, if notwholly attainable.1Needless to say,when Polian walked into the Colts organization and announced that theIndianapolis Colts were going to become a championship-winning franchise,peoplescratchedtheirheads.Polian,reminiscingabout those initialdays,says,“Whenyoucomeintooneofthesejobswheretherehasn’tbeenalonghistoryofsuccess, and you’re as committed to it—somemight saymessianic—as I am,theythinkyou’vegotascrewloose,anditwillneverhappen.”SoforPolianandthe IndianapolisColts, itwasn’tenough thathestepped inandencouraged theorganizationtogoafteraworldchampionship.Healsohadtogroundthevision,provingtothefrontofficeandtheon-fieldteamthatitwasattainable,andthattheycoulddo it.Hehad tocommunicate thevisionandsell it,andheknewitwasn’tgoingtobeaneasyjob.Selling the franchise on a hopeful future took not only the science of

advancingavision,butalsotheartistryofconveyingit.Themannerinwhichavisioniscommunicatedcanmakeorbreaka team’seventualsuccess.Avisionthat is articulatedas a substanceless clichécertainlywon’thelp thecause, andmay actually damage it. In addition, a vision that fails to inspire visible andcommunicableactioniseasilyabandoned.2Moreover,ifaleaderisn’tcapableoffollowing through with a vision, or if the leader doesn’t “walk the talk” bycommunicatingwhatheorsheaspirestothroughwhatheorshedoes,thenthevisionwillsimplybeignored.Totakethisideaonestepfurther,herearesomedetailedrecommendationsthat

canassistleadersintheireffortstoclearlycommunicateandinspireotherswithavision:

1. Be concrete. The actual words used to articulate and communicate avisionhaveanimpact.Themoreconcreteandstraightforwardthelanguage,theeasieritisforpeopletobuyin.Concretestatementsthatteammemberscan digest and unequivocally understand are more apt to incite forwardmovementandeventualprogress.3

2.Askforinput.Itmayseemcounterintuitive,butmessagesareheardmoreclearlywhentheyarepartofatwo-waydialogue.Apowerfulwaytogainagroup’sapprovalistoaskforinputregardinghowthegroupcanchangeandwhereitcansetitssights.4Althoughaleaderisinnowayobligatedtoacton every opinion he or she hears, going through this process can uncovervaluableinformationandperspectivesthatmightnothavebeenconsideredinitially.Whenopinionsandideasaresolicited,followersare likelytofeelthattheyhaveavoiceandownasmallpartoftheeventualvision.3. Communicate consistently. Something as simple as consistentlycommunicatingtheeffortsneededforchangeisakeypredictorofeventualsuccess.5It’snotsimplyabouttheactofformingthestatement,unveilingit,and trusting that everyone gets it. Along the way, a leader needs tocontinuallycommunicatehowhisorheractionsareconnectedtothelargervision. In short, consistent and repeatedaction isnecessary foravision totake hold, and how a leader links his or her actions to the vision caneffectivelymovethingsalong.4. Communicate effectively. Effective communication of a vision canactuallyhaveanimpactontheperceptionsthatteammembershaveoftheirleaders.Infact,themannerinwhichavisioniscommunicatedaffectshowteammembersseetheirsuperiors.6Imaginethat!Asaleaderstrivestoturnan organization around, the language and the crafting of a vision mayactually influence others to see that leader as both more effective andcharismatic.Inspiteofallthehow-totips,thetruthisthattheadvancementofavisionis

notanexactscience.It’snotan“Ifyoudothis,thenyourvisionwillimpactyourteam”proposition.Itrequirespatience,persistence,andthewherewithaltoknowthat there aren’t any magic bullets. The vision simply represents an effort toconvincetheteamthatchangeispossible—tomotivateteammemberstostrive

forsomethingmorethanthelacklusterrealityofthepresentday.It’satoolthat,if implementedpersistentlyandpatiently, can inspire thegroup tokeep toilingtowardasharedend.What is perhaps most compelling about Polian’s efforts to turn the Colts

around is just how committed he was to communicating his vision in such adifficult andmuddy situation, and howmuch sacrificewas ultimately needed.Critical decisions had to bemade, and each decision sent a specific messageabouthowtheteamwouldneedtochangetoattainthenewvision.Polianrecallsonesuchdecision.“Wehaddecided thatwewouldrelease the

incumbent quarterback, Jim Harbaugh, who was quite popular with somesegmentofthefans.Wedidn’tthink,sinceweweregoingtodraftaquarterback,thatitwasgoodtohaveaveteraninthewingssortoflookingoverhisshoulder.”Itwasatoughsacrificeforthefansaswellasfortheteam,anditwasadifficultchoiceforageneralmanagerwhohadbeenonthejobforamatterofdays,butitwas necessary for the growth of the organization. Working to clearlycommunicatewhere the franchisewasheaded,PoliancalledHarbaugh intohisoffice and gave him the news as simply and honestly as possible. He recallssaying,“Look,youtellmewhereyouwouldliketogo.Ifthereisnoparticularplacewhereyou’dliketogo,we’llreleaseyou.Whateveryou’dliketodo,wewilldo,butyou’renotinourplansgoingforward,andIdon’twanttocreatetheillusionthatyouare.”Itwasadifficultstepandadifficultconversation,butit’sthistypeofstraight-

up, decisive communication that made this newly formed vision clear to theentirefranchise.Regardingthisparticulardecision,Polianconcludes,“Itsentamessage to everyone else in the building that thiswas the newway of doingthings.” Themessage couldn’t have been anymore apparent—the Colts wereworkingtowardwinningtheSuperBowl.Following that decision, Peyton Manning was drafted as the face of the

changingfranchise,$9millionwascommittedtoafacilitythatgavetheplayersanewweightroomandanewlockerroom,andtheplayerswerefedbreakfastand eventually lunch. Polian asserts, “It sent amessage thatwe’re part of thenew,modernNFL,andwe’reinvestinginfacilitiesthatwillhelpyoubebetterplayers.”Intime,theColtsslowlymorphedintoateamthatwashungrytowin,eventuallyfightingforplayoffvictoriesandforSuperBowlrings.Allthewhile,commitmenttoandcommunicationofthevisionneverstalled.

Polian remembers one detail from late in a back-and-forth game with theBaltimore Ravens that took place at the end of the 1998 season. During a

botched play in the fourth quarter, somemiscommunication occurred betweenManning,thentherookiequarterback,andMarvinHarrison,hiswidereceiver.Ifthey had communicated correctly, Polian explains, they probably would havewonthegame.Later,inthelockerroom,Polianapproachedthetwoplayersandsaid, “Listen, I don’twant you to give a second thought towhat occurred outthere today. This off-season, you will work together so much that this willbecomesecondnature.Thenexttimeyouseethatdefense,it’sahookupandatouchdownpass.Iknowit’sgonnahappen.I’veseenithappenwithJimKellyand Andre Reed, and it will happen with you.” Polian was committed totirelesslycommunicatingaclearmessage—theColtsweregoingtobewinners.Polianwasrelievedofhispositionwith theColts inJanuaryof2012,aftera

disastrous 2011 campaign in which the Colts managed only 2 wins, but hislegacy as one of the greatest turnaround artists in the history of professionalsports remains intact.Although2011wasmarredbya season-ending injury toPeytonManning, aswell as byother personnel issues, Polian acceptedblame,notingthathehadmademistakes.Nevertheless,throughouthistenurewiththeColts,Polian’seffortslargelypaidoff,asshowninFigure2.1.The1998season,Polian’s firstwith theColts, endedwithonly3wins and13 losses, but in thetwelveseasons that followed, theColtsamassed125winsand51 losses, forawinning percentage of .710. More impressively, the Colts advanced to theplayoffs eleven times, and in 2005 they won the Super Bowl. For Polian,constant communication of the larger vision, emphasis on the small efforts toachieve the largerdream,andclearanddecisive languageandactionswereallpartofthisearlyturnaroundphase.

Figure2.1.SRSfortheIndianapolisColts,1992–2010**ThisgraphshowstheSimpleRatingSystem(SRS)asitappliestotheIndianapolisColtsfrom1992through2010.TheSRS,createdbysports-reference.com,isastatisticalmeasureofagiventeam’soverallstrength,takingintoaccountitsmarginofvictoryandthestrengthoftheotherteamsitisscheduledtoplayinagivenyear.TheSRSleagueaverageis0.Numbersgreaterthan0indicatethatateam’sperformanceisstrongerthantheleagueaverage,whereasnegativenumbersindicatethatateam’sperformanceisweakerthantheleagueaverage.

InstageIIoftheturnaroundprocess,leadersneedtoinspireandguide.Polian’svision for theColtswas clear, andhis effortsdidn’twaver.Hewas convincedthatthefranchisecouldwinaSuperBowl,andhecommunicatedthatconvictionexplicitly,withwords and actions.As Polian defined this path at stage II, hisvision gave theColts a focus that eventually spun themaround, guiding themfromfailuretounprecedentedlevelsofsuccess.

ADOPTGUIDINGVALUESIn addition to articulating a clear and inspiring vision, leaders guiding teamsthrough stage II need to answer questions about how advancements will bemade.At thisstageof theprocess,guidingvaluesprovideneededstructureforhowthegroupwillworktomoveforward.Peoplearestirredbyvalues,andtheywant to invest in organizations that share their ideals.7 As the leader, yourdeterminingteamvaluesandmakingthemexplicitmotivatesthosearoundyou.You have to make it clear that the group stands for something, whether it’scustomer service, effort, innovation, or something else entirely.When you dothat, the shared commitment will motivate specific actions by providing aframeworkforwhat’simportant,what’sexpected,andwhat’sneededtoseethatthelargervisionisachieved.In September 2006, when Jim Grundberg and Jason Pouliot purchased

SeeMore Putters, the company had essentially flatlined, with no sales ordistribution.AstheypreparedfortherelaunchofSeeMorePutters,theduohadaclearvisionof creating “thegreatestbrand ingolf”butneededclearvalues toguidetheway.Buildingupto the launch, theyidentifiedjusthowtheywantedSeeMorePutterstobecomeapremierbrand.Grundbergexplains,“Ifweprovide

great customer service, a technology that we already know is validated, andcreatesomenewandexcitingproductdesigns,wefeltlikethisthingcouldendupbeingagreatbrand.” Inotherwords, thevisionwasn’tenough toget themwheretheywantedtogo;theyalsohadtodefinejusthowtheywouldtrytogetthere.GrundbergandPouliotplacedemphasisongettingbehindtheexcitingandunknown technology at SeeMore Putters, but, more important, they alsodedicated themselves to providing great customer service and creatinginnovativedesigns.Theysettheirvaluesaroundcustomercareandcutting-edgeproduct development, and with these guiding principles they began theirlifesavingoperationonanall-but-lifelessbrand.Sevenyearsearlier,SeeMorePutterscouldhavebecomeabrandon therise.

Payne Stewart had just won the U.S. Open with one of the most spectacularputting performances in the history of the event—and did it with a SeeMoreputter in hand. The brand instantly gained international visibility. Sadly,however,fourmonthsafterwinningtheU.S.Open,StewartdiedinaplanecrashonOctober25,1999,andgolflosttheplayermanyconsideredoneofthekindestand best-hearted of all time. The golfing communitymourned—and SeeMorePuttersfadedfromview.AsGrundbergnotes,“Withthetragicaccident, losingPayneat theendof1999, thebrandsortofdisappearedoff theradarscreen.Itkind of came and went really quickly.” The brand was then sold to someinvestors who had limited visibility and involvement in golf, and SeeMorePutterswaseffectivelyshelved.SeeMore Putters was a brand that had never had much of a life, but when

GrundbergandPouliotsteppedin,itwasagoodmatchfromthestart.NotonlydidSeeMorePuttersofferauniqueproductthatthepartnersbelievedtheycouldleverage,GrundbergandPouliotalsohadpreviousexperienceonateamthathadtaken another brand in the same industry from nearly nothing to something.Earlierintheircareers,theyhadbeencolleaguesatOdyssey,abrandfocusedonthe design and development of golf putters. The team at Odyssey grew thebrand,thenunknown,toanumber-onemarketshare,creatingoneofthebiggestsuccess stories in the history of the putter industry.With that experience, andwith SeeMore Putters’ unique history and technology, Grundberg and Pouliotwereconfidentabouttheirchances.BecauseGrundbergandPouliothadputsuchintensefocusonthetwodistinct

valuesofcustomerserviceandtechnology,theywantedtoattractnewcustomersaswellascustomerswhohadexperiencewithSeeMorePutters.Toaccomplishthis goal, they offered new and inventive products along with unparalleled

accessibilityandaferventfocusoncustomercare.Theirattentiontothesevaluescanbeseenthroughouttheorganization,andittoucheseverythingfromproductdelivery to customer relations. For example, SeeMore Putters makes puttersavailableonawholesalebasisaswellasthroughdirectsales,buckingthemoretraditionalsalesmodelofchoosingeitheronechannelortheother.Somewouldscoff at this model as a recipe for sales suicide, arguing that this strategyalienates wholesalers with the threat of competition from direct sales. ButGrundberg argues that ensuring availability and accessibility is good customerservice. “We’renotgoing to limityou throughvarious channels,”he explains.Some customers prefer to buy from a pro shop, and others are comfortablebuyingonline.SeeMorePuttersofferscustomersasmanyoptionsaspossible.This commitment to customer service extends far beyond purchasing

convenience. In a world dominated by voice recordings and phone trees,SeeMore Putters is dedicated to being different by being accessible andaccommodating.AsGrundberg explains, “That’s been the number one part ofourwholevaluechain—customerattention.Ameetingwillneverinterferewithtaking a call from customers or taking an e-mail, and it’s almost a 24/7immediateresponse.”It’sacommitment toserving thepeople interested in theproductandwillingtoinvestinthebrand.Grundbergmakesthisclearwhenhesays,“IfyouneedaputtinglessononaSaturdayafternoonoverthephone,giveusacall.We’llgiveittoyou.”ForGrundbergandcompany,tospendaSaturdaygiving a putting lesson to a customer is worth the time. Giving back to thepeople committed to the brand is not simply good advertising. It’s what thepeopleatSeeMorePuttersvalue.Inaddition tocustomerservice,SeeMorePutters isequallycommitted to the

development and innovation of putter technology. In 2010, BloombergBusinessweekdescribedthesmallcompany’s$1.5millioninsalesasafunctionofaninventiveanddiverseproductlinethatcaterstobothhigh-endneedsandtomore modest ones.8 And even though SeeMore Putters has diversified, withinnovativeproductsthatserveavarietyofneeds,thecompanyisadamantaboutnotinnovatingforinnovation’ssake.Grundbergnotes,“It’simportanttokeepupwith good technologies from a marketing perspective, but when you startchanging technologies just for the sake of change, we jump from authenticproduct development to just aworld of consumermarketing.” In otherwords,SeeMore Putters values technological advancement and product development,but not at the expense of customers’ expectations and needs. The focus is oninnovating where innovation is needed, on creating a genuine benefit for the

customer,andondevelopingnewtechnologiesthatserveafunctionalpurpose.At SeeMore Putters, this commitment to the specific values of customer

serviceandinnovativetechnologyhaspaidcontinualdividends.Inthetwoyears(2005–2006) before Grundberg and Pouliot acquired the company, SeeMorePutters had less than $50,000 in total revenue and sold its products in fivecountries.Between2007and2011,thecompanyexperiencedatleast30percentannualgrowth,broughtin$8millionintotalrevenue,andshippeditsputterstomorethanfortycountries.Along theway,GrundbergandPouliot and their teamhavemanaged to stay

truetothemselves.AlthoughtheSeeMoreteamissmall—onlyabouttenpeople—the team’s values are intact. Given this type of focus, it’s no wonder thatSeeMore Putters is experiencing success. With the vision of creating “thegreatest brand in golf,” SeeMore Putters set the bar high, but with a strongcommitment to clear values, Grundberg and Pouliot and their colleagues aremakingheadwayasarecognizable,reliable,likablebrand.

ESTABLISHAPLANANDSETGOALS

Ifyourvisionandvaluesareabridgetakingyoutoanewfrontier,yourlargerplan and smaller goals are thebridge’sgirders and rivets.Goals hold theplantogether,providingteammemberswithguidingobjectivesandclear,measurablemilestones. As with every other aspect of stage II, teams are looking fordirectionandcravingaclearpathforward.Thevisionprovidestheteamwithadirection,andvaluesdeterminethemannerinwhichtheteamwilladvance,butaplanwithgoalsservesastheroadmapthatguidestheteamtoitsdestination,onestopatatime.

Someargue thatmakingastrategicplanhasbecomepassé.9Others say thatstrategicplanningisauselessexercisethatateamrarelyfollowsthroughon.10Yetfewwouldmaketheargumentthatplansdonothelptofocusthedirectionofa team. Larger plans can keep people motivated when smaller goals aren’tachieved.11 They also enhance the likelihood that goals will eventually beattained.12Throughplansandcorrespondinggoals,teamsandorganizationsareabletovisualizeapathforwardwhilemaintainingthefocusneededtoadvance

tothefinishline.Jere Harris, a successful businessman, is chairman and CEO of PRG, an

industry-leading company that supplies production equipment to live eventsworldwide.Heisalsothelesser-knownandlesspublicco–leadproducerofthemusicalSpiderMan:TurnOfftheDark.MichaelCohl,theshow’sotherco–leadproducer, is a legendary concert promoter and producer whose reach in themusic industry has extended fromMichael Jackson and Frank Sinatra to theRolling Stones and U2. In 2009, when Harris and Cohl came aboard theSpiderManproject,itwasbadlyfailing(seeTable2.1).Themediawerecirclingthe production like vultures, making it the focus of scathing criticism whilefueling the belief that the show would never move from development toproduction.ButinJune2011,becauseofasavvyplanandalaserlikefocusonthespecificgoals required tomake theproductionsuccessful,HarrisandCohleffectivelylaunchedtheshowonBroadway.

Table2.1.ChronologyofSpiderMan’sTurnaroundYear Month/Day Event2003 TonyAdams,originalproducer,asksU2’sBonoandtheEdgetowritetheshow’s

songs.2005 Adamssuffersastrokeanddies.Hisbusinesspartner,DavidGarfinkle,takesover

asproducer.2009 Garfinkleexhauststheoriginal$25millionbudget.BonoasksJereHarrisand

MichaelCohltotakeoverasco–leadproducers.2010

March KeyactressEvanRachelWooddropsoutofSpiderMan.April KeyactorAlanCummingdropsoutofSpiderMan.November14 Thefirstpreviewperformanceisdelayedtwoweeks,toNovember28.November28 Thepreviewfinallyoccurs.Thefirstactisstoppedfivetimesandendsprematurely

withtheSpiderMancharacterstuckdanglingabovetheaudience.2011

February7 NewYorkTimestheaterreviewerBenBrantleycallstheproductiona“nationaljoke”;NewYorkPosttheaterbloggerElisabethVincentellicallsSpiderMan“aninconsistent,maddeningshowthat’sequalpartsexcitingandatrocious.”

February9 NewYorkPosttheaterreviewerMichaelRiedelpredictsthatSpiderManwillclosebySeptember2011.

March9 DirectorJulieTaymorstepsawayfromday-to-dayproduction;PhilipWilliamMcKinleytakesover.

April17 Previewsaresuspended,andtheproductiongoesonabriefhiatus.May12 Newpreviewsbegin.June14 Therefurbishedproduction’sopeningnighttakesplace.

June15 PatrickHealy,writingfortheNewYorkTimes,notesthattheproduction“unfoldedflawlessly”beforeanaudiencethatincludedBillClinton,Bono,theEdge,andJulieTaymor,theshow’s“directorofrecord.”

September14 ContrarytothepredictionsoftheNewYorkPost’sMichaelRiedel,notonlyisSpiderManstillaround,theshowwelcomesits500,000thpatron.

November29 SpiderMansetstheweekendbox-officerecordfortheFoxwoodsTheater,pullinginmorethan$2millionovertheThanksgivingholiday.

When they were brought aboard as co–lead producers in 2009, it wasimperative that Harris and Cohl immediately establish a plan for getting thestalled SpiderMan musical moving. Harris’s company had been providingsupportforthetechnicalaspectsoftheproduction,andCohlhadbeenworkingas a behind-the-scenes producer, and so bothmen had experience that helpedthemunderstandwhatwouldultimatelyneedtobedone.Butneitherofthemhadbeenasinvolvedintheproductionastheywouldeventuallybecome.In 2005, the show’s original producer,TonyAdams, had suffered a terminal

stroke inhisofficewhile signingU2’sBonoand theEdge towrite theshow’smusic. Adams’s business partner, David Garfinkel, then took the productionreinsandmovedtheprojectalongforacoupleofyearsuntilhehitanimpasseintheformofrepeateddelaysintherenovationofthetheaterhehadchosenfortheproduction. Eventually Garfinkel ran out of money and had difficulty raisingmoretokeeptheprojectalive.13

By 2009, the SpiderMan project was essentially stuck. Through the latermonthsofthatyear,astheprojectstagnated,thecreativeteam,includingnotjustBono and the Edge but also visionary director and co-writer Julie Taymor,became restless. Garfinkel still couldn’t get the funds to keep the projectmoving,andBono,theEdge,andTaymorhadtoomanyindustryconnectionstositaroundandwait.AsHarris tells the story, theproduction “wason its last breath”whenBono

calledhimathomeandinvitedhimandMichaelCohltoameeting.HarrisandCohlacceptedtheinvitation,metwithBonoandcompany,andheardaboutthecurrentstateoftheproduction.HarrisandCohlwereultimatelyaskedtobemoreinvolved, and they left themeeting to thinkaboutwhether they’dbecomeco–leadproducers.Thesituationwasdire,butHarrisandCohlwerebothsuccessfulCEOs of prominent entertainment companies, and they both knew a winningpitchwhentheyheardone.Takingahot internationalproperty likeSpiderManandputtingittogetherwithsomeofentertainment’smostcreativeandsuccessfulpersonalitiesmadesensetothem.TheybelievedintheSpiderManconcept,even

though it needed a lot of work. After a brief deliberation, Cohl and Harrispartnered in their commitment to seeing the show move forward, and theyacceptedtheinvitationtobecometheshow’sco–leadproducers.Oncetheyofficiallycameonboard,inlate2009,HarrisandCohlconcocteda

plan for what would have to happen. Harris says of this early period, “Wedecided that we thought we could rescue it—that we could fix it.” But, headmits,theyknew“itwouldbeamonumentaltask.”Their plan contained two distinct objectives that would serve to guide all

energy and action in themonths ahead.One, they had to raisemoney and, asHarrissays,“financially restructure thewholebusinessend.”Two, theyhad to“get theproductionbackontrackandget it runningin the theater.”Bothwereformidabletasks.Evenbeforeitopened, theshowwasalreadygettinghorriblepress. Inaddition,EvanRachelWoodandAlanCumming, theactorsslated toplaytwokeyroles,bothdroppedoutofSpiderManinearly2010.Raisingmoremoneywasn’tgoingtobeeasy.Andifcomingupwithtensofmillionsofdollarstoreignitethebusinessendoftheproductionwasonething,itwasquiteanothertoreinvestinthecastandcrewinawaythatwouldraiseconfidenceandinspireahitmusical.Totacklebothissuestogetherseemednearlyimpossible.Nevertheless,byNovember2010,aboutayearafterCohlandHarrisstepped

in, the showwas ready for previews.Taymor, alongwithBono and theEdge,hadcreativelysetouttobreaknewgroundwithaninnovativeandrevolutionaryproduction, and with Harris and Cohl supporting them, the project seemedfeasible, if a stretch. But the budget ballooned beyond expectation as Taymorand her creative team pushed the technical and conceptual boundaries ofBroadway.Thefirstpreviewperformance,afterseveralpostponements,finallytookplace

onNovember28and received terrible reviews.PatrickHealyof theNew YorkTimeswrote, “The show stopped five times,mostly to fix technical problems,and Act I ended prematurely, with SpiderMan stuck dangling 10 feet aboveaudiencemembers.”14Audienceswereconfusedbyaconvolutedandclutteredstoryline,andtheheartbeatoftheproductionwasdullandhardtofind.Toaddto thedrama, five actors hadbeen injuredon the set throughout the courseofrehearsalsandpreviewperformances.15

Bloodwasinthewater,andthecriticswerefrenzied.Onereviewafteranotherlambastedtheproduction,proclaimingitsinevitabledoom.AlthoughBroadwaypreview performances are generally practice runs with live audiences and are

intendedtohammeroutlast-minuteissues,thoseearlySpiderManperformancesbecameoccasionsforcriticalself-analysis.HarrisandCohlhadconcerns,tosaytheleast.Harris had expected the show to develop during previews, but that wasn’t

happening.“Even though theshowwasperforming,”heexplains,“weweren’trehearsingandmakinglargechanges.”Butmorethan$30millionhadbeenpumpedintotheinitialplanofgettingthe

business and the production back on track, andwith this level of investment,Harris and Cohl weren’t going to let the show suffer. With the initial plancomplete, they recalibrated their sights and developed a new plan to create agreatshow.Toseethisnewplanthrough,theyhadtogostepbystepthroughashortlistofthreespecific,interrelated,challenginggoals:tounderstandwhattheaudiencewanted,tokeepthecastandcrewonpoint,andthentorelaunchanewandimprovedproduct.FormostBroadwayproductions,thiswouldhaveseemedlikeacriticalmoment,onewhentheentireshowwouldhavebeenbroughtintoquestion.ButCohlandHarriswereunfazed,andtheymovedforwardonegoalatatime.According to Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, experts in business

management,goalsimpactperformanceinfourways:theydirectattention,theyenergize,theyincreasepersistence,andtheydriveaction.16LockeandLathamalsonotethat“high(hard)goalsleadtoahigherleveloftaskperformancethandoeasygoalsorvague,abstractgoals.”17Thispoint is integral to thestoryofSpiderMan’sturnaroundbecause,likeitornot,therewasnothingeasyaboutthegoalsthatHarrisandCohlneededtoachieve.“ThesuccessorfailureofBroadwayshowsafteropeningnightisreallyupto

theaudience,”Harrisexplains.HeandCohlhadcometotermswiththefactthatthecriticshatedtheshow,butmoreimportant thanthecriticswasthefact thataudiencesweren’traving.HarrisandCohlwantedtoknowwhy,andtheyneededto figure itout. If theyweregoing todeliver theexperience theywereaimingfor,thentheyhadtoknowmoreaboutwhattheaudiencewanted,whatworked,what didn’t, and what should be there that wasn’t. And like the goodbusinessmentheywere,theysoughtfeedback.“We’re scientific,” Harris says. “We’re math guys, Cohl and I, and we did

whatanyguywhohad$50millioninvestedwoulddo.Wewenttoourcustomersanddidfocusgroups.”The feedback was clear. The audience had trouble following some story

elements, suchasamythlike reinterpretationof theoriginal comicbook-basedstoryofSpiderMan.ButJulieTaymorandhercreativeteamdisagreedwiththisfeedbackfromtheaudience.“We had a great team,”Harris says, “but if the team doesn’t jell, it doesn’t

work—youdon’twin.Sowehadateamthatwasn’tjelling.”In order for a team to achieve its goals, every one of itsmembers needs to

agreetoworktowardthesamething.ButTaymorandherteamwerestandingbytheir creative product while Harris and Cohl were calling for change. Thisimpassecompromisedtheentireproduction,andtheoutcomewasunfortunate.With littledelay,Taymorandhercolleagueswere relievedof their roles, the

showwas shut down, a new preview schedulewas announced, and a creativeteam dedicated to meeting audience expectations was put in place. PhilipWilliamMcKinley was brought in to direct, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa assistedwith the story, and Chase Brock helped with choreography. (In spite of theirdifferences with Taymor and her team, Harris and Cohl have honored theireffortsbykeepingtheirnamesontheshow’swebsite.)“Ithinkwefoundtherightfolks,”Harrissays,“andwewereabletoshutthe

showdownforroughlythreeandahalfweeks.Weopenedtheshowuprightonschedule, did our thirty previews, and opened the show as we said we weregoingtodo.”The team jelled. Difficult changes were made, a tight schedule was kept,

deadlines were met, and the new team delivered what Harris calls “a big hitshow.”Butsuchmassivechangeinsuchashorttimewarrantsfear,andanxietywas

high.McKinley,thenewdirector,spenttimewiththeyoungleadperformerstokeepthemcalmandconfident.Therestofthecastandthecrewrehearsedwithanewfounddiscipline.As forHarris andCohl, theycameupwithanadditional$15milliontocarrytheproductiontoitsintendedreopening.OpeningnightfortherefurbishedproductionwasJune14,2011.Harrissaysof

thatevening,“Wehadfoughtback,andherewewere.Forusitwastheendofalong,long,longjourney.Itwasrewarding,itwasdifficult,butwesurvivedandsucceeded.”Simply reopening the show, in spite of all the obstacles, setbacks, and

criticisms, would have been success enough, but the production is up andrunningsmoothly.FromtheJune2011reopeningof theshowto the followingDecember, SpiderMan grossed between $1 and $1.7 million per week,

consistentlyleadingallBroadwayproductions.18

Giveneverythingthathappened, it’snowonder thatHarrispoints to thefirstnightof the second setofpreviews, and to theofficial reopeningnight, as thetwo highlights of his time with SpiderMan: Turn Off the Dark. Both nightsbroughtredemption,proofthatstickingtoaplanandhittingkeygoalscanpayoff.Itwastoughalongtheway.Therewasalotofsloggingandalotofsweat,butHarrisandCohlandtheirteammadeittothefinishline,andHarrishimselfwill forever lookbackonbotheveningsascriticalachievements ina longanddrawn-outbattle.Yes,SpiderManstruggled,andthepresshastoldthatstory.Butthestorythat’s

notbeingtoldistheoneaboutinspiringpersistenceandshrewdplanning,aboutnever giving up, about digging deeper when the chips are down, and abouthaving the guts to implement a plan and goals that may not be easy but arenecessaryforsurvivalandsuccess.

THEPLAYBOOKFORCOMMITTINGTOGROWTH

StageIIisanopportunitytodefinewhereyourteamisgoingtogoandhowit’sgoingtogetthere.Itisaboutthefuture.Foryourteammemberstoseewhatthefuturecanbe,youmustcreateavisionthatwillappealtothem.ThisiswhatBillPoliandidwhenhesteppedintotheramshackleIndianapolisColtsfranchiseandannouncedthattheColtswouldbecompetingforSuperBowlchampionships.Itisyourrighttomakeboldclaimsforyourteam’sfuture.Suchvisionsmay

seemdownrightcrazy,buttheycanalsobegintoinspireateamtoreachheightspreviouslyunimagined.Howthevisionisgoingtobeachievedisjustasimportantasthevisionitself.

Theframeworkforthevisionisestablishedwithvalues,andasanorganizationslowlybegins turningaround,youmustestablishunmistakablevalues forhowthingswillbedoneandforwherethefocuswilllie,justasJimGrundbergandJasonPouliotdidwithSeeMorePutters.Finally,youneedtodevelopaplanandgoalstodirectyourteamthroughthe

growthprocess and toward eventual success.A clear plan is amap for howateam will eventually achieve success, and the goals are the smaller stepsthroughout the process. This is what Jere Harris, co–lead producer ofSpiderMan: Turn Off the Dark, did as he worked alongside his colleagues tocreateaplanandgoalsthateventuallytransformedtheproductionfromastalledconceptintoathrivingBroadwayshow.StageIIisaboutunderstandingandcommittingtotheneedforchange.Team

membershavetomovepastthemediocritythey’veembracedinthepast.Teamsatthisstageareinneedofsavvyleaderswhowillhelpdeterminenotonlywheretogobutalsohowtoget there. InstageII,youwilldrawablueprint foryourteam’sfuturesuccess.

Notes

1.Berson,Y.,Shamir,B.,Avolio,B.J.,andPopper,M.(2001).“TheRelationshipBetweenVisionStrength,LeadershipStyle,andContext.”LeadershipQuarterly,12,53–73.

2.Lipton,M.(2004).“WalkingtheTalk(Really!):WhyVisionsFail.”IveyBusinessJournal,68(3),1–6.3.Wieseke,J.,Ahearne,M.,Lam,S.,andVanDick,R.(2009).“TheRoleofLeadersinInternalMarketing.”JournalofMarketing,73,123–145.4.Lewis,L.K.,Schmisseur,A.M.,Stephens,K.K.,andWeir,K.E.(2006).“AdviceonCommunicatingDuringOrganizationalChange:ContentofPopular-PressBooks.”JournalofBusinessCommunication,43(2),131–137.5.Covin,T.,andKilmann,R.(1990).“Participants’PerceptionofPositiveandNegativeInfluencesonLarge-ScaleChange.”Group&OrganizationStudies,15(2),233–248.6.Awamleh,R.,andGardner,W.L.(1999).“PerceptionsofLeaders’CharismaandEffectiveness:TheEffectsofVisionContent,Delivery,andOrganizationalPerformance.”LeadershipQuarterly,10,345–373.7.Kouzes,J.M.,andPosner,B.Z.(2010).TheTruthAboutLeadership:TheNo-Fads,Heart-of-the-MatterFactsYouNeedtoKnow.SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass.8.Lee,L.(2010,June8).“AnInsideLookataBusinessTurnaround.”BloombergBusinessweek.Availableathttp://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2010/sb2010068_954174.htm(retrievedJanuary18,2012).9.Hamel,G.(1996).“StrategyasRevolution.”HarvardBusinessReview,74(4),69–82.10.Simpson,D.(1998).“WhyMostStrategicPlanningIsaWasteofTimeandWhatYouCanDoAboutIt.”LongRangePlanning,31,476–480.11.Masicampo,E.J.,andBaumeister,R.F.(2011).“ConsiderItDone!Plan-MakingCanEliminatetheCognitiveEffectsofUnfulfilledGoals.”JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,101(4),667–683.12.Gollwitzer,P.(1999).“ImplementationIntentions:StrongEffectsofSimplePlans.”AmericanPsychologist,54(7),493–503.13.Bernstein,D.(2010).“Broadway’s‘SpiderMan’:TheFullStory.”Chicago.Availableathttp://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-2010/Broadways-Spider-Man-The-Full-Story/index.php?cparticle=3&siarticle=2#artanc(retrievedJanuary18,2012).14.Healy,P.(2010,November28).“‘SpiderMan’TakesOff,withSomeBumps.”NewYorkTimes.Availableathttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/theater/29spiderman.html(retrieved

January18,2012).15.Healy,P.(2011,March22).“Another‘SpiderMan’ActressInjured.”NewYorkTimes.Availableathttp://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/another-spider-man-actress-injured(retrievedJanuary18,2012).16.Locke,E.A.,andLatham,G.P.(2002).“BuildingaPracticallyUsefulTheoryofGoalSettingandTaskMotivation:A35-YearOdyssey.”AmericanPsychologist,57(9),705–717.17.Locke,E.A.,andLatham,G.P.(2006).“NewDirectionsinGoal-SettingTheory.”CurrentDirectionsinPsychologicalScience,15(5),265–268.18.“BroadwayGrosses:SpiderMan:TurnOfftheDark.”(2011).Availableathttp://www2.broadwayworld.com/grossesshow.cfm?show=SPIDER%2DMAN%20TURN%20OFF%20THE%20DARK(retrievedJanuary18,2012).

3

StageIII:ChangingBehaviors

StageIIIisatimewhenyouwilldefine,model,andreinforcethebehaviorsthatarerightforyourorganization’sgrowth.Becauseeveryorganizationisdifferent,it iscritical thatyoufocusonthebehaviorsthatareappropriateforyourteam.There’snoguidebookforwhatthosebehaviorsare,butyourvision,values,andgoalscanhelpdirect theway.StageIII isastageofaction,andit representsadistinct shift fromplanning todoing.At thispoint,youwillbegin to seeyourplansthrough.Theproblemshavebeenidentifiedandembraced,aroadmapforthefuturehasbeendeveloped,andnowisthetimetofocusonthedailyeffortsneededtomovetheteamforward.Throughout stage III, behaviors will be scrutinized, praised, and modeled.

What’srightforyourteammaynotberightforothers.Auniqueoutlineforhowtoactasachampionneeds tobedeveloped,and thefocusondoingshouldbeconstant.StageIIIiscomposedofsmallandconsistenteffortsthatwillsteadilymoveyourteamforward,buttheconstantploddingcanbetiring,andtheremaybe times when advances seem to be of little consequence. This can feelfrustratinganddisorienting,butevenwhenyou’reforcedtoquestionwhetherornot you’re on the right path, keepmoving forward. Stage III is not about bigwins but rather about the small successes of gradual growth. Your continualeffortstoteach,model,andreinforcewhat’srightwillpaycumulativedividendsastheystarttoaddup.This stage is tedious at times, but it is an early stage of development, and

behaviors for future success are being defined.Your teammemberswill learnhowtocarrythemselvesaswinners,andyou’reresponsibleforshowingtheway.Leaders in stage III have to focus on providing their teamswith insights intohowandwhattheyneedtochangewhilealsoprovidingthemotivationtodoit.All eyeswill be on you as the leader, and your ability to actively teach teammembers about how they can change for the better is essential. Equallyimportantisyourabilitytomodelwhatsuccesslookslikewhilealsoestablishingwinningguidelines.Throughoutthisstage,behaviorswillchangeforthegoodas

previous, losing habits are broken and even the smallest of successes arecelebratedasevidenceofprogress.AniShabazian,MarilynMasaitis,andKimMulkeyarethreeleaderswhohave

effectively turned their organizations aroundbymodelingwinningwayswhileshaping the behaviors of their teams.All three of these leaders turned failingorganizations into thrivingentities in little timeandhaveprofoundly impactedthegroupstheyhaveled.Althoughtheyshareminimalcommongroundintheirbackgroundsandprofessions,theirabilitytochangethebehaviorsofstrugglingteams with confidence, compassion, and consistency is noteworthy. AniShabazian took over the Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center(LMUCC) at a critical moment of failure, but she was driven to change thedefining behaviors of the team.MarilynMasaitis bought a failing diner on aheartfelt hunch, and shemodeled how to be a success. Finally, KimMulkey,headcoachofBaylorUniversity’swomen’sbasketballteam,hasmadeaHallofFamecareeroutofmoldingherplayersandteamsintowinners.Allthreeleadershave masterfully guided their organizations through stage III, changing theattitudes and behaviors of their teams en route to profound and oftentimesunexpectedachievements.

TEACHBEHAVIORIn stage III, change is afoot, but as the team sets out in this newly defineddirection,theoldwaysmustbeleftbehind.AniShabaziantookovertheLoyolaMarymountUniversityChildren’sCenterwhenitwasinprofounddisarray.Thecenterhaddegradedtothepointwherechildsafetywasinquestion,andturningitaroundwasaformidabletask.Shabazianwasdedicatedtoteachingherteamthebehaviorsneededforsuccess.Itwasatoughsell,butShabazianbelievedthatwith time and persistence, the group could provide world-class child careservicestotheLoyolaMarymountUniversity(LMU)community.In2006, thebehaviorsof thestaffatLMUCCwerewoefully suspect.Cathy

McGrath,amotheroftwoandaprofessoratLMU,hadentrustedthecenterwiththecareofherchildren,andshesaysofthosedays,“Itwouldjustbeamess.”There were complaints and concerns regarding sanitation, the education andinterests of employees, and the general care of the children enrolled. WhenMcGrathwalkedinonedaytofindheryoungestdaughter,aninfant,swaddledtightlyinablanketandlyingonherstomachfornaptime,shereacted.“Ijustsort

ofgrabbedher,”sherecalls.“Itwassuchavisceralmoment.Ijustpickedupmydaughterandranoutofthecenterandwasjust,like,‘Oh,Idon’tknowifIcanbringherbackthere.’”It’sdangerousfornewbornstosleepontheirstomachs,andtheycansuffocatewhenswaddledtightlyandleftlyingfacedown.McGrathwasrighttobeconcerned,andatthetime,shearrangedforherbabysittertotakeonmorehours.During those days, concerns were warranted. Enrollment was down, the

relationshipbetweenthefacilitydirectorandparentswascaustic,andprogramswerecanceled.Itwasn’t that theteachersandadministratorswereintentionallyneglectfulorabusive—makenomistake,itwasacaringandaffectionateteam—butitwasasiftheydidn’twhollyunderstandthetolloftheirmistakes,asiftheydidn’t know better. One child had contracted Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcusaureus(MRSA),ahighlycontagiousanddifficult-to-treatstaphinfection,outsideLMUCC.McGrath recallswatchinga teacherwho“changedonechild’sdiaper,putthatchilddown,pickedupanotherone,andputhimrightbackonthechangingtablewithoutchangingthepaper,withoutwipingitdownwithacleaningfluidlikethey’resupposedto.Andthiswasrightduringthetimewhen theywere having the outbreak of staph.” It was clear that the need forchangewasvital.McGrath’sstoryisreflectiveofawidespreadlossoftrustbetweenparentsand

theLMUCC leadership and staff. This led to aminor restructuring that had amajor impact.Responsibility forLMUCCwasmoved fromFinance toHumanResources (HR), and Rebecca Chandler, vice president of HR, and HeatherAlexander,directorofBenefits,headeduptheearlychangeeffort.Initiallytheysetouttofindwhatwasbroken,andtheyproceededtofixit.Firsttheygatheredupdatainanattempttodiagnosetheproblem.Theyconductedacomprehensivesatisfaction survey and held open forums to hear employees’ concerns. AsRebecca remembers,“Thatdata really setourcharge forusbecause therewashighdissatisfaction,therewashighturnover,therewaslowmorale,therewasalackorahugedeficitinstaffengagement,andsoweknewthatourchargewasto try to turn this unit around.” Rebecca and Heather truly believed that thecenter could be better, and so they established a vision for turning it around,identifiedkeygoalsandvalues,andthenstartedtoact.Theybeganwithasearchforanewdirector,andeventuallytheyscoredwiththehiringofAniShabazian.LandingAniwasabigwinforLMUCC.Inspiteofherinitialrefusal,Rebecca

andHeatherpersisteduntilshecameaboard.WithaPh.D.inchilddevelopmentand five years of experience running the Infant Development Center at the

UniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles (UCLA),Anibrought instantcredibility.Shehad receivedhermaster’sdegree ineducation fromHarvard,andwhileatUCLA she had been awarded the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, anhonor recognizing themost skilled “masters of the classroom”on thebasis ofletters from colleagues, students, and former students, in addition to courseevaluations.Anialsohadthetemperamentforthejob.Shewaswarm,shewaspassionateaboutchilddevelopment,andshewasconfidentenoughtoovercomeearlyconcerns.When Ani arrived, the situation was a mess, and she admits to having felt

overwhelmed,butshehadcommittedtochangingthecenterandrefusedtobackdown.Sheinitiallyreliedoneducation.Shesetouttoensurethatalltheteachersat the center actually had the necessary education to perform their jobs.Astonishingly,theydidn’t,andasAniworkedtoimplementthisinitialchange,certain teachers immediately lost interest in staying at the center. Somedidn’twanttopursuefurthereducation,butforthosewhodid,Aniacquiredfundsfromthe university to pay their expenses. She recalls that the teachers who didn’twanttostay“naturallysortofleftbecausetheyknewthatthey’dhavetoputinmoretimeandmoreeffort inordertostillmaintainthesamejobthattheyhadsixmonths prior.” In short order, the teamwas changing, andAniwas doingeverythingshecouldtomakesurethatthechangeswouldstickforgood.Educationcomesinmanydifferentforms,andmultipleeffortstocommunicate

informationaremorelikelytostickthanonesingulareffort.1Withthisinmind,Ani was committed to educating her staff in multiple ways. Although sheinsistedonaminimumeducationallevel,shealsoworkedtopersonallyconveyinformationtoherstaffmembersinordertoensurethattheywouldavoidfallingbackintopoorhabits.RememberMcGrath’sstoryaboutchildren’sdiapersbeingchangedonatablethathadnotbeenadequatelysanitized?Anisays,“Westartedwithhealthandsafety.Wegotthembleachbottles....Itrainedthemonhowtodo the bleach, and I trained them on health and safety practices, how to usegloveswhensomeoneisbleeding.”Thesepersonaleffortsalsoincludedpointingout unacceptable behaviors. In one instance,Aniwalked into a classroomandnoticedateacherlisteningtoaniPod.Sheconfrontedtheteacher,explainingthatit was inappropriate to be in a classroom with an iPod on. By pointing outspecificexamplesofbehaviorsthatwerenolongeracceptable,andbyworkingwith staff members to help them adopt new behaviors, Ani was continuallypromotingchange.

WhileAniwasfocusedonhelping thegroupmembersunderstandwhat theyneededtobedoingonaday-to-daybasis,RebeccaandHeatherwereeducatingthe staff members about how they contributed to the larger university. “Theyneeded education and awareness of how they fit—the contribution that theymake,andhowimportantwhattheydoistotheuniversity,”saysRebecca.SheandHeatherwereencouragingthestafftochangeasindividuals,andonceagainRebecca recalls that it required “talking, listening,meetings, lots ofmeetings,bringing in other people from other areas so they could explain to themwhatthey did.” Behavior change is best supported through multiple efforts andchannels, and staffmembers atLMUCCwerebeing supported through formalandinformaleducationledbyAniaswellasthroughthereassuranceofRebeccaandHeather.Beyond the benefit ofmultiple educationmethods, behavior changeswithin

teams are best supported by environments where people feel safe to makemistakes and are supported by their leaders.2,3 In addition to the effortsAniwasmakingtoeducateherstaff,sheneededtofosterasafeenvironmentwhereideas could be shared and mistakes could be made. When she arrived atLMUCC, the climate had been the opposite of safe. “It was interesting,” sherecalls,“becausewhenIfirststarted,Ifeltthateveryonewasscaredtodeath—ornot necessarily scared, but everyone had their guard up, and I’m prettyapproachable.”Aniwentstraighttowork,breakingdownbarriersandtakingthetime to invite the ideas and perspectives of those around her. “I did a lot ofobservations,” she said. “I had one-on-oneswith all the staffmembers. Imetwith them, I talked with them.” Ani developed trust by making herselfaccessible.Intheprocess,thestaffbegantoknowandunderstandher.While the one-on-oneswere helping to build rapport, Ani worked to create

safety inotherwaysaswell. Justweeks intohernewposition, an irateparentcame intoAni’s office, screaming. In ameasured and neutral voice,Ani said,“Let’shavethisconversationwhenyou’realittlemorecalm.”NotonlywasthefrenziedparentshockedbyAni’sunruffledresponse,anearbystaffmemberalsoexpressedsurprise.Aniwascuriousaboutherstaffmember’sreaction,andlatershe asked her about it. The staffmember replied, “The former directorwouldhaveyelledback.”Ani’s effortswere in stark contrast to those of the center’spreviousadministration.Moreimportant,thecalmmannerinwhichshehandledconflict helped to foster a supportive environment, one that encouraged thebehavior-changeeffortssheneededheremployeestoembrace.

Through these efforts, the ball started moving. The behaviors of the groupslowly started to change. Rebecca recalls, “The staff was now being heldaccountableinwaystheywerenotaccustomedto.”Parentsweretakingnoticeoftheprofessionaldemeanoroftheteachers,andtheteachersbecamemoreheavilyinvestedinthechangesthatweretakingplace.Enrollmentbegantorise,andthechildren’scenterwassoongettingattentionforitsachievements.CathyMcGrath,theonceapprehensiveparent,tellsastorythatillustratesthe

drastic behavior changes that occurred among LMUCC staff members. Onemorning her husband dropped off their youngest daughter, Jane, who wasbetweentwoandthreeyearsoldatthetime.Henoticedhisdaughterbackaway,as if scared, from a seemingly aggressive child who was eager to play.McGrath’s husband immediately voiced his concern to the teacher that hisdaughtermightbegettingbullied.The teacher listened,andover thecourseofthedayshe took threeor fourpicturesof thatchildandJaneplaying together.She e-mailed the pictures toMcGrath’s husband, explaining, “I thought aboutwhatyousaid,andit’sareallyvalidconcern,andwantedtoletyouknowthatthis is how they interact during theday.Also, to addressyour concern,we’vedecided to seat themnext to eachother at lunchtime so that theycanpass thefoodandthebowlstoeachothersothattheycanhaveanotherwayofinteractingthat’s collaborative and cooperative.” McGrath was amazed at the immediateresponse.Thecenterslowlyprogressedfrombeinganorganizationincrisistodelivering

areliableservicetoeventuallybecominghighlyrespectedintheindustry.Whenshearrivedatthecenter,Aniheldtheseeminglyfar-fetchedgoalofthecenter’sbecoming accredited, and by 2010, LMUCC had joined an elite 8 percent ofchild care centersnationwideby receiving full accreditation. In2011,Ani andthechildren’scenterwerestillgrowing,butallthesmallereffortshadbeguntoaddup.Shestillhadchallenges,althoughthechallengessheisfacingtodayhavechanged.She explains that enrollment numbers are now through the roof, andshe jokingly laments, “My poor administrators are being harassed constantlywith‘WhereamIonthewaitlist?’and‘Whycan’tIgetin?’Weonlyhave105spots, and there’s 1,600 people on campus. I can’t accommodate them all.”Clearly,theproblemsaredrasticallydifferentfromwhattheyoncewere.Anihopestoonedaytransformthechildren’scenterintoalabschool,where

childrenandfamiliescanbemonitoredandassessedthroughtheuniversityasameanstofurtherthedisciplineofchilddevelopment.Changescontinuetooccur,butitseemsthatthemorethingschange,themorechangesAnihasplanned.As

Anisays,“Westillhavesomuch roomforgrowth.We’reconstantlygrowing,and I think that’s a strength.When you think that you’ve stopped growing iswhenstagnationsetsin.”ForLMUCCandAni,growthisthetheme,andprogressisacontinualeffort.

Theturnaroundhasbeendramatic,butintheearlyphasesthefocusonbehaviorchange was critical. Through formal and informal education, through thereassurance of organizational leaders, and through Ani’s persistentencouragementofpositivechange,earlygoalswereachieved.ThroughoutstageIII,AniandLMUCCweresimplyfocusedonadoptingtherightbehaviors.

MODELBEHAVIORBeyond educating team members about how and what to change, you mustexemplifythechangeyouwanttoseeinyourteam.StageIIIisallaboutaction,and your own actions are incredibly important, not simply for what theyaccomplishbutalsoasawayofcommunicatinginformationrelatedtothevaluesandclimateyou’reworkingtoestablishinyourorganization.4

Sometimesanorganizationhasacrucialfigurewhoseactionsandeffortssetatonesostrongthatitnotonlyguidestheorganizationbutbecomesapartofit.5Such an organization is guided by a leaderwho defineswhat awinning teamlookslike,andwhodoesthatbyservingasanexampleforthelargergroup.AtMarilyn’sCafe,inChester,NewJersey,thatpersonisthecafe’sowner,MarilynMasaitis.Marilyncurrentlyinspiresherstaffwithherconsistentattentiontodetailand

herconcernforcustomersandemployees,butherrolewasonceverydifferent.BeforeowningMarilyn’sCafe,Marilynworkedon-site,waitressing for nearlytwentyyearstomakeendsmeetasasinglemotheroftwo.Theactualdinerthatis nowMarilyn’s Cafe has been through seven different owners, and it datesbackto1968,butMarilyn’searlyinvolvementspannedonlytwoownersandtwodecades.Earlyinhercareer,MarilynhadwaitressedforGeorge,agenuinefriendwho

had managed the restaurant successfully, even though his efforts might havebeen at the expense of his employees.Marilyn worked for George for nearlyeighteenyearsbeforeaskingforaraisefromher$2hourlywage.WhenGeorgerefusedtoincreaseherpay,Marilynleft.Businessimmediatelystartedtosuffer.

GeorgecalledMarilyn,askedhertocomeback,offeredheraraise,andmadeitclear thathewasgearinguptosell thebusiness.Marilynagreedtocomebackfor a new hourly rate, and with the understanding that she would leave onceGeorgesoldthebusiness.Two years later, Cesar bought the place from George, but after eighteen

monthsbusinesshadnottakenoff.Thecafewasbombing.Itneededtobesold,but therewere no buyers. EventuallyMarilynwas approached because of heremotional ties to the restaurant and her positive reputation with the localclientele.Marilyn deliberated. She hadworked her entire life and didn’t havemuchmoneytospend,butwhenthepricedroppedby$50,000,Marilyntookthedeal. Shewas nervous, but she had overcome challenges before, and she hadreason tobeconfident.Shehadworkedfor$2anhour foreighteenyears,hadgone throughadivorce, andhadbeenayoung singleparentof twoboys.Sheknewthevalueofhardworkandgenuineness,andsheknewtheprofoundnatureof trusting relationships (eventually shemarried someone she connectedwith,trusted,andloved).Shebelievedthatifshejustfocusedonbeingherself,thingscouldworkout,andshewasgutsyenoughtoputherhopesintoaction.Marilynmadehermark immediately.Shechanged the signout front to read

MARILYN’sCAFE,andsheranasingleadvertisementinthelocalnewspaper,simplyannouncing“Marilyn’sBack.”UnderCesar,thedécorhadbeenstarkandimpersonal, with generic posters of fruit and vegetables. Under Marilyn, thedécor is important, and it shows all over her cafe’s walls. She has collectedHarley-Davidson gear and pictures ofMarilynMonroe andElvis, and she hasputup encouraging signs that say things likeNEVER,NEVERGIVEUPandher favorite,WEMAYNOTHAVE ITALLTOGETHER,BUTTOGETHERWEHAVEITALL.Shewelcomes thegiftsofcustomersandfriends,andshedisplays items that have been brought back from other countries or that wereonce lost in basements or attics. “Most of theMarilynMonroe things peoplebringfromvacations,”sheexplains,andshehighlightsthesignedandnumberedplateacustomerbroughtbackinhisbriefcasefromBangkokaswellasthegoldbustthatanotherpatronhadstoredinherbasementforfortyyears.Marilyntakesgreatpridenotjustinhowthecafeisdecoratedbutalsoinhow

cleanit’skept.Shesays,“WhenIgettwentyorthirtywomenwalkingoutofthebathroom,andevenmenwalkingoutofthemen’sroom,whogo,‘It’ssonicetogo to the bathroom in a clean bathroom—I can’t imagine what your kitchenlookslike,’Isay,‘Gobackandlook.’”Infact,she’shadsomefolkstakeherupontheoffer,andshe’shappytooblige.Marilynstrivestorunatransparentand

close-knitshop.Shetreatshercustomersmorelikefamily,invitingthemintoherworld of cleanliness, nostalgia, and inspiration, and even letting them into herkitchen.Allofthishelpscreateanenvironmentthatisclean,safe,andcomfortable,but

in addition to how she maintains her restaurant, she goes to great lengths tofoster commitment among her team members. Her cook is a carryover fromCesar’sreign,andwhenMarilyntookover,hewasinhisearlytwenties.Therewas no reason to believe that he could help Marilyn succeed, because hiscookingobviouslyhadn’tbeendrawinginbigcrowdsunderCesar,butMarilynsawasparkintheyoungcook.WhentheplacechangedovertoMarilyn’sCafe,thecookaskedtostay.Marilynbluntlyaskedwhysheshouldkeephim,andhesaid,“I’lltrymyhardest.”Shebelievedhim,andshesawhimasanhonestguywho’d become stuck in a failing restaurant. She asked him what he’d madeunderCesar,andhetoldher$400perweek.Shetoldhimshewouldraiseitto$500,andthathewouldstartthenextweek.Hewasobviouslysurprised,butsheexplainedthattheraisewasintendedtomotivatehimandfocushimonworkinghard so that he could learn how to excel.He’s beenwith her every day sincethen, he nevermisseswork, andMarilyn brags about how hemakes the bestsoupsintheworld.Marilyntookariskbychallengingayoung,unprovencooktogetbetter,andnowshehasaloyalemployee.Marilyn cares dearly for all her staff members. As someone who has

waitressednearlyherentireprofessionallife,sheknowsthatiftherestaurantismakingmoney, thestaff ismakingmoney.She talkswith thewaitressesabouthow important it is to smile, about how they shouldn’t focus on their ownproblems when talking to each other and the customers, and about how theyshouldworkasateam(forexample,fillingupanemptycoffeecupevenwhenit’sinsomeoneelse’ssection,orgettingthecookadrinkwhenit’sbusy,andsoon).Afterall,therestaurantisopen365daysayear,andMarilynherselfisthereeveryday,workingandhelpingoutwithasmile.Shehashighexpectations,andshetalksopenlyofagreatguyshe letgofor

not showingup. Itwasn’tpersonal,but, as she says, “I’mbigondedication. Iwasdedicated to thisplace for twentyyears, for somebodyelse.Youdon’t letpeopledown.”Byfiringthisemployee,shemadeitclear toeveryoneelse thatshedemandsperformance—and,ontheflipside,thatifyoumeetherdemands,shetakescareofyou.Ifawaitressoranotherstaffmemberisgoingonvacation,she’llhandthatpersonsomeextracashtogooutandenjoyamealortwo.Ifshehearsawaitresstalkingaboutsomethingshesawinastorebutcouldn’tafford,

MarilynwillgobuyitandgiveittothewaitressforChristmas.Afewyearsago,shegavehercookahand-paintedguitarfortheholidaysbecausehelovesmusicandcouldn’taffordone.Sherememberswhatitwasliketoraisekidsandwaittables, and she enjoys helping her employees. More important, these actionsshowheremployeesthatshetrulycaresaboutherteam.Marilyn goes to great lengths to reward andmentor her employees, but it’s

alsoworthhighlightinghowshebehavesincriticalmoments,duringcrises.Theday-to-dayactionsandbehaviorsofaleaderdriveanorganizationforwardwhilealsodefiningthemannerinwhichit’smoving.Inacrisissituation,however,theactions of a leader can leave followers with a powerful and unforgettableimprint,eithergoodorbad, thatcanhavea lastingimpactontheorganization,sometimes for years. In essence, the manner in which a leader responds to acrisiscaninfluencetheverycultureofanorganization.6

In the restaurant business, crises come in all shapes and sizes.For example,take theunexpectedpoweroutages thatcanoccuraftera thunderstormsweepsthroughMarilyn’ssmallNewJerseytown.Poweriscriticalformostbusinesses,butit’sessentialforarestaurant.Ifyoucan’tcook,youcan’tmakemoney.Addtothatthelargequantitiesofperishablefoodsthatmaybespoilinginthequicklywarmingrefrigerator,anditcanmakeforaprettybadday.Ratherthanfretaboutissuesshehasnocontrolover,Marilynsimplyusesthegasburnertoboilwaterforcoffee,andbusinesssailsalongasusual.Shecreditshercustomers,sayingthat they think it’s“nobigdeal”andactuallyenjoy thebreakfromtheregularroutine. Customers may not be able to cook at home, but power outages atMarilyn’sCafearewarmeventswheretheycantalkandwaitoutthestorm.Beyond rainstorms and power outages, Marilyn also weathers the natural

stormsthatcomewithrelationships.Sheworkshardtobuildrelationshipswithher customers, and she is genuinely concerned if such a relationship becomescompromised. She tells the story of a couple who regularly came in on theweekendsbut thenabruptlystopped.Shedoesn’t take theabsenceofa regularcustomer lightly, and so she sought the husband out at his workplace andinquired about what had gone wrong. He explained that he had had a badexperience—cold,hardtoast.Marilynaskedhimforanothershot,andthenshewenttotheapartmentofthewaitresswhohadservedhim.Thegirlwasscared,butMarilyngentlyexplained,“ThosecustomersthatcomeineverySaturdayandSundayandleaveyoua$5tip—that’s$10inthecourseofaweekend,andthisiswhatyoudidtothem.”Thegirlunderstood,andMarilynconcluded,“Youdon’t

servepeoplewhatyouwouldn’teatyourself.”Needlesstosay,thecouplecameback,appreciativeofMarilyn’seffortsandconcerns.Marilyn’s commitment to relationships doesn’t stopwith her customers. She

also fights for her employees. She has a profound sense of fairness, and shereflects on an exchange she hadwith a customerwhowasmaking derogatorycomments about the work ethic of immigrants in general. Marilyn employsseveral immigrants, and she politely told the customer, “Nooffense, but don’tinsultmypeople.They’reontheupandup, they’regoodguys,andtheyworkvery hard.”Whether a crisis comes in the form of a power outage, amissingcustomer,oraninsulttoheremployees,Marilynfollowsherheartandiswillingtotakechances.Whenconfrontedwithacrisis,sheiswillingtostickherneckout,anditshowsinthesuccessofherrestaurant.Marilyn’sactionsareessentialfordevelopingaclimateinwhichherteamcan

be successful. She constantly demonstrates that she values her restaurant, hercustomers, her staff, and the blue-collar ethic that has guided her through theyears.Heractionsprovideaguidepostforherteam.TeammembersatMarilyn’sCafedon’thavetoguessatwhatMarilynthinksisimportant.Theyknowjustbywatching her. Marilyn consistently does what she thinks is right, and herbehaviors serveaspowerfulexamplesofwhereheremployees’ focusneeds tolie,buttheyalsoremindhercustomersthatwhattheyseewithMarilyniswhattheyget.Throughher actions,Marilyn reminds customers and employees thattheyarevalued,andtheyrepayMarilynwiththeirloyalty.

REINFORCEBEHAVIORThroughoutstageIII,yourteamisactivelychanging.Someteammemberswillleave,andotherswilladoptthebehaviorsnecessaryforthegrouptoadvanceandmoveforward.Itisessentialthattheleadermodelthedesiredbehaviorsforthedevelopingteamwhilealsoeducatingteammembersabouthowandwhattheycan change. Nevertheless, a keen leader also reinforces the needed behaviorsthroughcelebrationandcriticalfeedback.KimMulkey,headwomen’sbasketballcoachatBaylorUniversity,inTexas,hasbecomesomethingofanexpertonhowtoreinforcethebehaviorsofteamsaspiringtowin.BythetimeMulkeytookthejobofheadwomen’sbasketballcoachatBaylor,

in2000,shehadalreadyaccomplishedmorethanmostpeoplewillinalifetime.Asaplayer,MulkeyhadledherLouisianahighschoolbasketball teamtofour

straightstatechampionshiptitles,andshefollowedthatupwithfourFinalFourappearancesandtwoNCAAnationaltitlesforLouisianaTech.Shecrownedheraccomplishments with goldmedals at the 1983 Pan Am games and the 1984Olympics.Asacoach,sheassistedhercollegiatealmamater for fifteenyears,coaching in seven Final Fours. To put it simply, in her long athletic careerMulkeyhadneverbeenassociatedwithalosingprogram.ButwhensheacceptedthejobatBaylor,sheembarkedonanewjourney.She

left her home state, she leftLouisianaTech, and she leftwinning behind. Shewas taking over a program that played in the NCAA’s Big 12 Conference, areputable conference for all sports, but thewomen’s basketball teamhad verylittle history of success. For the 1999–2000 season, the season beforeMulkeyarrived,theteamhadgone7-21andatonepointwasridingan11-gamelosingstreak.AddtothatthefactthatitwasMulkey’sfirsttimeasaheadcoach,andit’s no wonder that she looks back and says, in her slow Louisiana drawl,“InitiallyIcriedforthefirsttwotothreemonthsafteracceptingthejob,becauseIwasjustnotsureifI’dmadetherightmove.”ButMulkey’safighter,andshequicklydriedhertears,pushedthefearsaside,andwenttowork,relyingheavilyonherpastsuccessesasaplayerandacoach.Shesoonhiredastaff,onethatsheknewwouldstickaroundforawhile,andthenhittherecruitingtrailtofilloutherroster.AsMulkey got to work, she needed to instill the intensity, work ethic, and

discipline that had been embraced by her past championship teams. For thesenewbehaviors tostick,however, theplayershadtounderstandwhatneededtobe done, they had to be able to do it, and they had to have the appropriatereinforcement.Mulkeydrewonherexperienceandguidedtheteaminthewaythat she knew best. “Youmust discipline players for anything that you deeminappropriate in representing your school and your program,” she explains.“You’renotgoingtobethrownunderthebusforamistake.Tome,amistakeisnotamistakeuntilyoumakeittwice.”Shewasforgivingandunderstandingbutalsofirmanddisciplined.Mulkeydrewaline,andtheplayerswereexpectedtomeetherstandards.Overtheyears,Mulkeyhashadtoholdfirmlytoherexpectations.She’svery

clear thatdisciplineandconsistenteffortareessential tobeingaplayeronherteams, and she’s not to be tested. She rememberswhen a starting playerwasfallingbelowteamstandardsoffthecourt.Herdisappointmentisstillobviousasshe recalls, “I dismissed a starting player in the middle of the season forcontinuingtoskip,missclasses.Ibelievethatthere’sapointwhereyoudrawa

lineinthesandandsay‘Okay,nomore.’”Heractionsentaclearmessagetotheplayeraswellasa resoundingmessage to the restof the team.The remainingplayers had a clear example to draw from—skip class, leave the team. Therewerenoquestionsaboutwhatwouldhappenifaplayer,evenastarter,cutclass,andtheknownconsequencewasasufficientdeterrent.Mulkeysays,“Youknow,a lot of coaches wouldn’t do that, particularly if they’re a starter,” and she’sright.Intheeffort toensurethataprogramisascompetitiveaspossibleintheshort term,manya coachwould allow such aplayer tokeepplaying, but thatalsosendsaclearmessage to the team—it’sokay tomissclass,and thecoachdoesn’treallymeanwhatshesays,especiallyifyoucanhelpherwin.Mulkey is quick to point out that the way a punishment is doled out is

important,andthattheintentbehindthepunishmentismeaningful:“Ithinkifaplayerseesthatyouareforthem,thatthedemandsyoumakeonthemarenottobreakthemortearthemdownbuttomakethemabetterplayer,thentheywilldoit for you.” She realizes that her intentions need to be transparent, and thatpunishment isn’t an end in itself but amethod for helping the player and theteamimprove.AlthoughMulkeyhashadtodoleoutpunishmentattimes,shehasalsohanded

outherfairshareofencouragementandpositivereinforcement.“Youmakesureyoumixinsomelaughsandsomehugs,”shesays,“andyouletthemknowthatthere’satimetoworkandthere’satimetoplay.”Recognizingthathermethodshavechangedinthetwelveyearsshe’sbeenonthejob,Mulkeyrecalls,“Backthen,Icouldgetontheflooranddemonstratedrills,takingcharges,high-fivingthose kids, gettingon them in awaywhere you just say, ‘No, that’s not goodenough.Youcandobetter.’”Bygettingon the floor, she reinforcedwhat shewantedoutofherplayersandhowtheyshouldbeplayingthegame,andshedidit while also providing a clear visualmodel. Shewas encouraging themwithhigh-fivesandshowingthemthatshewaswillingtogetinthereanddothehardwork.Alongwiththeseon-courtefforts,shewasdeliberateincelebratingsuccesses.

She remembers her first year at Baylor, when the squadwanted to winmoregamesthanthesevenithadwonthepreviousyear.Whentheplayerswontheireighth game, they had a celebration. Similarly, after the victory that assured awinning season, theyhad another celebration.They also celebratedwhen theybeattheirfirstopponentthatwasrankedinthenationalpolls.Celebratingeachmilestoneprovidedtheteamwithfurtherproofthatthebehaviorsthathadtakenthemtothatpointwereactuallyworking,thatthegroupwasontherighttrack,

andthatiftheplayerscontinuedtheywouldexperiencesimilarresults.AsFigure3.1shows,Mulkey’steamhascomealongwaysinceshetookover

in2000.TheBaylorBearshavebeentonineNCAAtournaments.They’vehadfiveSweetSixteenappearances,twoFinalFours,andinthe2004–2005seasonthey went home with the national championship. Amid all that success, onememorythatMulkeypointstoinvolves,appropriately,acelebrationtowardtheendofthatfirstseason.ESPN,thesportsnetwork,hadchosentheLadyBearsasone of the teams to be filmed live during the network’s NCAA tournament-selection broadcast. Mulkey looks back: “I remember the very first NCAAtournament [selection]after the firstyear,andhowwegatheredataplaceandwatched it on television.” She remembers because her team was “part of thebiggest turnaround in college basketball.” The team that had won a meagersevengamesthepreviousyear,againstquestionablecompetition,wasselectedtoplay in its first NCAA tournament. That achievement, which had seemed farbeyondtheteam’sreachonlyayearbefore,wasanindicationoftheincrediblethingstocome.

Figure3.1.Wins,Losses,andPostseasonAchievementforBaylorUniversityWomen’sBasketballTeam,1999–2011**Inadditiontothewinsandlossesshowninthisgraph,theBaylorwomen’sbasketballteamamassedthefollowingrecordofpostseasonachievement:2000–2001,NCAAfirstround;2001–2002,NCAAsecondround;2002–2003,Women’sNationalInvitationTournament(WNIT)runner-up;2003–2004,NCAASweetSixteen;2004–2005,NCAAchampion;2005–2006,NCAASweetSixteen;2006–2007,NCAAsecondround;2007–2008,NCAAsecondround;2008–2009,NCAASweetSixteen;2009–2010,NCAAFinalFour;2010–2011,NCAAEliteEight.

Kim Mulkey taught her team members how to play like champions bysupporting them, motivating them, and reinforcing her expectations withconsequencesandcelebrations.Whenplayersfellbelowthestandards,Mulkeyrelied on strict discipline. When the players elevated themselves, Mulkeycelebratedandpattedthemontheback.Mulkeywasclear,andtheconsequenceswere consistent. There wasn’t much gray, and the players followed theguidelines. In the process, effort was increased, attention to detail was

scrutinized,andperformancewaselevated.Byestablishingclearguidelinesthatwould shape the practices and habits of the team,Mulkey turned a perennialloserintoachampion.

THEPLAYBOOKFORCHANGINGBEHAVIORS

StageIIIisthetimeforaction.It isthetimetoeducateyourteamonhowandwhat to change, to model the behaviors needed for future success, and toestablish clear guidelines that are celebrated when they’re met and criticallyexamined when they’re not. Stage III is still early in the process of a teamturnaround, but it’s indicative of progress. You will need to put in continualeffort, but evenwhen it seemshopeless, youwill need to stickwith it. If youlookforteachablemoments,asAniShabaziandid,modeldesiredbehaviors,asMarilynMasaitis did, and celebrate the smallest of successes, asKimMulkeydid, your forward movement will be clear and tangible. Winning starts withsmall and regular behaviors. The big wins won’t come easy, but stage III ischaracterizedbythesmallandconsistentbehaviorsthatwilleventuallyadduptobigger successes. Progressmay seem slow, but nomatterwhat happens, keepmoving forward. Even when you have to wipe away the tears, focus on thepositivegains,andkeepadvancing.

Notes

1.Davis,D.A.,Thomson,M.A.,Oxman,A.D.,andHaynes,R.B.(1995).“ChangingPhysicianPerformance:ASystematicReviewoftheEffectofContinuingMedicalEducationStrategies.”JAMA:TheJournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation,274(9),700–705.2.Edmondson,A.C.,Bohmer,R.M.,andPisano,G.P.(2001).“DisruptedRoutines:TeamLearningandNewTechnologyImplementationinHospitals.”AdministrativeScienceQuarterly,46,685–716.3.Edmondson,A.(1999).“PsychologicalSafetyandLearningBehaviorinWorkTeams.”AdministrativeScienceQuarterly,44,350–383.4.Kaiser,R.B.,Hogan,R.,andCraig,S.B.(2008).“LeadershipandtheFateofOrganizations.”AmericanPsychologist,63(2),96–110.5.Schein,E.H.(1990).“OrganizationalCulture.”AmericanPsychologist,45(2),109–119.6.Schein,E.H.(1992).OrganizationalCultureandLeadership(2nded.).San

Francisco:Jossey-Bass.

4

StageIV:EmbracingAdversity

Bynowyou’renearlyhalfwaythroughalongandmostlikelyarduouseffort,butthebigwinsarestartingtocome.StageIVrepresentsaswinginattentionawayfromdailybehaviorsandontotheobstaclesthatlieinfrontofyou.InstageIV,challenges are not only accepted but also embraced as ameans to show yourstuff. Setbacks and obstacles should be welcomed because you’re excited toprovethatyou’rebetterthanyouoncewere.Thesechallengesareameanstotestyourmettle,buildresilience,andgetevenstronger.Thisisanexhilaratingstage,whereconfidenceisbeginningtobeamandtheproofthatchangeisoccurringisintheteam’seffortstoacceptandovercomenewchallenges.Almostallteamswillmomentarilybattlethetemptationtoreverttotheolder

and oftentimes easier ways of mediocrity. It’s easier not to care, try, or risklosing. When you’re determined to move forward, however, challenges areopportunitiestotestyourself—guidepostsforcontinualgrowth.Asyouadvancethrough stage IV, your ability to interpret challenges as opportunities, whilepersistingresilientlythroughobstacles,willbeimperative.Twoorganizationsnotablefortheirgraceandeffortsinworkingthroughstage

IVareDomino’sPizzaandtheLosAngelesAngelsofAnaheim,aMajorLeagueBaseball (MLB) team. Both organizations accepted and welcomed thechallenges that typify stage IV, but for different reasons. Domino’s and itsexecutiveteamsawtheobstacleofpoorcustomersatisfactionasanopportunity.Thecompanyembracedchallengesasameanstofurtherredefineitselfasitsetout to establish new standards for success. In a similar spirit, Bill Stoneman,formergeneralmanageroftheAngels,sawopportunitiesinthefranchisewhereothers saw setbacks. He used those opportunities to develop a degree ofresilience in theclub thateventually led the team toaWorldSerieswin.Bothorganizations exemplified the essence of stage IV through their confidentwillingnesstotakeonadversityintheireffortstoimprove.

TURNCHALLENGESINTOGROWTHOPPORTUNITIES

Leadersandorganizationsthatperceiveobstaclesandchangeasanopportunitycontinue to advance by becoming stronger. In contrast, organizations that seesimilar situations as threats become overly focused on preservation.1, 2 Oneturtlesup, shielding itself from the threat of change,whereas theotherpushesforward, eager to embrace the new. Oddly, these distinctions are simplyperceptual.They represent thoughts that canactuallybecontrolled, andat thisstageoftheturnaroundprocess,organizationsarecapableofperceivingthemorepositiveoption.Domino’s is anorganization thathasmade themostof the challenges it has

had to face,choosing toperceivecrisesaspaths tonewsuccess.According toYvonChouinard,cultbusinessheroandfounderandownerofPatagonia,“Whenthereisnocrisis,thewiseleaderorCEOwillinventone.Notbycryingwolfbutby challenging the employees with change.”3 This sentiment may seemdisruptiveandcounterintuitive,butforDomino’scommunicationsvicepresidentTimMcIntyreandhiscolleaguesontheexecutiveteam,ithasprovedamazinglysuccessful.The National Restaurant Association, the industry’s leading association and

advocate, releases a monthly restaurant performance index (RPI). The RPI isindicative of the health of the industry, and itmeasures the industry against asteady-statenumberof100.IftheRPIforaparticularmonthis100,thenthereisneithergrowthnorcontractionintheindustry.Anynumberabove100indicatespositivegrowth,andanynumberbelow100indicatescontraction.In2008, therestaurant industry was hurting, and not in a small way. In December of thatyear, the RPI came in at 96.4, indicating not only a record low but also theindustry’s fourteenth straight month of contraction. Similarly, the CurrentSituationIndex,ameasure thatexamines trends in the industryon thebasisoffourkeyindicators,wasthenat95.7,alsothelowestlevelever.4ForDomino’s,thismeasureindicateda4.9percentcontractioninU.S.in-storesales.5

As if the larger problems experienced by the restaurant industry weren’tenough, Domino’s executives were also noticing issues more specific to thecompany’splaceinthemarket.McIntyre,whohasbeenwithDomino’sformore

than twenty-five years, explains, “For forty-eight years we were essentiallyknown for promoting delivery. We were known for convenience and value.”Domino’shadbuiltanempireonthepromiseofdeliveringpizzawheneverandwhereveryouneededone,anditkeptitselfonthetopofthemarketforalongtimebydoing just that.At first,Domino’sdeliveredwhennoone elsewould,and then, when more restaurants offered delivery, Domino’s answered with athirty-minuteguarantee.Overtimethemarketplacechanged,andtheuniquenessof delivery started to slide. Domino’s had put all its eggs in one basket—theservice side of its business. But, as Russell Weiner, chief marketing officer,explains,“Chinesefoodstartedtodeliver,andforgetaboutfood.Amazoncameto life, and Netflix gives you movies that are delivered immediately. So,suddenly,ifallyouwanttohangyourhatonisdelivery,you’vegottoreallyupyour game.” For Weiner and the Domino’s team, delivery was no longer anoveltythatcouldsupportthebusiness.At the end of 2008, Domino’s could have simply shrugged and blamed its

slidingsalesonthelargereconomyandtheGreatRecessionthathadimpactedeverymajorplayerintheindustry.Butwiththesedevastatingrealitiescrashingdownon thecompany, theexecutive teamchose todo theopposite.Theysawthe current hardships as an opportunity to force change, to reinvigorate theorganization, and to generate positive momentum. They advanced a crisis byquestioning their core product—their pizza. In its fifty years, Domino’s hadnever touched itspizza recipe,butwith the focusondeliveryno longernovel,and with the larger restaurant business suffering, they didn’t see any otherchoice.Domino’s pizza was the logical target for improvement for two obvious

reasons—it was the company’s central product, and consumers didn’t like it.PatrickDoyle,Domino’sCEO,isrecognizedforbeingtransparent,up-front,andhonestwithhiscustomers,colleagues,andpartners.Hedoesn’tshyawayfromthetruth,andhesaysthat2008“wasprettylousyforus.Ouroldpizzadidbetterwhenourbrandwasnotassociatedwithit.WhenweputitinaDomino’sPizzabox,[consumers]thoughtlessofthequalityofthepizza.That’saprettydarnbigproblem.Wehadnegativebrandequityaroundpizzaquality.”Asdifficultasitwas to accept, the Domino’s Pizza brand had become synonymouswith poorquality.Thecompanyimagehadbecomesotarnishedthatpeopleweremoreapttoliketheproductiftheydidn’tknowitwasfromDomino’s.Domino’susedthedownturnintheeconomyandcompetitioninthedelivery

space to ask, “Who can we be?” In order to help answer that question, the

company actually embraced the negative feedback from customers in what isnowconsideredrevolutionaryterms.First,in2008,Domino’sinternallysetouttobuildanewpizza,onethatwouldstanduptocompetitorsinablindtastetest.AsMcIntyrerecalls,“Theytrieddozensofdoughs,dozensofsauces,dozensofcheeses,totrytofindtheonesthatpeopleliked.Thattooktwoyears,andallofthis was internally hush-hush and very top secret.” The company dedicateditself, inobsessive fashion, to thedevelopmentofanewrecipe.The teamwasdeterminedtodeliveragoodpizza.As Domino’s secretly worked to change its pizza recipe, the company also

launchedalineofsandwiches.Thesandwichesweresoldtofranchiseswiththepromise of wooing lunchtime buyers while also diversifying the company’sproduct line. In a sense, the sandwiches bought some time, pushing sales andtrafficupwhileboostingthecompany’scredibilitywithfranchiseowners.Bytheend of 2009, Domino’s was the only national chain with positive same-storesales,whichcomparesalesinagivenmonthtosalesduringthesamemonthofthepreviousyear.While franchise owners were buying into the organization’s new direction,

Domino’satthecorporatelevelwasfocusedonthepizzarollout.Buildinguptothelaunchofthenewproduct,Domino’spubliclyproclaimedthatthecompanyagreedwith consumers thatDomino’s pizzawas inferior. This decisionwas aradicalstep,onanumberoflevels.Inthefirstplace,invokingthedownsideofthe product and actually going on record to say that the pizza wasn’t goodenoughprovedtobeamarketingfirst.Whatwaslessobviousisthatbyopenlyadmitting that the company wasn’t happy with the current recipe, Domino’savoided any temptation to back out or make a quick escape. The brass atDomino’sclarifiesthistacticbysayingthatitwaslikedestroyingescaperoutesinamilitarybattle.AsDoyle,McIntyre,andWeinerallexplain,theycreatedadynamicwherebytheycouldn’tretreatandsurrenderwasn’tanoption.It seems brash and maybe shortsighted, but this self-imposed effort to

eliminateallescapemotivatedtheteamtopushthatmuchharder.InDecember2009,Domino’s airedDomino’sPizzaTurnaround onYouTube, launching thenew pizza while reflecting on and sympathizing with the ardently criticalcommentsabouttheoldpizza.Thevideowashonestandopen,anditexplainedwhyDomino’shadmadethechangeandwherethecompanywasplanningtogo.It also launched a renewed corporate image, one that the organization and itscustomershavewildlyembraced.Oncethenewpizzawenttomarket,Domino’sranthenumbersandorganized

focusgroups,andthecompanywatcheditsearningsriseasthepositivefeedbackpouredin.AsFigure4.1shows,inthefirstquarterof2010(thefirstquarterformeasurementssincethenewpizzahitthestreets),same-storesaleswereup14.3percent,an increase thatwaspossibly the largest same-storesales jump inanyquick-service restaurant chain in a decade. The uptick was proof that thecompany’seffortswerepayingdividends,andtheleadershipatDomino’sdidn’tlookback.Domino’ssaleswereup10percentin2010,andWeiner,talkingabouttheresults,says,“Forourindustry,letaloneourbrand,up10percentiskindofunheard of.” Domino’s was obviously pleased with the numbers, but, moreimportant,thecompany’seffortstoacceptsetbacksandembracechallengeshadforcedtremendousgrowth.

Figure4.1.Same-StoreQuarterlySales,Domino’sPizza

Domino’sdealtwiththechallengeopenlyandhonestlyandreceivedhighmarksfromthepublic,butthiswasn’tthechain’sfirstrodeo.InApril2009,whiletheorganizationwas in themidstofsecretlydeveloping thenewpizzarecipe, twofranchise employees in a small North Carolina town had filmed themselvescontaminatingsandwichesandthenpostedthecliptoYouTube.Thevideohadquicklygainedsteam,andnewsstoriesbeganpoppingupallover theInternet.Patrick Doyle cut his vacation short and flew back to the company’sheadquarters inAnnArbor,Michigan, to address the issuewith his executiveteam.Theclipwaspulled,Domino’sassuredcustomersthatthefoodpicturedinthevideohadneverbeendelivered tocustomers,and the twoemployeeswerefiredandcriminallycharged.The incidentwasdealtwith, but thatwasn’t enough.The companywas still

obligedtocontendwiththepublicrelationsfallout.Inarevolutionarymarketingmove, Domino’s seized on the Wild West landscape of social media andimmediately took action.Doyle andMcIntyre jotted down key talking points,grabbed a video camera, andheadeddown to the lobby to filmamessage fortheircustomers.Doylesatonastoolandspokecandidlyandpassionatelytothecamera.Heintendedtoassurecustomersthatalthoughanunsavoryincidenthadoccurred, it hadbeendealtwith.AsMcIntyre remembers, “We justwanted to

say,‘Wefoundit,it’sahoax,andthanksforstickingwithus.’”TheirvideowaspostedonYouTubeinsuchawaythatitcouldberetrievedwiththesamesearchtermsasthoseusedfortheoriginalstuntvideo.WhathadstartedasaPRnightmarebecameanationalstoryaboutDomino’s

clever use of social media and about the company’s notable commitment tohonesty, customer satisfaction, and humility. According to McIntyre, “By thetimeUSAToday,theNewYorkTimes,CNN,andABCgotwindofthestory,itwas no longer about two people tainting food at Domino’s, which is what itcouldhavebeen.Thestorywas,‘Howdocompaniesprotect themselvesin theYouTubeera?’”Byhandlingtheissuequicklyandcleverly,thecompanyturnedapotentiallydevastatingstory intoapositive taleaboutDomino’scutting-edgeefforts.ForDomino’s, embracing challenges has become a defining shift.That shift

hasprovedtobeawelcomechangeamongconsumers,andit’salsosettingabarforhowcompanieswilldealwithdifficultiesinthefuture.AsDomino’sturneditself around, the company used its own vulnerability to become stronger. AsMcIntyreaffirms,byembracingtherealizationthatthepizzahadtochange,theexecutives “also realized we were setting a standard here for honesty andtransparency.”Theirapproachisbothrefreshingandinspiringbecauseitspeakstotheopportunitythatallchallengescanpresent.This renewed focus has putDomino’s in a positionwhere the company can

question its processes andmake changes fluidly.More recently,Domino’s hasgoneso faras tomoveonan internaldecision tono longeruseheavily styledfoodphotographyordressup itsadswithunrealistic imagesof thecompany’sproducts.Asthecompanyconfrontedtheethicalconcernsithadaboutdoctoredphotosoffood,Domino’seveninvitedcustomerstosendinphotosofDomino’spizzas,whetherthosepizzasweregoodorbad.Theeffortwascoinedthe“ShowUsYourPizza” campaign, and it hasproved tobeyet anothergame-changingpublic relations andmarketingmove.The vastmajority of submissions are ofgoodpizzas,butwhenphotosofbadonescomein,thecompanyaddressesthem.Doyle says, “We showed a pizza thatwas stuck to thebox andwas amess. Iwentontelevisionandapologizedforit,andconsumerslovedit.Theylovedthefactthatweweresayingthatsometimesitdoesn’tlookthewayitshould.Wedomessup,andweapologizeforthat,andifwedo,letusknowandwe’llfixit.”For Domino’s, mistakes are now opportunities to communicate openly withcustomers and the public. While Domino’s obviously works to minimizemistakes,whenmistakesinevitablyhappen,they’rewelcomedanddealtwith.

By creating challenges and embracing unanticipated setbacks,Domino’s hasadoptedawayofperceivingproblemsthathasledtothecontinualrefinementofthe company’s product, processes, and messaging. The Domino’s team isconfident, believing that it is capable of triumphingoverwhatever issuesmaycrop up. Itwelcomes challenges, even creating some from time to time in aneffort to help the company grow stronger. By seeing the opportunities inimpedimentsandproblems,Domino’susesitstrialsandtribulationsasameansto advance. Setbacks and obstacles are nothingmore than tools that push theorganizationtobecomebetter.Theyareseenasnecessaryforgrowth,andasthenaturalpangsofdevelopment.WhereDomino’sisheadedisanyone’sguess,butthecompany’srevolutionarymarketingandmanagementtacticsareinthebooksandarethedirectresultofembracingchallengesasopportunities.

BUILDRESILIENCEChallengesareopportunitiesforthoseskilledinidentifyingandcapitalizingonthem. When properly taken advantage of, these moments can grow anorganizationandmake it stronger. Inaddition to lookingatchallengeswithanopen and eager mind, those who are resilient to the debilitating potential ofupheaval and impediments are likely to advance. Seeing challenges asopportunities is an important component of stage IV, but equally important toeffectively turning your team around is the ability to take difficulties in strideand bounce back from things that are damaging. Resilience is essential.Fortunately,itcanbedevelopedandenhanced.Resilience is best described as a mix of emotional skills. It is found at the

intersectionofavarietyofabilitiesandattitudes—beingoptimistic,beingself-confident, being socially connected, being flexible—that guide an individualthrough adversity and stressful situations.6 Bill Stoneman, former generalmanager(GM)oftheLosAngelesAngelsofAnaheim,isaposterboyforthesequalitiesanddrewonhisresilientattitudetoturnhisteamaround.Stonemansawopportunity in theAngels thatmanyhadoverlooked.He saw

hope for success where others had seen the futility of a franchise in anunsupportivemarket.Inspiteofwhatothersthought,StonemanwasundauntedbythechallengesthatcamewithturningaweakfranchiseintoanMLBpower,andheneverwaveredinhisoptimismthattheAngelscouldbeacontender.ButbeforetheAngelscouldsoar,Stonemanhadtofindawaytoteachhisnewball

club about the power of resilience, and aboutwhy it was a key ingredient ofsuccess.Today—ina time thatwillprovehistoric forMajorLeagueBaseball,but for

all thewrong reasons—Stoneman seems like a character from the glory days.HistorywilllookbackonMajorLeagueBaseballattheturnofthemostrecentcenturyforitssteroidscandalsandbig-moneydominance,butStonemanfoundsuccesswithprinciplesthatharkbacktoprobaseball’sinitialturnofthecentury.InanodtothebygoneyearsofConnieMackandEdwardG.Barrow,Stonemanploddedathisownpace,builtasuccessfulfranchiseonafoundationofpeopleof good character who weren’t afraid to work for success, and did it with aruggedsenseofresilience,stayingpositivewhilemovingforwardonedecisionatatime.StonemanwasborninChicagoin1944toamotherwhowasalongtimeCubs

fan and a father who was a fervent fan of education. As a pitcher for theUniversity of Idaho’s baseball team, the younger Stoneman had the NCAA’slowestearned-runaveragefor1966.HewentontogetagraduatedegreeattheUniversityofOklahomaandthenhadamodestprocareer.Inthelate1960sandearly 1970s, he played for three pro clubs over the course of eight seasons,pitchingtwono-hittersduringhistenureasanotablyhardworkingslinger.Butat5 feet, 10 inches, and at 170 pounds, he was undersized as a pitcher andeventuallyhungupthespikeswhenheshreddedhisshoulderhurlingheat.Afterhistimeinthepros,hespentanumberofyearsawayfromthegame,workingata Canadian financial company, but he was inevitably wooed back when theMontreal Expos offered him an opportunity in their front office. StonemanworkedintheExpos’frontofficeforsixteenyearsandthenlandedtheGMgigwith theAngels and never looked back.He jumped inwith both feet, and in1999hebeganoneofthequieteryetmorememorableGMcareersofthemoderngame.Although Stoneman had been hired in 1999, it wasn’t until 2002 that his

dreams came true. As a point of reference, in the ten years leading up toStoneman’sarrival,theAngelshadcompileda738-817win-lossrecord,winningonly47.5percentof theirgamesover thecourseofadecade. In2002and thefour subsequent years, the squad finished with a 452-358 record—a 55.8winning percentage. In that somewhat magical turnaround year of 2002, theAngelswontheAmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries(ALCS),theAmericanLeagueDivisionalSeries(ALDS),andtheWorldSeries.Stonemanclearlyhadturned the franchise around, but what’s noteworthy is how he did it, and the

attitudehediditwith.Optimism and positivity are key ingredients of resilience. Positive thinking

allows an individual to perceive a situation as a challenge rather than aproblem.7WhenStonemanfirststepped intohis roleasGM,hewalked intoaculture that focusedonproblemsandacceptedmediocrity.“Theyaccepted thattheywereamidmarketclub,”hesays,“andyouheardthatalot.Thebarwassetlow.” More than anything, for Stoneman the acceptance of mediocrityrepresentedalossofhope,apervasivenegativitythatdidn’tmakesense.Afterall,LosAngeleswasacitywithmoney.Individualsandfamiliescouldaffordtocometogames,andtherewasamyriadoflocalcompaniesthatcouldaffordboxseatsandsponsorshippackages.Thechallenge,heexplains,wasthattheAngels“justhadn’tboughtintoit.”Inmoreclichédterms,Stonemansawasilverlininginwhatmostsawasadarkcloud,andhewentafterit.Stonemanbelieved that theclubcouldbeaconsistent titlecontender,andhe

wanted a field manager who shared not only his belief but also his resilientmind-setandwillingnesstostickwiththejobuntilitwasdone.HedecidedonMikeScioscia,whowas considered a risky selection at the time.Sciosciahadplayed in the majors for fifteen years, but he had minimal managerialexperience,havingguidedtheLosAngelesDodgers’AAA(minorleague)teamforonlyoneyear,withmediocreresults.SomemayhavescoffedatStoneman’sdecision, but he explains that hewanted “a guywith some energy,” onewhowould “command the respect of the players,” and that Scioscia had the“toughness” and “dedication” necessary for the job. For Stoneman, previousachievements arenot always that importantwhen compared to thepromise anindividualbringstothetable—hischaracter,hisgrit,hisfightingspirit.“What’saguy’sceiling?”heasks.“What’shegoingtobe?It’snotaboutwheresomeoneisrightnow.”StonemanandSciosciaputtogetheracrewofcoacheswhowerefullofenergyandcredibility—guystheyknewtobepassionate,dedicated,andknowledgeable.Theyhiredguystheywantedtoworkwith,but,moreimportant,theyhiredguystheybelievedwouldhanginthereduringthedifficulttransition,guyswhowouldcontinuetoinspireandguideateamofyoungplayersinspiteoftheinevitablestruggles.Theideaofdevelopingaresilientteamdidn’tstopwiththecoaches:“Wedid

havetochangethemind-setof theplayers thatwerehere.Wehadtoget themthinking positive.” In his efforts to build amore positive and dedicated team,Stoneman gave previously unproved players like Bengie Molina and Jared

Washburn the opportunity to show themselves. In these early stages, he waspatient and supportive, and that allowed these players to grow. Deciding todevelop the players he already had instead of trading for more demonstratedtalentmayseemminor,butitcommunicatedtheimplicitmessagetotheplayersthatthemanagementandthecoachingstaffbelievedinthemforwhotheywereandforwhattheycouldbecome.Resilienceisanemotionalconstruct,tightlytiedtohappinessandconfidence,

and Stoneman looked for ways to support his players. He took care ofdistractionsandconcernssotheycouldfocussolelyonbaseball.Hechangedtheclubhouse atmosphere, brightening up the lighting and making it a place offocus.Whathadoncefeltlikeadimlylitloungebecame“aplacewhereyoucanprepare to do something on the field, not a place where you go to relax.”Stoneman also explains that the brightly painted rocks beyond the left centerfield fence, part of theDisney-themed “California Spectacular” fan attraction,were toneddownso that theywouldn’tbedisruptive to left-handedhitters.NodetailwastoominorwhenitcametochangingtheoutlookoftheAngels.Evenchangingtheiruniformhadaprofoundimpact,accordingtoStoneman.Hegoessofarastosuggestthattheteam’svictoryinthe2002WorldSerieswasdirectlyrelatedtothenewuniform.Theolduniformhadusedperiwinkleblueandwasdesigned byDisney, then the team’s owner. The new uniformwaswhitewithbrightreddetailsandcaps,anditrepresentedasymbolicdeparturefromtheold,mediocreAngelsteam.Stoneman’s support for the team, his patiencewith players’ growth, and his

focus on developing a positive environment all helped to develop the team’sconfidence.Studiessuggestthatteamswithconfidenceputinmoreeffortoveralonger period of time than do teams that lack confidence.8 Similarly, whenyou’reself-confident,you’remorecomfortable takingtherisksassociatedwithovercomingchallenges.Individualswhohavereasontobelieveinwhatthey’redoingandinhowthey’redoingitaremorelikelytotakethechancesneededtoget to the other side of obstacles. Intuitively, the opposite is also true: if youdon’t believe in yourself, you’re less likely to take chances.9, 10 StonemandesperatelywantedtheAngelstobelieveinthemselvesbecausetheirconfidencewoulddictatetheirsuccess.As theAngels began to grow and slowly turn around,Stonemanneededhis

playerstobandtogetherandcontinuetostrivefortheirgoals.Maintainingeffortis important in any endeavor, but especially in themajors. TheMajorLeague

Baseballseasonisalong,drawn-outgrindthatcanextendfromthefirstweekofApriltotheendofOctober,andtherearemanyupsanddownsoverthecourseof162regular-seasongames.Resilienceisabouthandlingboththeupsandthedownswithgrit andconfidence,not allowingproblems toknockyouoffyourpath. As Stoneman and the Angels progressed, they seemed to take onchallengeswithmoreandmoregusto.Theywerebecomingtough,determined,andincrediblyself-assured.Inshort,theywerebecomingresilient.AsFigure4.2shows,Stoneman’seffortspaidoff.In2002,theAngelsfinished

theseasonwith99winsand63losses—4gamesbehindtheirAmericanLeague(AL)Westrival,theOaklandA’s.Theyqualifiedfortheplayoffsastheleague’swildcard,beat thepowerfulNewYorkYankees3gamesto1 in theAmericanLeagueDivisionSeries,andthenwentontobeattheMinnesotaTwins4gamesto1intheAmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries.

Figure4.2.Win-LossRecordsfortheLosAngelesAngels,1996–2010

AlthoughtheyhadcoastedthroughtheALDSandtheALCSwithrelativeease,theirWorldSeriesbattleagainsttheSanFranciscoGiantswouldprovetobeanepic test of their newfound resilience.Down3 games to 2, and in a do-or-diesituation,theAngelsfoundthemselvesfiverunsbehindlateingame6.Theyhadtheirbacksagainstthewall,andyettheyseemedcomfortable.Ratherthanpackitinandgohome,happythattheyhadoverachievedduringaremarkableseason,theyrattledoffthreequickrunsinthebottomoftheseventhinningandanotherthreerunsintheeighth,andthatputthemaheadforgood.Truetotheirscrappynature,theAngelswentontowingame7andcelebratetheirfirstWorldSerieschampionship.The 2002 seasonwasn’t simply a one-year blip on the organization’s radar.

From2003 to 2011, theAngelswere one of themost successful teams in theAmericanLeague,finishingfirstintheALWestwhileadvancingtotheplayoffsfive times. TheAngels serve as a picture of resilience. Theywere a group ofunderrated but determined players who never backed down from a challenge,

nevergavein,andalwaysbelievedtheycouldachieveinspiteoftheobstacles.For the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the seeds of resilience may have

beensownearly in the turnaroundprocess,but theAngels seemed toembracetheconceptlater intheirdevelopment.Stonemanmayhaveledthewaywithanaturallyresilientdisposition,butby2002theteamhadstartedtowhollybuyin.Stonemandidnotletthepoortrackrecordofthefranchisedeterhimfromtakingchancesonunprovedbutpromisingyoungguns, turning the teamaround, andultimatelytakingtheAngels toaWorldSerieswin.Andtheplayers,giventheright leadership,were able tobecomepassionate about playingbaseball to thebest of their ability even though they needed to overcome a decade of losses.TheAngelshadasadhistoryandahostofreasonstolosehopeandbackdown,but ultimately they developed an unshakable belief in themselves, and thatprovedtobeallthatmattered.

THEPLAYBOOKFOREMBRACINGADVERSITY

In spite of the pitfalls that will inevitably appear, stage IV is about seeingdifficultiesanddrawbacksasopportunities.Challengesaremomentsofgrowth—timesforyoutorefineyourself,makeyourselfbetter,andbelievewithevenmoreconfidencethatyou’reontherightpath.Inthepast,yourteammayhavepanicked,givenup,orsplinteredwhenpresentedwithachallenge,butbystageIV your team will unite around these tests and embrace crises as a way tostrengthenandgrow.AswesawintheexampleofDomino’s,embracingchallengesasopportunities

isawaytogetbetter,learnmoreaboutyourself,andincreaseyourfocusonwhatismostimportanttoyouandyourorganization.It’samatterofperception,butteammemberswhoseehardshipasanecessarymeanstoprovethemselveswillinevitably move forward, whereas those who shy away from setbacks andobstacles will ultimately fall behind. In successfully working throughdifficulties, your team will further define itself, making itself stronger andultimatelymoreeffective.As your team continues to grow, an increased focus on resilience will also

guide you forward, just as the LosAngelesAngels’ focus on resiliencemadethemunwillingtobackdown,givein,orlose.AstheygrewandevolvedthroughBillStoneman’sguidance,theyfoundthattheirindividualconfidence,beliefineachother,focus,anddeterminationtowinalsogrew.Takingonchallengeswithconfidenceisthemarkofaresilientandsuccessfulgroup,andfewhavedoneitbetterthanStonemanandtheAngels.TheresilienceandthewillingnesstotakeonadversitythatcomewithstageIV

willprepareyour teamfor theeven largerchallengespresented in stageV.Byacceptingstruggle,youwillpushyourteamtogetbetterwhileenhancingteammembers’confidence.Everyfightwillbuildteammembers’strengthandpreparethemtotakeonmuchlargerobstacles.

Notes

1.Jackson,S.E.,andDutton,J.E.(1988).“DiscerningThreatsand

Opportunities.”AdministrativeScienceQuarterly,33,370–387.2.Kovoor-Misra,S.(2009).“UnderstandingPerceivedOrganizationalIdentityDuringCrisisandChange:AThreat/OpportunityFramework.”JournalofOrganizationalChangeManagement,22(5),494–510.3.Chouinard,Y.(2005).LetMyPeopleGoSurfing:TheEducationofaReluctantBusinessman.NewYork:Penguin,185–186.4.Hensley,S.,andStensson,A.(2009).“TheRestaurantIndustryOutlookSoftensastheRestaurantPerformanceIndexFelltoaRecordLowInDecember.”Newsrelease,NationalRestaurantAssociation.Availableathttp://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pressrelease/?ID=1734(retrievedJanuary26,2012).5.Domino’sPizza,Inc.Domino’sPizza2008AnnualReport.Availableathttp://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/13/135383/DPZ2008Annual_Fullversion.pdf(retrievedJanuary26,2012).6.Reivich,K.,andShatte,A.(2002).TheResilienceFactor:7EssentialSkillsforOvercomingLife’sInevitableObstacles.NewYork:RandomHouse.7.Schneider,S.L.(2001).“InSearchofRealisticOptimism.”AmericanPsychologist,56(3),250–263.8.Greenlees,I.A.,Graydon,J.K.,andMaynard,I.W.(1999).“TheImpactofCollectiveEfficacyBeliefsonEffortandPersistenceinaGroupTask.”JournalofSportSciences,17,151–158.9.Krueger,N.E.,andDickson,P.R.(1993).“PerceivedSelf-EfficacyandPerceptionsofOpportunityandThreat.”PsychologicalReports,72,1235–1240.10.Krueger,N.E.,andDickson,P.R.(1994).“HowBelievinginOurselvesIncreasesRiskTaking:PerceivedSelf-EfficacyandOpportunityRecognition.”DecisionSciences,25(3),385–400.

5

StageV:AchievingSuccess

In stageV youwill finally achieve success as an organization. You and yourteam have overcome obstacles and achieved the goals and vision you set foryourselvesand, finally,allyoureffortswillpayoffasyoubecomeanup-and-coming industry leader, a conference or national champion, a recognizedtrailblazer, a great competitor. There is no denying that stage V is a stage ofprofoundanddeservedpride.Youshouldbeecstatic,emotional,filledwiththejoyofsuccess.You’vereachedthesummitandachievedwhatyousetouttodo.Thisisastagethatwillberememberedasoneofthegreatestmomentsofyourlife. The confidence you gainwill staywith you forever and define how youattackchallengesinthefuture.You’veturnedtheorganizationaround,andyouhavetangibleproofthatyourmethodsandeffortshaveworked.StageV is indisputably amoment of victory, but it is also a time formuch

deepercontemplation—a time toembraceyournewfoundachievementsand toconsider how personal your successes have been. This is a timewhen you’reforcedtoreflectontheoverwhelmingjoythatcomeswithprovingyourself,andon the reality of having to continue moving forward. Life doesn’t stop, andsuccessisultimatelynotdefinedbyasingleachievement.Yes,you’vetriumphedinspiteoftheodds,you’veworkedtirelesslyasateam,andyou’vecommittedtoeach other and the larger vision. But although these accomplishments areimportant and meaningful, as the celebration ends you will inevitably ask,“What’snext?”When the thrillofwinningsubsides,youwillstartquestioningwhereyouare,wonderingwhat exactlyhappened, and trying to findaway tocontinue.ThroughstageV,youwilladapt.Asyouquestionthedirectionyou’removing

inandworktodeterminewhereyou’regoingtogo,anewvisionmayultimatelyemerge, alongwith new goals andmaybe even new values. But for now, thefocusisondefiningwhoyouareandadaptingtowhereyouwanttogo.BothTuftsUniversity’smen’slacrosseteamandiContact,ane-mailmarketing

softwarefirm,haveadvancedthroughstageVinsignificantfashion.Guidedby

driven, compassionate, and contemplative leaders, Tufts lacrosse and iContacthave succeeded inmultiple ways, but they continue to advance by creating adistinctdefinitionofsuccessoradaptinginanefforttobesomethingmore.Tuftslacrosse went from being one of the worst lacrosse teams in the NCAA’sDivisionIIItobeinganNCAAchampion,and,alongtheway,headcoachMikeDalyworkedwithhisteamtodeterminewhatsuccesswas,beyondthewinsandtrophies.Similarly,iContacthashadtremendoussuccessinleadingasomewhatnontraditional turnaround.Atonepoint, thecorporatefocuswasmainlyonthebottom line, but over time the company has turned its focus around, placingmoreattentiononitsenvironmentalandsocialimpact,andisnowconsideredaleaderamongsustainablecompanies.Thecompany’sCEO,RyanAllis,workedcloselywithhis team to continually adapt to challenges, feedback, and trends.Bothteamshaveachievedagreatdealthroughouttheirturnaroundjourneys,butalongthewaythey’vecontinuallyredefinedsuccessandadaptedtoachieveit.

DEFINESUCCESSThe prospect of success stirs us. FromWoodyAllen’s nonchalant perspectivethat“80percentofsuccessisshowingup”toWinstonChurchill’smoresloggingsentimentthat“Successconsistsofgoingfromfailuretofailurewithoutlossofenthusiasm,”wefind inspiration in thehope thatwecansucceed.Weread thequotes on the boardroom walls and invite the words of rallying speeches tolinger long after they’re said. But what is success? How do we know we’vesucceeded,andhowdowekeepsuccessgoing?TheactressCarrieFisher,ofPrincessLeiafame,islessquotedthanAllenor

Churchillbuthasalsoofferedatakeonsuccess:“Thereisnopointatwhichyoucan say, ‘Well, I’m successful now. Imight aswell take a nap.’ ” Formany,successisframedasafleetingmoment—theliftingofanationalchampionshiptrophy, the securing of amultimillion-dollar deal, the “I do” ofmarriage, thefinalpushoflaborandthefirstcryofthebaby.Wethinkoflife,ourefforts,ouraspirations,assomething likeamovie,as ifwework toward theonebiggoal,give everything we have to a single crowning achievement, and when it’scomplete,thecreditsroll.Webecomesofixatedontheefforttoachievethatwesometimes lose sight of what we’re doing and how it relates to the biggerpicture.We sometimes forget that there aren’t any credits, and that there’s nostoptotheactionafterweholdupthetrophy.Lifekeepsrollingevenafterour

bigwins.TheTufts Jumbos (asTuftsUniversity’smen’s lacrosse team is called, after

Jumbotheelephant,thebelovedmascotofalltheuniversity’ssportsteams)wereonce a doormat in the world of lacrosse. Since the late 1990s, however, theJumboshaveundergoneabreathtakingtransformationthathasrequiredtheteamto continually redefine success in an effort to maintain its growth. Under theleadershipofMikeDaly,theheadcoach,theTuftsmen’slacrosseteamhasgonefrombeinganNCAAlaughingstocktobeingoneofthemostdominantteamsinDivision III. Along the way, Daly and his teams have established a brilliantdefinition of success that seems both comprehensive and profoundlytranscendentofsports.Throughouttheirtransformation,theyhavedevelopedanunderstandingofsuccessassomethingtocontinuallystriveforinallaspectsoflife,anidealthattheypushtowardeveryyear,everypractice,everyday.In thewinter of 1998,when hewas twenty-six years old, Daly became the

unlikelyheadcoachof themen’s lacrosse team.Hehadneverplayed lacrosse,andhisexperienceasacoachwaslimitedtoaone-seasonstintassomethingofavolunteer/graduateassistant.HehadplayedfootballandbaseballatTuftsasanundergraduate,andupongraduationhehadrolledimmediatelyintobecomingagraduate assistant in the athletic department.He pursued amaster’s degree ineducation,assistedthefootballteam,workedintheequipmentroom,andmadeitclear thathewasn’tplanningonleavingtheschool, forwhichhefeltadeeppassion.Whenhewashiredas the lacrossecoach, itwasas if theadministrationhad

decidedtogiveabreaktothededicatedkidwhohadspentmanyanightsleepingin the athletic department’s offices. It was a kind gesture, but it couldn’tobjectivelybearguedthathiringaguywhohadneverplayed lacrossewas thebeststepforanailingprogram.Hiringacoachwithbasicallyzeroexperienceinthesportwasn’tarecipeforepicsuccess,and,toaddtothechallenge,Tuftswasfieldingoneofthemostanemiclacrosseprogramsinthenation,andbyfartheworstteaminitsconference.Tobefair,theJumboswereplaying(andcontinuetoplay)inwhatisarguablythestrongestDivisionIIIconferenceintheUnitedStates by competing in the New England Small College Athletic Conference(NESCAC), but they were seemingly incapable of winning. The year beforeDalytookthereins,theteamhadwononly2gamesoutof14.Theyearbeforethat, they hadmanaged only a singlewin.AsDaly recalls, “We hadn’t had aleaguewininoverfiveyears,andsotherewerealotofthosekindsofstatsthatare, thankfully, a distant memory.” The suffering of the Jumbos can’t be

overstated, and with the hiring of a dedicated guy who had no experience, itappearedthatthesufferingwouldcontinue.WhenDaly started as lacrosse coach, he had to deal with the obvious. The

playersknewhelackedexperience,andtheyquestionedthehire,butDalysawthisasanopportunity.Whathelackedinexperience,theylackedinskill,andsothegauntletwasthrowndown.Throwingandcatchingarefundamentalskillsofthegame,but theplayerscouldn’t throwandcatchwithanyconsistency.Theydidn’tpracticehard,andtheydidn’tworkoutwithanyregularity.Infact,insteadof working out, players had taken to calling the desk attendant in the weightroomandhavinghiminitialtheirsign-insheets(ascamtogetcreditforliftingeven when they hadn’t). They put little emphasis on their lacrosse careers,preferring to focus on their studies, clubs, social life, and just about anythingelse.Lacrossewasanafterthought,anditshowed.Toputitsuccinctly,theteamwasn’tinapositiontocaststones,andsoDaly

boughttime,usingthebargainingchipstheplayersgavehim.Herecallsthatinthoseinitialyearstherewasanauraof“don’tcomeaftermeuntilyourshopisclean.”Heaskedguystooutworkhim,togettheirskillstoaplacewheretheycould justify criticizing him. He used his inexperience to drive them bychallengingthemtoworkashardashedidandimproveathisrate.Dalypushedtheplayerstotakeresponsibilityforthemselveswhilehegobbledupeverythinghe could about lacrosse bymeetingwithDivision I coaches, attending camps,breakingdownhistoricgames,andhittingconferencesandprofessionallectures.Asidefromtheirlackofeffortandworkethic,Dalywasmostsurprisedbythe

players’lackofpassionforthegametheydevotedsomuchoftheirtimeto.Assomeonewhohadhadanamazingexperienceplaying sports,Daly remembersthisabsenceofpassionasthethingthatpainedhimmost.“Therejustwasn’talotofloveoflacrosse,”hesays.“Thereweren’tguyswhowerelacrossejunkies.Someplayedforalotofreasons,butnoneofthemreallyincludedthattrueloveofthegame.Itwasn’tthebesttwohoursoftheirday.Inmostcases,itwassomeoftheworsttwohoursoftheirday.”Andso,inadditiontopushingtheplayerstoworkhard,developtheirskills,andlearnmoreaboutthegame,Dalyalsotriedtoinstilltheloveandpassionthatwoulddriveguystogooutandbetheirbest.HestackedcopiesofInsideLacrosse inhisoffice,encouragedguys tocome

byandwatchgamefilm,kepthisdooropen,orderedextragearlikeglovesandbagsandshirtsandshorts,andstartedgivingtheplayersreasonstofallinlovewithwhattheyweredoing.Itdidn’ttakelongbeforethefirewasburning.Inhisfirstyear,theteamwentoutandnabbeditsfirstleaguewininyearsbybeating

Trinity College. It was as if they had done the impossible. Little ol’ Tufts,coachedbyaguywhobarelyknewthesport,wentoutandwonagameinthetoughestconferenceinthenation.Byeverymeasure,theplayershadsucceeded.Theyhadmademassivestridesinanincrediblyshortamountoftime,andtheyhadeveryreasontobeecstaticabouttheirprogress.Theythrewtheirequipmentand cheered, and they ran onto the field as the game clock ran down. Theycelebrated as if they hadwon a championship. They hadmade amonumentalstrideforward,andbyallaccountstheyhadsucceededwildly,buttheywouldn’tstopthere.Asingleleaguewin,eventhefirstinyears,isfarfromaleaguechampionship

or even awinning record, but itwas a start.More important, thewinwas theresultofthemanysmallseedsthatDalywasconstantlysowing—thehardwork,thepassion, themagazines,and thegear.Nowthat theseedswere taking root,Dalyandhisteamwereeagertoseethemgrow.Asyoucanimagine,Dalyandthe Tufts Jumbos didn’t pack up after beating Trinity in 1999. They didn’tcapture themomentwith amarble statue or even commission a sketch of thefatefulwin.Instead,theybuiltonit.Theycelebratedthehard-foughtvictorybutthenwentback toworkwitha renewed focusandnewunderstandingofwhattheycouldaccomplish.Success is oftentimeswrongly associatedwith external gains, such as social

standing,ahighprofile,aninfluentialjobtitle,atrophythatprovesoneteamisbetterthanitsopponent,oracarthatsymbolizeswealth.Butsuccessisactuallysomethingmuchmore personal, reflecting an internal commitment to specificvalues, characteristics, and beliefs.1 Success comes from helping others, frombeing the best you can be through fair and considerate participation, from acommitment to honesty and integrity, and fromgiving everythingyouhave toachievingaspecificgoal.Inthissense,successvariesfrompersontoperson,andalthoughmore externalmeasures of success do exist, they becomemuch lessimportanttotheindividualstrivingtoattainapersonalideal.As theTuftsJumboscontinued tomoveforward, theybegan to thinkfurther

aboutwhat successmeant to them. They talked about it as a team and beganbelieving that success really wasn’t about single wins andmight not even beabout trophies and individual honors. “We talked about the mundanity ofexcellence,”Dalyexplains.“WealwaysthinkofOlympicgoldmedalwinnersastheseGreekgods,wheninfactthey’rejustnormaluglypeople,justlikeus,whowork really, really hard and,more importantly,work really, really hard on the

really,reallylittlethings.”AndsotheJumbossetouttobejustthat—ateamofnormaluglypeoplewhoworkreally,reallyhardonthelittlethings.Intime,themembersofthelacrosseteambegantoviewsuccessasthepridethatcomeswithworkingobsessivelyon thedetails,withbeing thebest theycouldbe ineverywaypossible.Theyplacedauniquefocusonpreparationandbecamethefittestteamatthe

school.Theypushedeachother toget better and slowly improved their skills.Promisingplayersbecameattractedtothenewethic.Newrecruitsmeantmoretalent,more competition, andmore intenseworkouts. The teamwas growing,improving, and advancing, and Daly was pushing along the way. There werenew helmets, team-issued workout shirts, and top-of-the-line equipment—thesmallrewardsforthepriceofcommitment.Astheminutesandhours,daysandyearsofeffort tickedby, theTufts Jumbosgrew intoa top-flightprogram,buttherewasmoretoit.Sure,theystartedtowin,butthatwasn’ttheironlymeasureoftriumph.Itwasn’tjusttheon-fieldwinsthatweredefiningtheirsuccess.Theytookprideinbeingstudentsatoneofthepremieracademicinstitutions

intheworld.Theychallengedeachothertogetgoodgrades,inadditiontogoalsand assists. They set their sights on careers that demanded a distinct blend ofexcellence,careers thathonored thevalues theyassociatedwithTufts lacrosse,values such as effort, sacrifice, and commitment.Somewent into themilitary,pursuing Officer Candidate School. Some volunteered with service programs.Othersdoveintoteachingandcoaching.Moreandmorepeoplestartedtolingeraround the program. From administrators to parents and alumni, Daly waswelcomingnewfaces topracticeandgames, shakinghandsatnationalevents,andencouragingtheinvolvementofanyonewillingtocommittotheteam.Success becamemore andmore personal and increasingly specific. Beyond

successesthatwereoccurringonthefield,intheclassroom,andincareers,Dalyandtheplayersincludedrelationshipsintheirequationofwhatitmeanttobeasuccess. They began to identify with certain types of people, highlightingspecifictraitsinthefriendsthatsurroundedthemasidealsworthstrivingfor.Ofthe many who deserve highlighting, Daly points toMark Doughtie and JulioQuintanilla as two people who embody such ideals. Doughtie, the lacrosseteam’s athletic trainer, was awarded the Bronze Star during his service inVietnam.Quitepossiblymorebear thanman,Doughtie is the typeofguywhohurtsyourbackwhenheslapsitandcracksyourhandwhenheshakesit.He’sstrongandintimidatingbutoozesanapproachabletoughness.Heisemotionalinawaythatiswhollyunpredictablefromhisappearance,andhisloyaltyseemsto

set a bar for what the word means. Similarly, Daly points to Quintanilla, acustodian for the university and one of themost significant supporters of theprogram.Dalyexplains,“He’shereatseveno’clockeverymorning,worksuntilthree o’clock, comes out to our practice, leaves our practice for his six-to-midnight shift, and just does it every single day, and does it forwhatever hiswagesare,and is justhappy tohave theopportunity.” Incontrast toDoughtie,Quintanilla isawispofafigurebutrecognizablyproud.Hisdarkblackhair iswellgelled,hissmilebeams,andhisshouldersareindefatigablysturdy.Quintanilla and Doughtie inspire the Tufts team. They represent a level of

successthatDalynotonlyrespectsbutalsohopesthateveryathletehecoachesis willing to aim for. Quintanilla and Doughtie are hardworking, tough,compassionate, loyal—good people. Daly says of Quintanilla, “We alwaysreflectonandpointtoJulio’sworkethic,toJulio’sdedicationtohisfamilybackinElSalvador.”Youwon’t findJulioQuintanilla’snameon theTuftswebsite,butheworksashardasanyprofessor,coach,oradministratortomakeTuftsoneof the best universities in the nation.Doughtie is also unheralded but equallydedicated to doing his part. By focusing on the traits of these two men andothers, Daly and his team have set an additional bar for what it means to besuccessful,onceagainsuggestingthat thesuccessof theTufts lacrosseteamismeasuredbyfactorsthatarefarmoresignificantthananysinglewinoron-fieldtriumph.Successisaboutfamily,loyalty,effort,andmuch,muchmore.Inadditiontofocusingonrelationships,schoolwork,hardwork,andpersonal

development,Dalyandhis teamalsodevelopedauniqueunderstandingof theskills and strategy that would lead to on-field success. They challengedconventional thinking in lacrosse and continue to tweakaquirky styleofplaythatdemandsimpeccablyconditionedathletesplayingatabreakneckpace.Theyadjustedtheirpracticestoemphasizespecificskills(shooting,conditioning,fastbreaks, and so on) needed for their style. Daly began reading books aboutstrategy and coaching while also drawing on his degree in education and hisinterest in human development. Daly and his players asked each other whatneededtogetbetterandhowimprovementcouldhappen,andtheyevenbegantoexperimentwithemphasizingtheoff-fieldintangiblesthateveryonetalksaboutbut fewpeoplepractice.“The leadershipchangeseveryyear,”Dalysays,“andwhat do we do to truly educate our guys on leadership?” The answer was“nothing,” and Daly questioned that logic. Coaches spoke at nationalconventions,arguingthatbadseasonswereoftenduetoadearthofleadership,whereasaseason’ssuccesswascontingentontheleadershipofupperclassmen.

Knowingagoodcoachwouldn’ttakethefieldwithoutpracticingoffensiveplaysthatwouldbecriticaltothesuccessofhisteam,Dalyresolvedtosetasidetimeto practice leadership. Friday afternoons are now a designated training time,when groups of teammates gather for lunch to discuss assigned chapters frombooksthatDalyconsiderscritical.The Tufts Jumbos’ transformation took around ten years to complete, and

throughoutthatperiodDalyunquestionablyembracedaprofoundandevolvingsenseofsuccess.ForDaly,hisstaff,andhisplayers, theprogressionwasslowbut peppered with memorable moments and scintillating achievements. “It’ssuch a blessing and a curse,” he admits. “We lament so much harder on thelossesthanweevenremotelythinkaboutenjoyinganyofthesuccesses.”Buthestays committed to the climb, to the process of advancement, and continuesploddingforward,redefiningwhatsuccessisalongtheway.The growth of his team has been physically captured in his office, adorned

with posters, signed pictures, letters from politicians and NFL owners, All-Americanplaques, andprogramawards.The small space is avirtualmuseum,dedicated tooneprogram’sgrowthfromafterthought tocontender.Outsidehisofficearebulletinboardscrowdedwithnewspaperandmagazinearticles,storiesabouttheyoungmenwhohaveplayedlacrosseatTuftsandabouttheiron-fieldachievements, the distinctions they’ve earned in the military, the communityservice projects they’ve led, and the time they’ve spent helping others whilelearningmoreaboutthemselves.In2010,DalyandhisteamwontheDivisionIIInationalchampionship.They

achievedtheultimatemeasureofsuccessacollegiateteamcanachieve.Witharecordof20and1,theybecametheonlyTuftsUniversityathleticteamevertowin an NCAA championship. They had come out of nowhere. As Figure 5.1shows,theyroseupfromnothingandbecamethemostsuccessfullacrosseteamin thenation,and theyfollowedup in2011witha remarkable tripback to theNCAAchampionshipgame,wheretheysufferedadisappointingloss(seeTable5.1foradditionaldetailsabouttheteam’srecordfrom1999to2011).Inaphototakenafterthe2011setback,Daly,holdingtherunner-uptrophy,lookslikehe’sbattlinganaggressiveparasite.He’sdisappointed,hurt,pissed.Andsoitgoes—theJumbosareoneofthetopteamsinthenation,butthere’smoretoachieve,moresuccesstodefineandpursue.

Figure5.1.Wins,Losses,andPostseasonAchievementforTuftsUniversityLacrosseTeam,1996–2011

Table5.1.DetailsofTuftsUniversityLacrosseTeam’sPerformance,1999–2011

ForDalyandhisteam,asyoumightguess,thedrivehasn’twaned.Andsowhatdowemakeofsuccess?Whatdowedowiththerealitythatlifedoesn’tstopinlightofourachievements?Atthisstageofanorganization’sturnaround,successis a standard to continually live up to. For Daly and the Jumbos, you keepslugging,keepstriving,keepworkingtogetbetter,andneverstopthinkingaboutwhat success genuinely means. The achievement of winning an NCAAchampionshipwascertainly celebratedas an incredible accomplishment,but itnowservesasafoundationonwhichtobuildmoresuccess,proofthatthesimpleformula ofworking hard toward specific goals can have its rewards. Externalsuccessisfleetingandfickle,andatthisstagethat’sobvious.Achievementcame

toDalyandtheTuftslacrosseteam,butitdidn’tslowthemdown.Ifanything,it’srefocusedthem,remindingthemthatdreamsarenotonlyworthworkingfor,theycanalsocometrue.

ADAPTThe storyof theTuftsUniversitymen’s lacrosse teamshowsus thatweneverstopworking,evenafterwe’veaccomplishedourgoals.Wecontinuallyredefinesuccess,makingitapersonalsetofidealstoconstantlystrivetoward.WhereasTuftshasshownusthatsuccessisever-changing,iContactteachesusthevalueofadaptingtorenewedstandardsandexpectations.Asasmallstart-upthatwassucceedingingrowthandprofits,iContactcouldhavecontinuedonaprosperouspath,butthecompanyredefinedwhatsuccessshouldbeandthenadaptedtothechallenge. It changed itself and became a leader in sustainable businesspractices.As you succeed and refine your understanding of what successmeans, you

must also adapt. The game keeps changing, and your ability to adjust to newrulesandgoalswilldefineyourcapacitytoachieve,movingforward.Changeisessential,andifyoudon’tpushyourselftoadapt,you’relikelytostopachieving.AsBatmanoncetoldRobininamomentofinvaluableinsight,“Aninvestigativemind and physical skills are just tools. The most important weapon in yourarsenalwillbeyourabilitytoadapt.”2Adaptingtothesituation,changinginaneffort to stay on top,may in fact be one of themost important tools in yourarsenal,andfewstoriesareasintriguingasthestoryofiContact.In July of 2003, iContact began as an e-mail marketing software company,

committed to the long-term vision of building “a great global company basedhere inNorthCarolina for our customers, employees, and community.” In theearlygoing,acoregroupfocusedonslowgrowth.iContactthenballoonedfroma small company to a moderate-size organization in only a couple of years.iContact was advancing according to plan, growing in revenue and addingemployees,buttheplandidn’tseemtocapturewherethecompanyshouldgo.Tothe iContact founders,measuringgrowthsolely through financialnumbersandemployeecountwaswhatotherorganizationshadalwaysdone, and it seemedspecious.Theworldwaschanging.ThomasFriedman,inaDecember2006op-edpiece

fortheNewYorkTimes,echoedthesentimentsandobservationsofmanywhen

hewrote,“Wereachedatippingpointthisyear—whereliving,acting,designing,investingandmanufacturinggreencametobeunderstoodbyacriticalmassofcitizens, entrepreneurs and officials as the most patriotic, capitalistic,geopolitical,healthyandcompetitivethingtheycoulddo.Hencemyownmotto:‘Green is the new red, white, and blue.’ ”3 A year later, one of the mostdisastrous recessions in history struck, and midsize companies like iContactbeganponderingtheirfate,wonderinghowthey’dstayrelevantandalive.Around 2007, in an effort to keep his organization alive and growing in a

shiftinglandscape,iContactCEORyanAlliswascraftingabroaderplanfortheburgeoning tech firm. Allis saw a play, one that was not only sensible andreflective of the changing times but also something he was truly passionateabout. Allis’s business partner, the cofounder of iContact, had been fightingcancer during this period. Ultimately he survived, but he and Allis had beenspending time discussing the importance ofmaking an impact, staying true toyourself, and making the most of life. And so, in an effort to adapt to whatbusinesses could and perhaps should be, Allis dedicated iContact to a moresustainable path. Allis began to consider the organization as a vehicle forpositive impact, as a means of doing good for the community and theenvironmentwhilealsomakingmoney.Inspiteofhishopes,AllisfoundhimselfstrugglingtofindawayforiContact

toserveothers inamorebeneficentmanner.E-mailmarketing isa laudedandnecessary service, but it’s not diggingwells for African villages or providingfood for the Appalachian needy. Allis explains, “We were just a normalcompany.Weverymuchcaredaboutcustomers,employees,community,butwedidn’t have an integrated philanthropic program.” In spite of this obviousobstacle,Alliswasundaunted,believingthatiContactcouldbetransformedintoamorephilanthropicandenvironmentallyconsciousorganization.Allishasalwaysfoundwaystogetthingsdone,andhefullyexpectedtodothe

samewiththisparticularproject.Whenhewaseighteenyearsold,hewrotethebookZero to OneMillion: How to Build a Company to $1Million in Sales,which, as the title suggests, chronicleshisentrepreneurial efforts togrowa$1millioncompany fromnothing in fourteenmonths.Healso started iContact in2003,whenhewasaboutnineteen,andknewnothingbutsuccesswiththefirm,growing it toamultimillion-dollarenterprise,withhundredsofemployeesandthousands of clients, in only a few years. Allismade things happen. But thiswasn’taboutstartingup.Thiswasaboutchange.

Allis started with a simple challenge to himself and his organization: to domore.And,aswithmostofwhathehassethismindto,hisgoalswerequicklyachieved.Hehadalreadybeen involved inservice-orientednonprofitsandhadbeenactingasanangelinvestorforsociallyresponsibleorganizations.NowhehadtofilterhisenthusiasmandpassionforsuchcausesthroughiContact.Slowlyadvancementsweremade. In2010,MattKopac, a recentgraduateof theYaleSchool of Management, was brought in to assume the title of corporateresponsibilitymanager.Thenowmidsizetechcompanywascommittednotonlyto offering top-notch e-mail marketing services globally but also to being anindustryleaderinsocialandenvironmentalsustainability.iContactwasadapting—adjustingtoashiftingglobaltrend,achangingenvironment.Oneconceptthathasemergedinanefforttoofferstructuretocompanieslike

iContact,companiesthatareworkingtohaveabroaderpositiveimpactthroughbusiness,istheBenefitCorporation,orBCorporation.BCorporationsrepresenta new era of business maintenance and progress, “a new type of corporationwhichusesthepowerofbusinesstosolvesocialandenvironmentalproblems.”4These organizations are more tightly monitored thanmost other corporations,welcoming stricter standards and guidelines in an effort to more proactivelycontribute to sustainablebusinesspractices. Inmanyways, theseorganizationsare leadingadramaticshift incorporatephilosophyandpractice,and iContactwanted to join the party. Kopac, iContact’s new corporate responsibilitymanager, assumed early responsibility for making iContact a certified BCorporation. The process was rigorous, calling for increased accountabilitywhen it came to measuring social and environmental practices. Nevertheless,Kopac says, “having the framework of the B Corp certification was reallyhelpfulforourteammemberstounderstandwhatitmeanttobeatriple-bottom-line company, and it also helped us to be able to measure our success atachieving that goal.” With the full support of Allis, Kopac set out to pushiContact to adapt further and become B Corporation–certified, a recognizedtriple-bottom-linecompany.Thetermtriplebottomlinehascome tocapture the intersectionofcorporate

practice with social and ecological impact, and this concept has becomeincreasinglyinfluentialinrecentyears.Atriplebottomlineessentiallyoffersanaccountabilitystrategywherebyorganizationscanquantifynotonlytheirprofitsbut also their social and environmental impacts.Specifically, the threedistinctareasoforganizationalimpactmeasuredwiththetriple-bottom-lineapproachare

thethreeP’s:profits,people(society),andplanet(environment).5Anycompanylooking tobemoresustainableneeds topayattention to the triplebottomline,and this is especially true for a company looking to attain certification as aBCorporation.Inearly2010,thefirsttimeiContactappliedforthecertification,thecompany

didn’t hit the mark. Organizations are assessed by an independent third-partyrater on such variables as accountability and transparency, commitment to thecommunity, and environmental impact. (For those interested,www.bcorporation.netoffersinformationaboutthird-partyratersandtheoverallprocess.)ForanorganizationtobecertifiedasaBCorporation,itneedstoscore80pointsormoreoutofapossible200.AfteriContact’sfirstfailure,Kopacandthe company pored over the feedback and critically assessedwhere iContact’seffortscouldbemadebetterforthenexttry.In June of 2010, only three months after that initial failure, iContact was

awarded certification as a B Corporation. iContact was now one of a smallnumberofNorthCarolinabusinesses tohaveattainedsuchcertification,and itwas theonly such company in the e-mailmarketing industry.Furthermore, byworkingtogetherthroughthecertificationprocess,themembersoftheiContactteamhadnotonlyadaptedtothenewrequirementsforaBCorporationbutalsoincreasedtheirawarenessof thepositivesocialandenvironmental impacts thatiContact could have. As Allis explains, “There was that sense that we reallyweretakingsignificant,realactionsonsocialandenvironmentalresponsibility.Ithink that people got a sense that our company’smissionwasmore than justaboutmakingmoney,butitwasratheraboutmakingmoneywhiledoinggood.”iContacthadadaptedbyleadingadramaticturnaroundfocusedonsustainabilityandwasusingtheorganizationtoleaveapositiveandpowerfullegacy.AccordingtoMartinReevesandMikeDeimler,seniorpartnersandmanaging

directorsattheBostonConsultingGroup,“Globalization,newtechnologiesandgreatertransparencyhavecombinedtoupendthebusinessenvironmentandgivemany CEOs a deep sense of unease.”6 They go on to outline four “abilities”considerednecessarytoadapttoaneworchangingenvironment:

1.Identifyingandreactingtopertinentinformation2.Experimenting3.Managingcomplexsystems4.Thinkingadaptivelyacrossorganizationallevels

Companies and teams focused on forward movement think and act in these

terms.Theyareconstantlyfilteringinformationtoidentifystrategicadvantages,arewilling toexperimentwithadaptiveconceptsand ideas,andarecapableofmanagingavarietyofsystemswhilepushingdecisionsandactions throughouttheorganization.Anadaptiveculturefacilitatesquickmovement,creativity,andfluiddecisionmakingthatwill likelysupportlargertrendswhilebenefitingtheadvancementandprogressoftheorganization.Interestingly, iContact seems to have embodied much of what Reeves and

Deimleroutline.First,Allisabsorbedthemanycuesthatcorporatesustainabilitywas more than a passing fad. He embraced the concept as a means tostrategicallypositioniContactinaspaceofitsownwhilealsodefiningiContactas a conscientious organization focused on doing the right thing. Then Allisbegan experimenting, first by creating a new position to oversee theorganization’ssustainabilityeffortsandthenbygivingKopacfreereintocarveanew and unique path.As iContact’s sustainability efforts continue to advance,AllisandKopacareregularlyworkingwithavarietyofinterconnectedsystemsand are encouraging others to think adaptively and creatively. For example,employee action teams have been developed, and they meet monthly tobrainstorm and discuss potential sustainability efforts. These teams arecomposedofemployeesacrossdepartments,areledbyconscientiousvolunteers,andhavebroughtaboutanincreaseinemployeeengagementandempowerment.Although iContact set out to achieve certification as a B Corporation, thecompanyhasactually launchedan internal initiative that isdefiningbothwhattheorganizationhasbecomeandwhereitisgoing.ThegoalofBCorporationcertificationwasonceseenasanendinitselfbutis

nowconsideredtohavebeenadefinitivebeginning.iContactisjuststartingitsjourneyasasustainableorganizationwithacommitmenttoatriplebottomline.In the year following its receipt ofBCorporation status, the employee actionteamsofferedquarterlytrainingprogramsfornonprofitorganizationsinterestedinadvancingsustainabilityefforts.Inaddition,Kopacexplains,as“anexampleon theenvironmental side,we realizedweweren’tdoing thatwell in termsofsortingwaste,recyclingfromlandfillwaste.Sowehadanideafromthegrouptocentralizeourrecycling,andsowerevampedourrecyclingprocessinternally.”Fromcreating in-houseaction teams thathaveaddressed theneedsof regionalnonprofitorganizationstorevampingthecompany’sinternalrecyclingprogram,iContactismakingstridesbutisalsoverymuchbeginningitsadaptivejourneyasamoresustainableandconscientiousenterprise.Kopacisclearthat iContact’sefforts toadvanceandadaptarefarfromover.

He says, “To manage a triple bottom line, you can’t just have some goodinitiatives going. I think you not only have to have goals relating tosustainability,youhavetoactonthosegoals,youhavetoevaluateyourselfonthosegoals.Weputoutacorporateresponsibilityreportacouplemonthsago,”headds,describingthetypesofgoalsthatiContactisnowconsidering,“wherewelaidoutgoalsforourselvesonavarietyofsocialandenvironmentalmetrics,wherewe’reevaluatingourselves.”Henotes that this“issomethingthatdidn’tevenexistayearandhalfago.”ForKopac,Allis,andthelargeriContactteam,effortstomonitorthecompany’striplebottomlinearejustbeginning,andtheirwillingness to adapt will continue to move them forward. As the team staysfocusedonestablishinggoals,monitoringprogress,andadjustingforcontinuedsuccess,iContact’ssustainabilityeffortswillcontinuetoflourish.iContactcontinuestogrowinprofitsandoutreach.Thisgrowthiscertainlya

function of hardwork, but the company’s success in turning its sustainabilityefforts around was largely determined by a willingness to adapt. iContactadaptedtoalarger,changingworld,andtheorganizationischangingitselfasitstrives tobe thebest it canbe. iContactwasalreadyacompanyon the rise, agenuinesuccessstory,butthecompanyknewitcoulddobetter.Byadaptingitsfocus and dedicating itself to a more sustainable path, iContact continues toevolveasitreachesforunimaginedheights.

THEPLAYBOOKFORACHIEVINGSUCCESS

In stageV youwillwin, achieve, and accomplish exactlywhat you and yourteam set out to do. Yet, as you slowly check off the goals you onceconscientiously and determinedly set, you will begin to establish newexpectations forwhat ispossible.The race isn’tover, evenafteryoucross thefinish line. Evolution is necessary for continued growth, and so you mustcontinually redefinewhat successmeans for you and your team. Successwillbecomeacompilationof ideals tostrivefor,asopposed to theachievementofanyonegoalorvictory.Youandyourteamwillalsoneedtoadapt.Adaptationisanessentialpartof

yourgrowthandlong-termsuccess.Keepaneyeonthehorizon,noticetrendsinyour industry and the larger environment,work to stay fresh andaheadof thecurve, and challenge yourself, but also invite the ideas of others. In order tocontinually guide your team forward, youwill need to create an environmentthatpromotesandencouragesfunctionalandhealthychange.Asyouwork throughstageV,don’t takeyourvictories lightly.Celebrate,be

proud, and recognize your triumphs forwhat they are, but don’t lose sight oftomorrow. Even the biggest win today can become obsolete if you do notcontinuetopushyourteamforward.JustaswiththeTuftsJumbosandiContact,sustainedsuccessiscontingentonreevaluatingwhatsuccessmeansandadaptingalong the way. Achievements are important and vital to the momentum andgrowthofyourteam,butkeeppushingforward,raisingthebar,andmakingthenecessarychangestocontinuallymeetthosenewexpectations.

Notes

1.Covey,S.R.(2004).The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople:PowerfulLessonsinPersonalChange.NewYork:FreePress.2.Winick,J.,andTocchini,G.(2011,August).“TheStreetsRunRed,”part2:“ExitStrategy.”BatmanandRobin,1(24B).NewYork:DCComics.3.Friedman,T.L.(2006,December22).“AndtheColoroftheYearIs.”NewYorkTimes.Availableathttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?

res=950CE1DE1131F931A15751C1A9609C8B63(retrievedJanuary27,2012).4.CertifiedBCorporation(2011).“WhatIsaBCorp?”Availableathttp://www.bcorporation.net/about(retrievedJanuary27,2012).5.Elkington,J.(1994).“TowardstheSustainableCorporation:Win-Win-WinBusinessStrategiesforSustainableDevelopment.”CaliforniaManagementReview,36(2),90–100.6.Reeves,M.,andDeimler,M.S.(2011).“Adaptability:TheNewCompetitiveAdvantage.”HarvardBusinessReview,89,134–141.

6

StageVI:NurturingaCultureofExcellence

Onceyou’vereachedstageVI,you’reanindisputablewinner.Theturnaroundiscomplete.It’snottosaythatyouwon’tgothroughsomehardtimes.Nomatterhowgoodyoubecome,youandyourteamwilloccasionallyfacesetbacks.ButstageVIisaboutbracingforthosetimesbydevelopingawinningculturethatisbothlastingandenduring.Everyonedips.You’llhavealosingseasonorabadyear,butwinningorganizationsfindwaystocarryonandtriumphinspiteoftheinevitablepitfalls.OrganizationsthatreachstageVIhavedonesobecausetheymaintain a level of long-standing excellence that comes to define them.Overtime,theysucceed,andevenwhentheyfail,theyrecoverquickly,turningbacktotheirwinningwaysbeforelosingtakeshold.Alongwithfocusingondevelopingaculture thatcanwithstandperformance

dips,anorganizationatstageVIneedstoconcentrateoncontinuallearningandinnovation. Culture, continual learning, and innovation are ever presentthroughout theTeamTurnaroundProcessbutareoftenovershadowedbymoreprominentthemesduringthefirstfivestages.ThinkbacktostageI,whenJeffreyLurie,FrankEsposito,andDavidHelferworkedtolearnaboutthefaultsoftheirrespective organizations; stage II, when Jim Grundberg defined the guidingvalues for SeeMore Putters; stage III, when Marilyn Masaitis visited hercustomerathometolearnwhyhehadstoppedpatronizingherrestaurant;stageIV, whenDomino’s Pizza creatively utilized social media; and stage V, whencoach Mike Daly implemented formal leadership education for his TuftsUniversity lacrosseplayers.Eachof theseactionsnotonlyhelpedtodevelopawinningculturebutalsorepresentedaleader’sefforttolearnandinnovate.AndsowecometostageVI,whereculture,continuallearning,andinnovationmustmovefromthebackgroundandtakecenterstage.TeamsthatreachstageVIarefewandfarbetweenbecauseittakesenormous

amounts of discipline to maintain the high standards necessary for constant

growth.AsyouenterstageVI,youmustpushyourselftocontinuetogrowandevolve while you also nurture the culture that has been built. Stage VIorganizations are the dynasties, the pacesetters, the standard makers. Twoexamples of organizations that have reached this stage are the MontgomeryCounty(Maryland)PublicSchoolsystemandthePittsburghSteelers.NotonlydidJerryWeastguideMontgomeryCountyPublicSchools(MCPS)

throughabreathtakingturnaroundwithacompulsivefocusoncontinuallearningand innovation, his constant attention to these variables also positioned thedistrictforsustainedimprovement.Weasttookchargeofanorganizationthat,onthe surface, appeared successful. By most measures, the district was a solidperformer, achieving well on standardized tests and sending a considerablenumberofgraduatestofinecollegesanduniversities.ButWeastlookedpastthefaçade of feel-good success stories and discovered a district poised for aprecipitous decline. He studied, he learned, and, through a brilliant andinnovativeeffort,herebuiltthefoundationofhisorganization,madeitstronger,andimplementedsystemsandprocessesthatwouldallowthedistricttocontinuetolearnandgrowlongafterhewasgone.NowMCPSservesasanexample—astandard for how public schools can be run and forwhat they are capable ofachieving.Insimilarfashion,DanRooney,oncepresidentandchairmanofthePittsburgh

Steelers, positioned his organization for continued success. Under the long-standing leadership of Rooney, the Steelers have become one of the mostsuccessfulfranchisesinallofsports,andtheorganization’scultureissomethingtomarvelat.Rooneyneversetouttohavejustasinglewinningseason.Instead,he set his sights on winning continuously, on regularly competing forchampionships, year after year. You may see this as a seemingly minordistinction,butfortheSteelersithasmadeallthedifference.ThecultureoftheSteelers has been established with the long term in mind. The franchise is afuture-orientedorganization,onethatisfocusedasmuchonwinningtomorrowasonwinningtoday.Theculturehasevolvedandstrengthenedwithtimeandisnowasstrongasthenameitbears,takingonchallengeafterchallengewiththefullexpectationofcomingoutontop,enduring,andfurtheremboldeningitself.The Montgomery County Public School system and the Pittsburgh Steelers

havebothprovedthemselveswinners,butit’stheirlong-standingcommitmenttosuccessthat’sofnote.Asyouleadyourorganizationthroughthisfinalstage,payclose attention to the details—those little efforts thatmake up the big picture.Focusoncontinual learningand innovation,andwork todevelopa strongand

lastingcultureofsuccess.

CONTINUELEARNINGANDINNOVATING

Thosewhoachieveoverandover,thegenuinewinners,neverstoplearningandnever stop innovating. Organizations that stay at the top are always growing,always pushing, always striving to be just a little better, just a little moreaccomplishedorproficient.ThankstoJerryWeast,thisisverymuchtrueoftheMontgomeryCountyPublicSchoolSystem.JerryWeast is a decorated and revered superintendentwhohas garnered the

attention of business and academic leaders alike. He served as MCPSsuperintendent for twelveyearsandretiredfromhispost inJune2011.Heranhisorganizationwithfinesseandgrit,constantlydemandinggrowthbyinstillingan insatiablehunger for learningand innovation.Weast’svalue toeducation isunmatched. He’s the Michael Jordan, Johnny Unitas, and Wayne Gretzky ofsuperintendents.Hebegan as a superintendentwhenhewasonly twenty-eightyears old, worked in five different states, and oversaw eight different schooldistricts,butitwashisworkwithMontgomeryCounty,Maryland,thatsealedhislegacy.MCPSisoneofthetwentylargestschooldistrictsintheUnitedStates,serving

morethan144,000students,employingmorethan22,000professionals,and,asof 2011, managing a $2.1 billion operating budget. In addition to being thelargest school system inMaryland, theMontgomery County school system isalso the state’s most diverse. A suburb of Washington, D.C., MontgomeryCounty is home to a broad swath of cultural and socioeconomic types. Thestudentpopulationspeaksnearlytwohundredlanguages,and13percentreceiveEnglishforSpeakersofOtherLanguages(ESOL)services.Inaddition,studentsinthecountycomefrommorethan160countries,andmorethan30percentofthestudentsreceivesubsidizedmeals.WhenWeastfirsttookoverassuperintendentin1999,byallpublicaccounts

MCPS was successful. According to standardized tests, grades, collegeadmissions, and other metrics, the students of Montgomery County werestatistically succeeding.MCPSwasmeeting state standards, andstudentsweregraduating,butWeastneeded to learnmore. Inhisefforts tobetterunderstand

thestatistics,heuncoveredarealitythatgavehimreasonforconcern.AsWeastexplains,“We[essentially]hadtwodistricts,bothofthemlargedistricts,bothofthem around 70,000 in size. One of them held almost 80 percent AfricanAmerican and Latino [students]. And the other one had 80 percentwhite andAsian [students].” The African American and Latino region was more of atransient/rentalcommunity,smalleringeographicalscope,blightedwithpoverty,andgenerallyunderperformingacademically. Incontrast, the largelywhiteandAsian regionwasmore affluent, haddeeper community roots, and statisticallyinflated the entire school district in terms of academic achievement.Nevertheless, although the district was relying on around 20 percent of itsstudents’achievements tosatisfystateandnationalexpectationsandmandates,the high-performing Asian and white population was diminishing in size,yieldingtotheballooningpopulationsofAfricanAmericanandLatinofamilies.Somethinghadtobedonetoinstillequityinthecommunity,notjusttoensurethat thecountycouldcontinue toreportpositiveacademicstatisticsbutalso toproperlyserve thegrowingpopulationofunderservedchildrenwhodeservedastrongpreparatoryeducation.Weastwasrighttobeconcernedbywhathehaduncovered,andheknewthat

MCPS’s outward appearances of success presented a significant obstacle.Success,eventheperceptionofsuccess,canbeadangerousthing.Whenteamswin,theycanbecomecomplacent.Successfeelsgoodandbuildsconfidence,butit can also breed sloppy habits, overconfidence, and eventual performancedecline.Bycontrast,failurecanbeeasytolearnfrom.Ifyoulose,yourmistakesareapparent,andyou’reforcedtolearnfromthemifyoueverwanttogetbetter.Fororganizationsthatsustainsuccessoverthelonghaul,learningmustcomeintimes of success aswell as in times of failure.1 In fact, there’s evidence thatexploring successes along with failures leads to sustained and continualachievement. Weast understood this. It was the principle that had guided hisdiscoverythatthedistrictwasactuallyindecline,anditwouldbetheprinciplethatwouldnowguidethedistrictthroughremarkablegrowth.GiventherealitythatWeasthadunearthed,hewascommittedtochange.The

underservedAfricanAmericanandLatinocommunitiesneededmoreassistanceandattention.Theirpopulationswerebeginningtoswellthroughoutthecounty,and if the academic focus didn’t shift to a more comprehensive model thattargetedtheirdevelopmentandachievement,thedistrictwouldinevitablysuffer.Hewassoldon theneed toreduce theachievementgap,buthewouldhave tosell the larger team on it as well, and that included scads of teachers and

administrators as well as students and parents. Weast was cognizant that thehigh-performingteachersandadministratorscouldeasilypointthefingerattheirlow-performing counterparts, and he needed to create a compelling argumentthatwouldspurbothgroupstoaction.Hesetouttoframehisargumentinawaythatwouldresonatewiththelow-aswellasthehigh-performingelementsofhisdistrict,andhehopedthelargerteamwouldbuyin.AsWeastdevelopedhispitch,heknewthatthemoralplaywastoofferequal

academic opportunities to all students. He also knew that the moral playwouldn’tpacktheneededpunch.Ratherthanfocusonwhatwasright,heputhisenergy into the less obvious but arguably more effective case, centering hisargument on convincing stakeholders (teachers, principals, parents, and thebusiness community) that changewasaneconomicnecessity.Weast suggestedthattheschooldistrictwasasinglebrandthatattractednewfamilies,businesses,andopportunitiestothecommunity,andhemadeitclearthatthebrandwasinserious jeopardy. “We studied other organizations that turned around,”Weastexplains.“Theyhadtohaveacommonelement.Theyhadtohaveabrand.‘TheMontgomery County Public Schools Way,’ if you will.” The brand neededprotection.Propertyvalues, business interests, andgeneral qualityof lifewerelikelytodeclineif thelow-performingstudentpopulationcontinuedtoenvelopthehigh-performingstudentgroup.Heframedtheproblemasacountywidecrisisthatcouldn’tbedeniedbyany

single racial or socioeconomic group.Weast argued that everyone shared theissuebecauseiftheschoolsystemdidn’timprove,thecountywouldbeseenaslessattractiveforbusinessesandhomebuyers,andtheexistingvalueofpropertyowned by current residents would degrade. It was a clear financial issue thatreliedon the“we’reonlyasstrongasourweakest link”argument. Inessence,Weastwassuggestingthatiftheperformanceoflowacademicachieverswasnotraised, the county population would change, the attractiveness of the countywoulddecline,andresidentswouldultimatelylosemoney.Itwashardnottobuyin. Administrators, teachers, parents, and students came on board in a shortamount of time and committed to the vision of overcoming the existingchallenge.Weastsays,“Iwanted80percentofkidscollege-readyby2014.”Thecountycommittedtoimprovingtheperformanceofunderachievingstudentsandtouniversallyraisingthebarforeverystudentinthedistrict.Oncethemandatewasidentified,Weastandthedistrictfocusedontheirnew

vision.Inworkingtoachieveit,Weaststuckwithhiscommitmenttocontinualeducation.Justashehimselfhadoriginallyspenttimeporingoverstatisticsand

identifying the district’s unsustainable achievement gap—the issue that nowseemed so significant—he now asked administrators, teachers, parents, andstudents to adopt a similar lust for learning. He asked them to give theiropinions,tohearoutotherstakeholders,andtochallengehimandeachotherasnecessary. If the district was going to advance, everyone would have to beresponsibleforpushingitforward,butforthattohappen,everyonewouldhavetolearnmoreaboutteaching,education,andoneanother.Weastand thecountysetout to learnmoreaboutwhat theyneeded todo in

order to better serve the underserved students and narrow the existingachievementgap.Hesays,“With thestudents,we listenedandsurveyed.Withthe parents, we listened and surveyed. With the teachers, we listened andsurveyed.” He asked people to describe what they were experiencing in thetrenches. He asked where things were going well, and where improvementscouldbemade.“Whenwemakemistakes,”hetoldthem,“we’regoingtotellitfirst,tellitloud,andtellitoften,andwe’regoingtolearnfromthem.”Mistakesand failures became tools of learning.Weast put his focus on the potential oferrors to teachpeopleabetterandmoreeffectivemannerofdoing things,andmoreandmoreteachersandadministratorsbegantalkingandlearningfromeachother.Beyondthesurveysandconversations,whichwereprimarilyservingteachers

andadministrators,Weastalsodevelopedlearningopportunitiesforfamiliesandparents.Hewasconcernedwiththelackofawarenessandthepassivityofsomeoftheparentsinthelowersocioeconomicgroups,andherespondedbyreachingout to them.Weast explains, “We created study circles.We created academicacademiestotrainparentshowtoworkthesystem.”Weastwentintotheareasofthe county that needed help the most, and he opened the communicationchannelsbetweenparents and schoolpersonnel.Through the studycircles andacademies, the administration asked for critical feedbackwhile also educatingparentsaboutthedifferencesbetweenstrongandineffectiveteachers.WeastandMCPSusedthisfeedback,andtheypartneredwiththeteachers’andprincipals’unions to devise a way to eliminate poorly performing teachers andadministrators. According to Weast, more than five hundred employees havebeen eliminated for performance-related reasons. Through this process, theschoolsystembegantobecomeacohesivecommunity,workingtowardthegoalofmaking80percentofitsstudentscollege-readyby2014.As if engaging administrators, teachers, and families in the learning process

wasn’t enough,Weast looked even further. He stretched beyond the world of

education, eager to learn from other fields. Weast figured that a number ofindustries might have insights into best practices and general managementphilosophythatcouldbehelpfultoMontgomeryCounty.Heactedonthehunchand invited thirty-sevenbusinessesactive inMontgomeryCounty todevelopanonprofit entity that would work alongside the school system to advanceprofessional development and other causes. He recalls, “We organized thebusinesscommunity,nottogiveusmoneybutactuallytogiveusbrandpower.”Businesses such as United HealthCare, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LockheedMartin,andNASDAQsignedontoofferinsightintomanagement,systems,andorganizationalsuccess.“I[worked]withthempersonally,”Weastsays,“andthenI [had] my top team work with them, and we put their team and our teamtogether.” For example, United HealthCare had significant experience inimplementing Six Sigma, a theoretical and practical approach to improvingbusinessprocesses,andthecompanyhelpedtrainMCPSonhowtodothesame.Essentially,Weast looked tomembersof the localbusinesscommunity tohelphisleadershipteambecomemorefamiliarwithacceptedmanagementpracticesandleadershipdevelopmentstrategies,leaningonthemasconsultantsasheandhis teammade and implemented critical decisions.The effort proved brilliant,original,andinnovative.Guided by what they had learned, the team members in the district kept

movingforward.Alongtheway,theydevelopedaninsatiablehungertodiscovermore about each other, about what needed to be done, and about the generalprocess of education. As they increased their awareness, not only wereindividual students assisted, key innovations alsobegan to evolve.Among themany innovative efforts thatweremade,Weast’s reorganization of the centraloffice and his reconsideration of traditional measures of student achievementprovedasymbolicandstrategicshiftofconsiderablenote.Heexplains,“Wehadtobecomemoreofasupportnetworktothefieldandchangetheunitofchangefrom a bunch of test scores to each individual classroom.” No longer wouldaveraged scores on standardized tests serve as an adequate measure of theprogress of individual students. Instead, Weast and other administratorsencouraged teachers to lookpast scoresonstandardized testsand focuson thelearning experiences in individual classrooms. This was a colossal change inmind-set,amoveawayfromspotlightingcollectivestatisticsandtowardplacingmoreemphasisonindividualclassroomexperience.By reorienting the school system’s focus on each student’s developmental

experience, the team members freed themselves up to make even more

innovative and critical changes. They established a new standard for success,developingmetricsthatwerefarmorecomprehensiveanddemandingthanthoseimposed by the State of Maryland or by the nation. Maryland’s state-leveleducational guidelines ultimatelymeasured success on the basis of whether astudentgraduatedfromhighschool,butWeastandhiscolleagueswantedMCPSstudents to succeed incollege.Therefore, through research, they learnedaboutkey indicators throughout a student’s career that predicted success in college.From these, they established their seven keys to college readiness, clearguidelines that constitute a standard unequivocally higher than the State ofMaryland’s. These keys include specific achievements in the primary grades,rangingfromreadingatanadvancedlevelinkindergartenandgrade2tostudentparticipationinadvancedmathematicsingrade5.2Theystartedlookingatmorerefined areas of learning, and they placed considerable emphasis on the earlygrades,knowingthat,formoststudents,long-termachievementisrootedintheearlyyears.With the help of administrators and teachers throughout the county, Weast

boldly slashed $60 to $80 million in ineffective programs. The move wassomewhatcounterintuitive.Would slashingestablishedprograms trulyhelp thestudents?Weastexplainsthattheseprograms“soundedgoodandlookedgoodonabrochurebuthadlowvolume,marginalquality,andactuallydidn’tdoanythingexceptmake thepersondelivering themfeelgood.”Bygettingridof them,hefreed the budget up, and thatmoney could now be used to support a smallerstudent-to-teacher ratio throughout the district.Weast and his teamworked tokeepclassroomsizesineffectiveschoolsthesame,andtheyusedthenewfoundmoney to reduce classroom sizes in less effective schools. In addition, thereallocated funds allowed them to place greater emphasis on early childhoodeducation,“especiallyforthekidsinpoverty,”Weastexplains.Theexpectationwasthatlong-termoutcomeswoulddependonputtingcriticalresourcesintotheearly years of education. The foundation for continued excellence was beingbuilt, and students would grow through a system that caught them early anddeveloped them from the early grades through graduation from high school.Figure 6.1 shows the narrowing achievement gap among African American,AsianAmerican,Hispanic,andwhitestudentsduringJerryWeast’stenure.

Figure6.1.PercentageofMontgomeryCounty(Maryland)Seventh-GradeStudents,byEthnicity,Scoring“Proficient”or“Advanced”inReading,2004–2010

Source:www.mdreportcard.org

Themostinnovativeexecutivesaretirelessintheirquestioningofthestatusquo,and Weast’s efforts, from creating parent academies to building relationshipswithlocalbusinesses,werewelloutsidetheacceptednorm.Leaderswhodriveinnovationobservecustomersandother stakeholders tobetterunderstand theirbehaviorsandneeds,andtheyexperimentwithnewideas.3Bydoing just that,Weast ushered in systemic changes thatwould provide the larger organizationwithvaluablefeedbackforyearstocome.Weastdrovechangewhere theschoolsystemwasweakest.He looked to the

underserved,andtheresultofhisattempttoinnovativelyimproveeducationforthe county’s at-need populations was widespread, sustained success. Theoutcomes have been stunning. There has been a wide array of academicachievementsintheMontgomeryCountyPublicSchoolsystem;herearejustafew:

In2010,MCPSwontheprestigiousMalcolmBaldridgeNationalQualityAward,thehighestpresidentialhonorgiventoAmericanorganizationsforperformanceexcellenceinthebusiness,healthcare,education,andnonprofitsectors.MCPSachievedthehighestgraduationrateofthenation’sfiftylargestschoolsystemsforthreeyearsinarow(2009–2011).MCPShadthemosthighschoolsinthenation’stop100highschools,asrankedbyNewsweekinJune2010.EachofMCPS’s25highschoolsmadeNewsweek’slistofAmerica’sBestHighSchoolsin2010,representingthenation’stop1,622highschools(thetop6percent).In2010,50percentofallMCPShighschoolgraduatesreceivedascoreof3orhigher(outofapossible5)onatleastoneAdvancedPlacementexam.Thatpercentageisnearlytwicethestaterateandthreetimesthenationalrate.(Ascoreof3orhigherqualifiesanenteringfreshmanforcollegecreditintheacademicsubjectcoveredbytheexam.)Parentsatisfactionrangedfrom79.7percentto86.7percentbetween2005

and2010.Duringthesameperiod,thenationalaverageforparentsatisfactionremainedsteadyat54percent.

Montgomery County’s academic achievements continue to improve, despiteincreases in poverty, population, and studentswhodon’t speakEnglish.Weastdisplays pride that the education gap has narrowed. Amazingly, studentachievementacross theboardhasadvanced,withlowachieversadvancingataratethat’scatchingtheever-improvinghighachievers.Hereferstoalinegraphonhis iPad,and,ashe talks,his fingerclimbsup thegraph:“There’s theSATscores. There’swhat the nation does, there’swhatMaryland does, and there’swhoweare,andwe’rearound150pointsabove,onaverage.”ForWeastandtheMontgomeryCountyPublicSchoolsteam,eventhoughtheturnaroundhasbeencompleted,theeffortneverstops.Throughconstantstrivingtolearnandanearobsessionwithinnovation,thesystemkeepsadvancing.

UNDERSTANDTHECULTUREOrganizationsthatstayontophaveembracedacomprehensivecommitment toexcellence.As you guide your organization throughwinning seasons, developgroundbreaking products, and achieve annual growth and more, sustainingsuccess will become a regular focus. In shifting your attention to continualachievement and accepting the sacrifices and efforts that ensure long-standingvictory,youwillneedtoturnamorediscerningeyetothecultureofyourteam.Thecultureofyourorganization isbotha reflectionandan indicationofyourteam’s work ethic, focus, effort, and commitment. This culture will come todefineyourorganizationasatangiblerepresentationofwhoyouareandwhereyou’re going.Winning cultures don’t come easy, butmanyorganizationshavefoundwaystoestablishandmaintainthem.Manysuchorganizationsexist,butfew offer more insight into how to succeed continually than does the NFL’sPittsburghSteelersorganization.DanRooneywasinductedintotheProFootballHallofFamein2000andhas

servedaspresidentorchairmanofthePittsburghSteelerssince1975.Recentlyhe has taken amore supportive role in the organization, assuming the title ofchairmanemeritusandfocusingonhisrecentappointmentasU.S.AmbassadortoIreland.ButnotonlyhasRooney’sleadershipguidedthePittsburghfranchiseformorethanthreedecades,Rooneyhimselfhasprovedtobeoneof themosteffectiveleadersevertoemergethroughtheNFL.Innearlyeveryway,Rooney

presentshimselfasanaffableandfriendlygentleman.Heismodest,soft-spoken,charming,andthoughtful,andhealsocommandsrespect.Inasportknownforhypermasculinechest-pounders,Rooneyhasbuiltanempirewithhisgentleandgenuineapproach.ThePittsburghSteelersarethemostsuccessfulfranchiseintheNFL,andthe

team’srelationshipwithitsfansissecondtonone.SincethemergeroftheNFLandtheAFL,in1970,noteamhasbeenmoredominant.From1970to2010,theSteelers have amassed 384 wins against only 246 losses. They’ve also hadtwenty division titles, thirty-three postseason wins, eight Super Bowlappearances,andsixchampionshiprings.4Noone’sbetterthantheSteelers.InadditiontotheSteelers’on-fieldperformance,thefranchisearguablyhasthebestfans inprofessional football. Ina2008ESPNpiece that ranked the fansofallNFLteams,thoseoftheSteelerswererankednumberone.5Atthebeginningofthe2011season,theSteelershadsoldouteveryhomegame,somethingtheyhadbeen doing since 1972. Diehard Steelers fans, waving their signature brightyellow“terribletowels,”haveprovedthemselvesaloyalteambehindtheteam.InawalkaroundSteelersheadquarters,themom-and-popfeelofthefranchise

isn’tdiminishedbythestate-of-the-artpracticefacilities,thefancyplaques,andthememorabilia.The team’scolors (blackandyellow)adorn theheadquarters,andalthoughthereisaprominentplacefortheSteelers’manyVinceLombardiTrophies,awardedfortheteam’sSuperBowlwins,theyseemlesslikeaflagrantdisplayofsuccessthanlikeadailyreminderthathardworkandcontinualeffortcan pay off. In fact, despite the loyal fans, trophies, and achievements, theSteelers franchise seems tooperate in aperpetual stateofhumility.Throughanearly obsessive focus on being familial, kind, and thoughtful, the Rooneyfamilyhasdevelopedanenduringanduniqueculturethathasbecomethegoldstandardforprofessionalsports.ThePittsburghSteelers,establishedin1933byArtRooney,whopurchasedthe

squadforawhopping$2,500(equivalentto$41,600in2010),arethefiftholdestfranchiseintheNFL.Artranthefranchiseformorethanfourdecades,buthissonDanwaswellgroomedtoassumealeadershiproleearlyinhiscareer.Danhasworkedintheorganizationinavarietyofcapacitiessince1955.Heassumedsubstantial leadership duties in the late 1960s and became president in 1975.Also incredibly involved with the development of the NFL at large, Dan iswidely considered one of the most respected and dependable owners in thehistory of the NFL. After nearly thirty years of serving as president of the

franchise, in 2002Dan handed the title of president over to his own son,ArtRooney II, and tookon the title of chairman.Dan is theguiding forcebehindmuch of the Steelers’ success, and he is also the bridge between theorganization’s founding fatherand itscurrentpresident.Dan’s insights into thecultureoftheSteelersarebothsurprisingandgenuinelyinspiring.EdgarSchein,professor emeritus at theSloanSchoolofManagementof the

Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT), suggests that leaders can alter aculture through a variety of efforts, and he breaks culture into three distinctlayers:observable artifacts, values, andunderlyingassumptions. 6Observableartifacts are the things that surroundyou,whichyou see, hear, touch, taste, orsmell.Theseartifactsaretangibleandclear—theteamcolors,auniform,smilingteam members, and so on. Schein identifies values as a critical element ofculture and suggests that they are best identified through conversation but arealsoreflectedinthemanyartifacts.Thevaluesthatyousubscribeto,believein,and embrace will be distinct elements of the larger culture you develop. (WeexploredvaluesinourdiscussionofstageIIoftheTeamTurnaroundProcessbutare revisiting them here because they are critical to understanding theorganization’s culture.)These values are palpable andguide the actions of theorganization.Asfortheunderlyingassumptionsofaculture,theyaretheuniquebeliefsthatsupportagroup’sspecificvalues.Ifagroupconsistentlyworksafterhours, then the underlying assumption may be that working late leads to acompetitiveedgeand toorganizational success.Conversely, a companywhoseemployees leaveon timeandworkovertimeonlywhennecessarymaybelievethathavinginterestsoutsidetheworkplace,suchasfamily,friends,andhobbies,contributes to overall health and wellness and makes for more engagedemployees. Neither perspective is wholly correct, but every culture reflects adistinctsetofassumptionsthatexplainemployees’actions.In thecaseof theSteelers, theobservableartifactsareeverywhere, and they

serve as critical reminders of the values and assumptions that the Steelersembrace. In any organization, the paint on the wall, the code of dress, anddecorations throughout theofficeserveasobservableartifacts,but theSteelersareobviouslydifferent.Theattentiontodetailandthebroadermessagesquicklydistinguish themfrommoreaverageorganizations.Theprominentlypositionedtrophies, historic memorabilia, and team photos that adorn the officesimmediatelysuggestthattheSteelersorganizationishistoricandaccomplished.Taking this idea a bit deeper, Rooney suggests that the open office planrepresentsaconsciouseffortintendedtopromoteinterofficecommunicationand

networking.Themorecasualstyleofprofessionaldressandthefriendlymannerinwhich people talkwith each other are also observable artifacts that craft adistinct environment. Beyond the layout and décor of the franchise’sheadquarters,theSteelersarerichinartifacts.Theteam’suniforms,thedistinctlogo,theplayerstheSteelersdraft,themerchandisetheysell,thefoodtheyserveat the stadium, and the price of their tickets are all artifacts that make up auniqueanddistinctculturethathasprovedwildlypowerful.Theobservable artifacts of theSteelers franchise offer acute insight into the

organization’s values, but conversation is needed to confirm them. Rooney ispointed in addressing the organization’s commitment to specific values,mentioningavarietyofprinciples that rangefromrelationshipsandhonesty toloyaltyand integrity.He talksabout themwithpassionandcommitment, evenprovidinghistoricalcontextforsomebyexplainingwherethevaluecamefromandwhy it’s important.ForRooney, thesevaluesarenot just things to respectandhonor; they’re awayofdoingbusiness, akey towinning, aguideline forhowtolivelife.Indiscussingsomeofthesevalues,Rooneynotonlyidentifiesthemexplicitly

but also gives examples of long-standing actions to back them up. Of theorganization’scommitment torelationships,heexplains,“Youknow, talkingtopeople,andlettingthemknowthatyouvaluetheiropinion,andyouhavetosayokay,well,wedon’tagreewith that,orwedobutwe’vegot topick itupandplay it through.”7Throughout theirhistory, theSteelershavebeenknownasapeople-friendly franchise. Rooney is known as a kind and wise man, theorganization is committed to keeping tickets affordable for fans, and the veryspace of the corporate offices has been designed to promote convening,conversation, and good relationships. More specifically, the Steelers gainedsomepressduringthe2011SuperBowlwhentheywerepittedagainsttheGreenBay Packers. Whereas the Packers flew their injured reserves (players whocouldn’tplaybecauseofinjuries)onaseparateflight,putthemupinadifferenthotel,andexcludedthemfromtheteamphoto,theSteelerstreatedtheirinjuredplayersasequals.TheSteelersflewasateam,injuredplayersandall,stayedinthesamehotel,andallappearedintheSuperBowlphoto.8

Given this commitment to people and relationships, the organization’sdedicationtoloyaltyisn’tmuchofaleap.Rooneybelievesinloyalty,anditrunsthrough thefranchise.TheSteelersare famousfor their franchisewidesupport.Previousplayersareknown to showupatchampionshipandplayoffgames in

droves,supportingthecurrentteamasinterestedanddedicatedalumni.Perhapsmost remarkable is the organization’s loyalty to coaches. In an eramarkedbytransition,quickhiresandfires,andlittlepatience,theSteelershavehiredonlythreecoaches since1969,a league low.Toput that stat intoperspective, asofDecember2011theAtlantaFalconshavehadfifteenheadcoachesin thesametimeframe,severalteamshaveemployedfourteencoaches,theMiamiDolphins(whoaresecondintheNFLinwinsafter1970)havehadeightcoaches,andthetwoteamsthattrailtheSteelersbyonlyoneinSuperBowltrophies(theDallasCowboys and the San Francisco 49ers) have had twenty-one coaching hiresbetween them.9 The team closest to matching the Steelers on that stat is theCarolinaPanthers,whohavehired fourcoaches,but thePanthershaveexistedonlysince1995.LoyaltyrunsdeepintheSteelersfranchise,and,alongwiththemanyvaluestheSteelerssubscribeto,theircommitmentiswhatsetsthemapart.TheSteelersdon’tjustsaythey’reloyal;theysticktoloyalty,livebyloyalty,andexemplifyloyalty.Artifactsandvaluesaresomewhateasytodiscern,butthethirdlayerofculture

isslightlymoredifficulttoidentify.Scheinsuggeststhatbeneatheveryvalueisan underlying assumption that guides stakeholders’ actions. An underlyingassumptionisanunspokentruthwithinanorganization,andit’softennoteventhoughtaboutat aconscious level.10 It’s just there, and it supports thevaluesthat existwithin theorganization.Thinkback tohow theSteelers treated theirinjuredplayersduringthe2011SuperBowl.Whywouldateamspendthatkindofmoneyonplayerswhoweren’tgoingtohelponthefield?Rooneyoncesaid,“Wealwaystreatedtheplayersasequals.Wealwaystreatedtheplayersasmorethanjustplayers.Theywerefamily.Theywerefriends.”11Inotherwords,youdon’t treat familyandfriendspoorly.Rather,you love theminsicknessand inhealth.Youvalue themand treat themwith respect, regardlessof the luck thathasbefallen them.Theassumption is that ifyou’repartof theSteelers,you’refamily, and you’ll be treated according to how the organization views family.You’llbetreatedwithcompassionandconsideration,despiteyourstanding.Similarly, why would the Steelers remain so loyal to coaches, especially

through losing periods? After all, the past thirty years haven’t been all goodtimesandsmiles.ForalltheSteelers’successes,therehavealsobeensomeleanyears.Mostrecently,between1998and2000,BillCowherguidedtheSteelerstoacombinedrecordof22–26,wellbelow.500,andfarshortoftheirannualSuperBowlaspirations.TheSteelersfailedtomaketheplayoffsforthosethreeyears,

andmanyorganizationswouldhavefiredCowherandlookedforanewcoachtogettheteamgoing,filltheseats,andsatisfyrestlessfanschronicallycallingforchange. But not the Steelers. The underlying assumption behind the Steelers’loyaltyisbothprofoundanddeeplywovenintothehistoryoftheorganization.ToillustratetheassumptionbehindtheSteelers’commitmenttoloyalty,Rooneyrecallsaconversationhehadwith thefamedSteelerscoachChuckNoll in thelate1960s.InNoll’sfirstseasonwithPittsburgh, theSteelers lost13outof14games,butRooneyremembersNollexplainingthattheyhadtoplanforthelongrun, and that short-term gains wouldn’t position the team for long-standingsuccess. For Noll, the race was best won with a consistent and steadycommitment to developing talent over time.Games couldbewon in the shortterm,butitwouldbeattheexpenseoflargergoals.InorderfortheSteelerstoachievesuccess in the formofSuperBowlvictories, they’dhave tobepatientandmakemovesthatwouldhelpthemadvancesteadilyandsustainably.Noll proved something of a genius, and the franchise ignited.Noll built the

famed “steel curtain” defense and is the only NFL coach who has won fourSuper Bowls, crystalizing the organization’s assumption that loyalty leads tosuccess. In spite of the inevitable lows, all three of theSteelers coaches since1969—Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, andMike Tomlin—have Super Bowl rings.What’s more, this particular coaching crew has gained nearly unparalleledrespectfrompeersandindustrypundits.BothNollandCowherwereincludedinBleacher Report’s 2010 piece “NFL Power Rankings: 50 Greatest NFL HeadCoaches of All-Time,” showing up as number four and number seventeen,respectively,andTomlinwilllikelymakesuchlistsasheagesintoaveteranandapossibleHallofFame-calibercoach.12

SimilartothewayinwhichtheSteelersgrewtovalueloyalty,anorganizationaccumulates itsunderlyingassumptionsover time.Through theexperiencesofthelargergroup,theinsightsofitsleaders,andthecollectivehistorythatevolveswithtime,theseassumptionsbecomethedeepestandmostingrainedlayerofanorganization’s culture. In many ways, the Team Turnaround Process is aboutunderstanding an underperforming team’s assumptions, challenging them, andbringing to light new truths and ways of doing things. Once this occurs, theorganizationhastheopportunitytolearnandsolidifyanewsetofassumptions—or, toput it anotherway, develop anewculture that ismore conducive to thelarger goals and objectives. In addition, maintaining and managing theassumptions of an organization is necessary to sustaining its success.Organizations like the Pittsburgh Steelers bear this burdenwith vigilance and

pride,ensuringthattheunderlyingassumptionsofthefranchiseareadequatetothefranchise’sincessantdedicationtoachievement.The maintenance of a culture is an ongoing process that requires regular

effort.13 The effort is worthwhile, though, particularly when you take intoaccount just how much culture dictates behavior, focus, ethic, and results.Cultureisapowerfulcomponentofeveryorganization,andtoacertainextentittakesona lifeof itsown.For the savvyandknowledgeable, however, cultureanditscomponentscanserveaspotenttools.Asyougainfurtherinsightintotheculture that surroundsyou, values canbe added and removed, artifacts canbebuilt in to further accentuate the desired principles, and assumptions can befurther defined and made explicit for your team and your organization.Leadershipandcultureareintimatelywoventogether,continuallyimpactingandinfluencing each other. But leadership has a greater impact on culture thanculturedoesonleadership,andastheleaderofateam,youareastewardofitsculture, an ambassador with the responsibility and power to influence andsafeguardacultureofexellence.14

AsFigure6.2shows,theSteelersenduredadifficultstretchbetween1998and2000,buttheteam’sculturewashardlydraggingthefranchisedown.Quitetheopposite—the Steelers’ long-standing culture of excellence was what kept thefranchise advancing through the unavoidable bad times. When the Steelersweathera fewbadyears, theydon’toverreact, fire thecoach, andyield to fanandmediapressure.AsRooneysays,“Makingchangesdoesn’thelpyou.Allitdoes isputyouback twoyears.Ourbelief is, ifyou’regoing tochangeeverythreeyears,you’renevergoingtoget there.”15It isbecauseof thisbelief thattheSteelershaveremainedremarkablysteadyintermsofownership,frontofficepersonnel, coaches, players, and success. Their culture, “the SteelersWay,” istheir most powerful asset. The Steelers serve as an example of what can beachieved when an organization embraces and preserves a culture byunderstanding its assumptions, practicing defined values, and echoing thosevaluesthroughthemanyartifactsthatcomprisetheorganization.

Figure6.2.SRSforthePittsburghSteelers,1998–2010**ThisfigureshowstheSimpleRatingSystem(SRS)asitappliestothePittsburghSteelersfrom1998through2010.TheSRS,createdbysports-reference.com,isastatisticalmeasureofagiventeam’soverallstrength,takingintoaccountitsmarginofvictoryandthestrengthoftheotherteamsitisscheduledtoplayinagivenyear.TheSRSleagueaverageis0.Numbersgreaterthan0indicatethatateam’sperformanceisstrongerthantheleagueaverage,whereasnegativenumbersindicatethatateam’sperformanceisweakerthantheleagueaverage.

THEPLAYBOOKFORNURTURINGACULTUREOF

EXCELLENCEStageVIbringswithitahostofchallengesthatwillforceyoutoquestionhowyou can continue to improve. Tomaintain your success, youmust focus youreffortsoncontinuingtolearnaboutyourorganizationandyourindustry,asJerryWeast didwhen he focused on taking theMontgomeryCounty Public SchoolSystemtoevengreaterheights.Payattentiontothedetails,anddedicateyourselfto continuing your education indefinitely. By placing a similar focus oninnovation,youwillpositionyourselfnotonlytogrowthroughlearningbutalsotouseyourknowledge toadvancenew ideas,newproducts, andnewwaysofdoingthings.Suchinnovationsmaynotalwaysbeprofitable,butadedicationtoinnovationwillinevitablyleadtoprocessesthatpushyouforward.Asyoufocusonlearningandinnovation,paycloseattentiontoyourculture.

You’veturnedyourteamaround,butnowyouwanttosustainsuccess.Cultureiscritical to your long-standing excellence, and values are an integral part ofculture.DanRooneyknowsthisandhasinstilledstrongvaluesinthePittsburghSteelers, values that are reflected throughout the franchise’s history, facilities,andteam.Allofthiscomprisesacultureofexcellencethatcontinuestodrivetheorganizationtounparalleledsuccessonandoffthefootballfield.Yourcultureisyour organization. By monitoring it, preserving it, and caring for it, you canestablishacommitmenttoachievementthatlastswellintothefuture.Commit your organization to excellence and long-term success. Don’t take

yourachievementsuptothispointforgranted.Keepdoingwhatyou’vedonetogethere.Continuetolearn,dedicateyourselftoinnovation,andtaketimebothtounderstandandfurtherdefineaculturethatwilldrivesuccessforyearstocome.There are going to be dips in the road. Things are not always going to runsmoothly.Butifyouestablishacultureforsustainedsuccess,yourorganizationwillcontinuetoexcel.

Notes

1.Lindsley,D.,Brass,D.,andThomas,J.(1995).“Efficacy-PerformanceSpirals:AMultilevelPerspective.”AcademyofManagementReview,20,645–698.2.OfficeofCommunicationsandFamilyOutreach(2009).SevenKeystoCollegeReadiness:AParent’sResourceforGradesK–12.Rockville,Maryland:MontgomeryCountyPublicSchools.Availableathttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/keys/documents/sevenkeys.pdf(retrievedJanuary27,2012).3.Dyer,J.H.,Gregersen,H.B.,andChristensen,C.M.(2009,October).“TheInnovator’sDNA:Five‘DiscoverySkills’SeparateTrueInnovatorsfromtheRestofUs.”HarvardBusinessReview,reprintR0912E.4.NationalFootballLeague(2011).2011NFLRecordandFactBook.NewYork:NationalFootballLeague.Availableathttp://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/InsideTheNumbers/Record_Since_Merger_2011.pdf(retrievedJanuary28,2012).5.Mosley,M.(2008,August29).“NFL’sBestFans?WeGottaHandIttoSteelers(Barely).”Availableathttp://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview08/columns/story?id=3530077(retrievedJanuary27,2012).6.Schein,E.H.(1990).“OrganizationalCulture.”AmericanPsychologist,45(2),109–119.7.Frontiera,J.(2010).“LeadershipandOrganizationalCultureTransformationinProfessionalSport.”JournalofLeadership&OrganizationalStudies,17(1),71–86.8.Bouchette,E.(2011,January26).“SteelersTreatIRPlayersSameAsStarters.”PittsburghPost-Gazette.Availableathttps://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/107727-ed-steelers-treat-ir-players-same-as-starters(retrievedJanuary28,2012).9.NationalFootballLeague(2012).“History:TeamCapsules.”Availableathttp://www.nfl.com/history(retrievedJanuary28,2012).10.Schein,E.H.(1992).OrganizationalCultureandLeadership(2nded.).SanFrancisco:Jossey-Bass.11.Sheridan,P.(2011,July18).“PatriciaSheridan’sbreakfastwith…DanRooney.”PittsburghPost-Gazette.Availableathttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11199/1160919-129.stm(retrievedJanuary28,2012).12.Bruno,J.(2010,October25).“NFLPowerRankings:50GreatestNFL

HeadCoachesofAll-Time.”Availableathttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/500844-nfl-history-50-greatest-head-coaches-of-all-time(retrievedJanuary28,2012).13.Kotter,J.,andHeskett,J.(1992).CorporateCultureandPerformance.NewYork:FreePress.14.Sarros,J.,Gray,J.,andDensten,I.(2002).“LeadershipandItsImpactonOrganizationalCulture.”InternationalJournalofBusinessStudies,10(2),1–26.15.Miller,I.(2004,September12).“It’stheRooneyWay:Family’sIntegrityPermeatesSteelers.”SanFranciscoChronicle.Availableathttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/09/12/SPGR58NB431.DTL(retrievedJanuary28,2012).

7

TheTeamTurnaroundWorkbookThroughtheTeamTurnaroundProcess,your

organizationcantransformitselffromapoorlyperforminggroupatstageItoateamthatadoptsacultureofsustainedexcellenceatstageVI.TheTeam

TurnaroundProcessispresentedasaneat,organized,six-stagemodel,butrealityisneverquitethisclean.Notonlywillyourturnaroundjourneybedifferentfromthestoriesinthisbook,yourpersonnel,

industry,andgoalswillpresentdistinctchallenges.TheexercisesinthischapterwillassistyouonyourpathandhelpyouandyourteamworkthroughtheTeam

TurnaroundProcess.

TheTeamTurnaroundProcess

Thischapteris intendedtohelpyouguideyourgroupforward,sotakesometime to think aboutwhat stageof theTeamTurnaroundProcess you andyourteamarein.Someexercisesarelabeled“Leader’sWorksheet”andareintendedsolelyfortheteamleader.Others,labeled“GroupExercise,”areintendedfortheleader to usewith the larger team.Exercises thatmight benefit fromhaving amoreobjectiveoutsidefacilitatorarelabeledwiththeletterFinparentheses(F).In large part, these activities are reflection-and discussion-based because noturnaroundcanoccurwithoutopen,honest,andconsistentcommunication.GoodluckasyouembarkontheTeamTurnaroundProcess!

STAGEI:LEADINGPASTLOSINGThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageI:

Theyarelosing,andoftentimestheyarelosingbig.Theyhavenoclearperformancegoals;or,iftheydohaveappropriateperformancegoals,thosegoalsarenotbeingmet.Theyarenotbeingheldaccountablefortheirfailures.Theymaynotbelievethatthereisabetterwayofdoingthings,andtheyareunawareofhowtomovethegroupforward.Theydenyorrationalizeawaytheseverityoftheproblemstheyarefacing.

Theylackopenandhonestcommunication,andwhatcommunicationtheydohaveisotherwisefaultyaswell.Theyhaverolesandexpectationsthatareambiguousand/orpoorlymatchedwiththeteammembers’skills.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:ToexplorethereasonsforpoorperformanceToreflectonwhattheteamcouldbeTodiscernwhetherteammembers’statedcausesforfailureareactualcausesorsimplyrationalizationsTotellteammembersthetruthaboutthereasonsfortheirpoorperformanceTolearnhowotherleadershaveinspiredsuccessinsimilarsituations

Whenyoufirst joinanunderperformingteamorrealizethatyourgroupisinthethroesofstageI,yourknee-jerkresponsemaybetoact.Ascounterintuitiveas thismay seem, however, action needs towait. Rushing to do something isanalogous to a doctor’s prescribing a knee brace for a patient complaining ofknee pain. The brace might alleviate the immediate problem, but what if thestructure of the knee is damaged and a ligament is torn?What if the issue isreallymisalignmentofthehip,oranabnormalgait,orlackofbloodflowtotheknee?Byactingprematurely, thedoctor losesacriticalopportunity toseparatethesymptomfromthecoreproblem(s)andmayactuallyexacerbatetheissue.Quickactionisunlikelytoleadtolong-termsustainableperformance.Jeffrey

Lurie of the Philadelphia Eagles, Frank Esposito of Kendon Industries, andDavidHelferofJuniperNetworksallunderstoodthisandpainstakinglygatheredinformationbeforetheytookaction.Lurie,Esposito,andHelferfirststudiedandworked to understand the core issues that were plaguing their teams, whereimprovementswereneeded,andwhatwasgoingwrong.Ifyouwanttobuildforlong-term,sustainableperformance,you’regoingtohaveputthetimeinupfronttobetterunderstandyourteam’sprocesses,composition,interactions,alignment,and strategy. Only after understanding how the team works can you possiblyunderstandwhatiswrongandwhatneedstobefixed.Inorder toanalyzeyour teameffectively,youmayneedtoquestionsomeof

thebasicassumptionsoftheteam’sveryexistence.Thefollowingpagescontainseveralexercisesandquestionsyoucanusetoguideyourexploration.Bytakingthetimetounderstandwhyyourteamisfailing,youwillprepareyourselftoleadtheteamforward.

ObserveandLearn:Leader’sWorksheetInbeginningthisexploratoryprocess,theprimaryquestionisobviously“Whyarewelosing?”Inordertounderstandthisissuemorefully,youneedtoexaminetheteam,itsexpectations,howitisfailing,andwhereproblemsareoccurring.1.When JeffreyLuriepurchased thePhiladelphiaEagles, he knew they weren’t performing on thefield, but he didn’t understand how deeply theywere failing as an organization. He took time todiscover, through intense observation, where theorganization was losing. Spend some timeobserving your own team, and answer thefollowingquestions:

Whatisyourteamfailingtoachieve?Whatneedstobefixed?

2. In order for teammembers to effectively carryout their roles, it’s critical that they have thenecessarytools.Todeterminewhetherornotyourteammembershavewhattheyneedtogetthejobdone,askyourselfthefollowingquestions:

Whatskillsnecessaryfor thejobdoindividualteammemberslack?What can you do to help them acquire thoseskills?

3. Most underperforming teams have members

whodisplaybehaviorsthatdonotcontributetothecohesiveness or productivity of the group, butthose behaviors are tolerated because “that’s theway things have always been.” The Eagles’equipmentmanager refused to give equipment totheplayers, andhis actionshad adirect, negativeeffectontheplayers’performanceandsatisfaction.Take a look at your team, and ask yourself thesequestions to identify and address negativebehaviorstheymaybedisplayingorbattling:

What specific behaviors impede the group orharminterpersonalrelations?Whatimportantbehaviorsareabsentthatcouldhelpthegroup?

4. David Helfer analyzed his team at JuniperNetworks tobetterunderstand roles,expectations,and how talent could be matched with tasks. Asyoubegintoanalyzeyourteam,askyourselfthesequestionstohelpyourselfconsiderhowyourteamfunctionsandwhetherroleswillneedtobefurtherassessed:

Whodoeswhat?Are the right people in position to get the jobdone?Could the team function more effectively ifrolesweredefineddifferently?

ObserveandLearn:GroupExerciseNotetotheleader:Useyourbestjudgmentonwhethertoconductthisexerciseinagroupsettingorthroughindividualconversationswithgroupmembers.FrankEspositoaskedeverymemberofhisteamatKendonIndustriesthefollowingthreequestionstobetterunderstandwhereandhowtheywerefailing:

Ifyouwereinmyrole,whatarethreethingsthatyouwouldchange?Whatarewedoingthat’sstupid?Whatdoyouthinkourcustomersthinkaboutthisteam?

Byaskingthequestionsinthetwoprecedingexercises,youwillgainvaluableinsightsrelatedtoyourteammembersandtheissuesthathaveheldthemback.Astemptingasitwillbetotakeactiononcetheinformationbeginstocomein,it’simportanttorefrainfromacting.You’rebuildingafoundation,andtheseinitialquestionsarejustbreakingground.Supplementtheanswersyougetwithmoreintenseinquiry,interviews,andanyquantifiableperformancemetricsyoucanfind(forexample,metricsrelatedtosales,wins,goals,earnings,andsoon).Asyougathermoreinformation,youwillbeabletoconstructacomprehensivenarrativeabouthowandwhyyourteamhassunktoitscurrentlevel.Onlywhenyouhavereachedthatpointshouldyoutakeyourfindingstotheteam,addressingteammemberswiththefactsandsharingthetruthsyou’veuncovered.

FaceReality:Leader’sWorksheetAfteryouhavehadtimetoobservetheworkingsofyourteam,youwillnodoubthaveuncoveredsomeuglytruthsaboutthegroup’sperformance.Atthispoint,itisnecessaryforyoutocommunicatethesetruthstothegroup.Itiscriticalforgroupmemberstounderstandandrespondtothetruthsotheycanstopdenying,justifying,andrationalizingtheirunderwhelmingperformance.Astheleader,youmustbethetruthtellerandchallengetheteamwiththerealitythatitisunderperformingbutdoesn’thaveto.Considerthefollowingquestions:

1.Howistheteamrationalizingand/ordenyingitspoorperformance?2.Whatwillhappenifteammemberscontinuetodenyand/orrationalizetheirpoorperformance?Whataretheconsequences?3.Whatneedstohappenforpoorperformancetochange?4.Howcanthismessagebedeliveredsothegroupwillhearandunderstandit?

Byconsideringthesequestionsbeforeyouchallengetheteam,youwillpositionyourselftoconstructalogicalandemotionallyappealingargumentforchange.

FaceReality:GroupActivity(F)Nowthatyouhaveannouncedtheperformanceissuesthatyouthinkareplaguingtheteam,it’salsoimportantfortheteamtoacknowledgethem.Whileit’snecessaryforteammemberstohearthesetruthsfromyou,itcanbehelpfuliftheyareengagedintheprocessoffurtherexploringthem.Onewaytogainadditionalinsightandbuy-inregardingtheperformanceconcernsdebilitatingateamisthroughtheexerciseofcreatingafishbonediagram,atooldevelopedbyKaoruIshikawainthe1960stoilluminaterootcausesofspecificproblems.1Thisexercisecanincludeallthe

membersofateam,anditisanexcellentwaytodistinguishsymptomsfromrootcauseswhileinvitingthemultipleperspectivesofthegroup.

Tostartthefishbonediagram,thefacilitatorwritesdownaclearproblemstatement—forexample,“Teamfallingshortofoverallperformanceby20percent.”Thisstatement,whichcanreflectoneoftheuglytruthsuncoveredthroughthepreviousworksheet,iscalledtheeffectstatement.Oncethegroupagreesonthestatement,drawaboxaroundthestatementtorepresenttheheadofthefish,andthendrawalinetrailingfromtheheadtoserveasthespine.Inthefollowingillustration,theeffectstatementissimply“Lowattendanceatgames.”

Next,broadercausecategoriesaredrawn,servingasribsextendingfromthespine.Causecategoriesaregeneralareasfromwhichproblemsmightoriginate.Forexample,causecategoriesusedintheserviceindustrymighttaketheformoftheeightP’s(product,price,place,promotion,people,process,physicalevidence,andproductivity),whereasamanufacturingteammightemploytheeightM’s(machine,method,material,manpower,measurement,management,maintenance,andMotherNature/environment).Regardlessofthecategoriesyouuse,eachbroadercausecategoryneedstorelatebacktotheeffectstatement.Thefollowingillustrationshowstheinitialeffectstatement,alongwiththecausecategoriesbranchingfromthespine.

Foreachcausecategory,ageneralquestionrelatedtohowthecausecategoryimpactstheproblemshouldbeposed.Forexample,“Howdoesprice[thecausecategory]contributetothisproblem?”Asideasareprovidedbytheteam,thefacilitatornoteseachoneasa“bone”fromtheappropriatecausecategory.It’spossibleforthesesubcausestobeplacedinmorethanonecausecategory.Tocreatethefollowingillustration,thefacilitatorconnectednumerousbonestothe“Product”causecategorybecausetheteambelievedthattheproductwassubstantiallyrelatedtotheoriginaleffectstatement.

Witheachidea,agoodfacilitatorwillproberesponsesbyasking“Why?”Pushingyourselvestofindadeepermeaningintheresponseswillensurethattheexerciseproducesvaluedresults.

Asking“Why?”canguidethedeeperinquiryandreflectionthatarecriticalforforwardmovement.Hereisthecompletedfishbonediagram.

Afterallthecausecategorieshavebeendiscussed,reviewyourfindingswiththeteam.Makesurethattheentiregrouphasclarityonwhatcontributestotheproblem.Ideally,yourteamwillleavetheexercisewitharicherunderstandingofgroupissuesandofwhytheyexist.Inadditiontousingthefishbonediagramtoidentifyproblemstosolve,youcanrevisittheresultswhenoldrationalizationsanddenialresurface.

DefineRolesandResponsibilities:Leader’sWorksheetWhenDavidHelferofJuniperNetworksbeganworkingwithhiscurrentteam,hesimplyaskedteammemberswhattheirjobswere.Fromthissimplequestion,Helfergainedabetterunderstandingofhisemployees’perceptionsoftheirrolesandwhattheythoughttheywerebeingjudgedby.Attimeshewassurprisedbytheresponsesbecausetheywerefarfromaccurate,buteachconversationgavehimanopportunitytoreinforcetheemployee’sactualroleandspecificexpectationsandtodeterminewhethertheemployeewastherightfitforthejobfunction.Thefollowingquestionswillhelpyouengageina

dialoguetobetterunderstandtherolesandexpectationsofyourteammembers:1.Whatiseachindividual’srole?2.Whatareyourexpectationsofeachindividual?3.Ifamemberfallsshortofyourexpectations,whatcanheorsheexpect?4.Ifyouarenotmeetingateammember’sexpectations,howshouldheorsheapproachyou?5.Howcanyouensurethateachteammemberunderstandshisorherrole?6.Howcanyoucontinuallycommunicateyourexpectationstotheteam?Whatchannelswillyouuse?

Theanswerstothesequestionswillhelpyougainclarityregardingwhatyourteammembersthinktheyshouldbedoingandwhatyouexpectofthem.Withthisinformation,youcanbegintocommunicatepreciseroles,responsibilities,andexpectationstoemployees.Inaddition,youcandeterminewhetheranyemployeesareillsuitedtotheircurrentrolesandidentifymoreappropriateones.Aconversationaboutrolesandresponsibilitiescanclarifyanyroleambiguityandhelpteammembersmoveforwardwiththeconfidencethattheireffortsarealignedwiththeirrolesandyourexpectations.

STAGEII:COMMITTINGTOGROWTH

ThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageII:

Theyfullyrecognizethattheyarenotperformingadequately.Theyfeelanintensedrivetobebetter.Theyarereadytostriveforlargerachievements,evenifthosenowseemvagueandsomewhatunattainable.Theyneedmorespecificplanscomposedofgoalsandvalues.Theyareexcitedtobeginanewjourney.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:TodevelopandcommunicateavisionToidentifyandarticulatethevaluesthatwillguidethegroupforward,providingteammembersnecessarydirectionregardinghowtheywillgoaboutachievingtheirvisionandgoalsTodevelopthelargerplanandsmallergoals

InstageII,yourteammembersshouldhaveabetterunderstandingofwhatisexpectedof themandofwhat theycanexpect fromtheorganization.Whereasstage I is largely about identifying and accepting where the team is in thepresent, stage II is about accepting the reality of poor performance and aboutplanningforthefuture.Atthisstage,youwillbegintoplanwherethegroupwillgoandhowyou’llguideitthere.Specifically,thefocusinstageIIisonvision,values, and corresponding goals, and your efforts will be concentrated oninspiringthegrouptomoveforward.StageIIisdefinedbyhope—theideathatthegroupcanandwillgetbetter.

LaunchtheVision:Leader’sWorksheetThemannerinwhichavisionisdevelopedandcommunicatedcanmakeorbreakitssuccess.BillPolian,onetimepresidentoftheIndianapolisColts,walkedintoafailingorganizationanddeclaredhisvisionfortheteam—aSuperBowlchampionship.Giventhateveryvisionisbothpersonaltotheleaderanduniquetotheteambeingled,whatwillyourvisionbe?Thevisionmustserveasabeacontoguidetheteamtowardgreatersuccess.Ithastoresonateatadeeplevelandexciteteammembersabouttheupcomingjourney.

Yourvisioncanbeaverypowerfultoolforrallyingthetroops,andsoitiscrucialthatyoutakethetimetodevelopacompellingandinspiringvision.Askyourselfthefollowingquestions:1.Whatareyouandtheteamcapableofwhenyou’reperformingatyourbest?2.Whathastheteamaccomplishedinthepastthatsuggestsgreatnessmovingforward?3.Whatexistingthoughts,achievements,orteamconceptscanyouincorporateintoyourvision?4.Whatisyourvisionforthisteam?Rememberthataneffectivevisionisshort,isconcrete,andreflectswhoyouareasapersonandasaleader.5.Howcanyoucommunicateyourvision,bothinitiallyandonaconsistentbasis?Itisimportantthatyouconsiderhowthevisioncanbecommunicatedthroughwordsaswellasactions.

Thisexerciseservesthreepurposes.First,itwillhelpyouconstructaportraitofwhattheteamcouldlooklikeandwhatitcouldaccomplish.Second,itwillhelpyoumakethechangeseasierforthegroupasyouconsiderwhotheteamisandhowteammemberscandrawontheirpasttomoveforward.Third,itwillhelpyoudevelopacommunicationstrategysoyoucandeliveryourvisionmoreclearlyandcomprehensively.

LaunchtheVision:GroupExerciseInordertogetthe

restoftheteaminvolvedinthevision-formingprocess,youcanmakecreatingavisionintoanengagingexercise.

Splittheteamintogroupsoffourtofivepeople.Askthesubgroupsasimplequestion:“Whatwouldyouwantarespectedpublication[forexample,HarvardBusinessRevieworFastCompanyorwhateverismostrelevanttoyourindustry]towriteaboutthisteaminsevenyears?”Taskeachgroupwithdevelopingabulletedlistonaflipchartthatcaptureswhatthemembersthinktheyarecapableof,whatotherswillrecognizeinthem,andwhattheywillworktowardduringtheseven-yeartimeperiod.Afterabouttwentytofortyminutes,haveeachindividualgrouppresentitsresponsetotherestoftheteam.Duringthepresentations,highlightanddiscussgroupresponsesthatreachtowardthefuture,thatincludecreativeideasaboutwhatthegroupcanachieve,andthatofferspecificdirectionregardingwherethegroupshouldstrivetogo.

Byengagingthegroupinthevisionprocess,yougainvaluableinsightintowhatteammemberswanttobecome.Incorporatethisinformationintothelargervision,andletthemknowthatwhattheythinkmatters.Thisexercisealsoprovidesanopportunitytoseewhatlimitstheteamisplacingonitsownpotential.Chancesarethatyoumayneedtoconvinceteammemberstoreachfartherthantheythinktheycan.

AdoptGuidingValues:GroupExercise#1Valuesprovideaframeworkforwhat’simportantandhelpreduceanxietybyansweringquestionsregardinghowpeopleshouldactastheystrivefortheirvisionsandgoals.Valuesareacriticalcomponentofanyorganization’sculture,andultimatelytheyguidethebehaviorofthelargergroup.JimGrundbergofSeeMorePuttersidentifiedhiscompany’sguidingvaluesascustomerserviceandtechnology.RecallhowSeeMorePuttersdemonstratedthosevaluesthroughwhatthecompanysaidanddid.Todothisinyourorganization,itisimportanttoconsiderwhatyourteam’svaluesareandtoplanforhowthosevaluescanbeimplementedandconsistentlyactedout.

1.Ask one simple question that focuses teammembers on the values theywere livingoutwhile theywere underperforming—for example, “Whatwere the values that you exhibitedlastyear,andhowdidtheycontributetoyourperformance?”2.Compareandcontrastthevaluesoftheteamwhenitwaslosingtothevaluesofawinningteam.

Thissimpleexercisewillprovideyouwithinsightintowhatteammembersvaluedwhentheywerelosing.Itwillalsohelpyouidentifywhatthegroupneedstovalueinordertowin.

AdoptGuidingValues:GroupExercise#2(F)This

exercisewillallowyoutoexploregroupvaluesand,intheprocess,helpyougainkeeninsightintothevariousperceptionsofeachteammember.Itwillalsoprovideyouwithasolidfoundationonwhichtoestablishclearbehaviorsandexpectationsforlivingoutthevaluesthatareultimatelyrecognizedandformallyadoptedbytheteam.1. Without prior discussion, have each teammemberwritedownthethreecorevaluesheorshebelievestheteammusthavetoachieveitsvision.2. Once the team has come together as a group,have each teammemberwrite down, on a sharedwhiteboard or poster board, the values that he orshecameupwith.3.Throughgroupdiscussion,examinethesevaluesonthreedifferentlevels:Surface:Discusswhat’sontheboard,thefactsthatlieinfrontofyou,thecommonalities,andthe outliers. Have team members whoadvocated for lesspopularvaluesexplain theirreasoning. Similarly, have group membersdiscussthemorecommonvalues:Whydidtheycontinuetocomeup?Howmighttheyhelpthelargerteam?Internal:Discusshowthevaluesmightworktohelp internal interactions within the team. In

other words, have teammembers outline howthevaluesmightprovideaframeworkinwhichtooperateinternally.External:Discusshowthevalueson theboardmight assist with relations outside the group,and how they might impact external businessdynamics.

4.Takespecialnoteof thevaluesthatcontinuetosurfaceduring theconversation,andof thevaluesthatseemtohavebeenleftbehind.5.Nowhave thegroupasawhole select three tofivevalues, basedon thediscussion, that seem toresonatewiththelargerteamandtoalignwiththelarger vision. Work to ensure that everyone’svoice, includingyourown, is heard, and that lessvocalmembersoftheteamhaveanopportunitytoexpresstheiropinions.6. Now discuss what types of day-to-day actionsandbehaviorsrepresenteachvalue,anddeterminewhat the group can do to live out the values thathavebeenidentified.

Throughthisexercise,youwillnotonlydefineclearvaluesthatthegroupcansubscribetobutalsoidentifycriticalactionsthatwillassistteammembersinlivingoutthevaluesthatresonatewiththem.

EstablishaPlan:GroupExercise(F)JustasJereHarrisandhiscolleaguesdeterminedaplanforhow

Spider-Man:TurnOfftheDarkwouldeventuallyopenasasuccessfulBroadwayshow,youwillneedtodevelopaplanthatwillguideyourteamforward.Todevelopyourplan,youcanusethecriticalsuccessfactor(CSF)format,whichidentifiesthefactorsthatarecriticaltoyourteam’ssuccess.1CSFsaretheessentialareasthat,ifaddressedappropriately,willensurethatyourteamcompetessuccessfully.JereHarrisbelievedthattheSpider-ManteamhadthreeCSFs:tounderstandwhattheaudiencewanted,tochangethestorylinetoreflecttheaudience’sdesires,andtorelaunchthenewproduct.1. To identify your team’s CSFs, simply ask theteam, “What are the critical success factors, oressentialareasweneedtoaddress,forourteamtosucceed?”2. Now that you have identified yourCSFs, howcantheybeprioritizedtoformtheframeworkofaplan?

Thesequestionswillprovidevaluableinsightintowhatthegroupconsiderscriticaltoachievingitsvision.Thisexercisemayseemsimple,buttheconversationitgenerateswillbepowerfulandvaluable.Bepreparedforintensediscussionbecausetherewillbedifferingperspectivesaboutwhatiscriticalandwhatcanbeignored.Someteammembersmayfighttojustifytheircontributions,andtheymaybecomesteadfastinprotectingtheirplacesintheshop.Listenforargumentsthatbecomemoreselfish,andbepreparedtoredirectthegrouptowardfocusingonwhatiscriticalfortheteam’slong-termachievement.

DevelopGoals:GroupExerciseNowthatyouhave

identifiedthefactorsthatwillbecriticaltoyoursuccess,youwillhaveplentyoffodderfordevelopingcleargoals.SomeoftheCSFsyou’veidentifiedmayactuallyserveasgoals,whereasotherswillnot.Forexample,asoccerteammayconsidersoccerballsanddailypracticecriticaltoitssuccess,butobtainingsoccerballsmaybeirrelevantasagoal,whereasdailypracticecouldprovetobeagoalworthmakingexplicit.ReviewtheCSFsyou’veidentifiedasagroup,anddeterminethegoalsyouwillneedtoachieveinordertoadvancetowardthelargervision.Considerthefollowingquestionsasyoubrainstorm:1.WhatdoweneedtoaccomplishasweworktowardeachCSF?2.WhatdoweneedtoachieveeverydayinordertobelievethatwearesuccessfullymakingprogresstowardtheCSFs?3.WhatextraeffortsarenecessaryinordertoachieveeachCSF?

Bydevelopingalistofpossiblegoals,youwilloutlineexactlywhattypesofthingsneedtohappeninorderforyoutocontinuallyprogress.Yourlistwilllikelyneedfurtherrefinement,butatleastyouandtheteamaresharingthebeliefthatspecificthingsneedtobeachievedinorderforthelargervisiontobeaccomplished.

SMARTGoals:GroupExerciseOncethelistofgoals

hasbeendeveloped,itcanbehelpfultodiscusseachoneinthecontextoftheSMARTgoalframework(theacronymstandsforgoalsthatarespecific,measurable,attainable,relevant,andtime-sensitive).Specific Whatisthegoal?

Whoisinvolved?Whatdoesitpertainto?

Measurable Aremetricsinplacetomeasureprogress?Ifnot,canmetricsbecreated?How(andbywhom)willprogressbemeasured?

Attainable Isthisgoalachievablewiththeresourcesavailable?Ifweneedadditionalresources,whatarethey?

Relevant Howdoesthisgoalconnectwithourultimateobjective?Isittrulyrelatedtoourcriticalsuccessfactors?

Time-sensitive Bywhendoesthisgoalneedtobecompleted?

BymakingyourgoalscompliantwiththeSMARTgoalframework,youwillcreatealistofgoalsthatareactionable.Makesurethatbythetimeyoufinishthisexercise,youhaveactionablegoalsandclearinstructionsregardingwhowilldowhat,bywhen.Afterall,thesearetheissuesthattheentireteamneedstofocusonandmusthaveclarityaroundinorderfortheteamtoaccomplishitslargervision.

STAGEIII:CHANGINGBEHAVIORS

ThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageIII:Theyconsciouslystrivetochange.Theyfocusonthesmallbehaviorsandactionsthatleadtosuccess.Teammemberstrusteachotherforencouragementandcorrectionasthegroupstrivestobreakbadhabitsandadoptnew,moreproductiveones.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:ToeducatetheteamaboutthebehaviorsandactionsneededforsuccessTomodelappropriatebehaviorsandrelyonkeypersonneltodothesameToaddressold,inappropriatebehaviorswhentheyreappear,andtocontinuallyreinforcethebehaviorsneededforsuccess

ToidentifyandmanufacturesuccessessothatteammembersfeeltheprogresstheyaremakingTocelebratesuccessesexplicitlyandjoyfully

Uptothispoint,youandyourteamhavebeeninwardlyfocusedonwhatyouhavebecome,onwhatyouwanttobe,onwhereyouwanttogo,andonhowyouplantogetthere.Youhavehelpedyourteamincreaseitsawarenessanddevelopa plan that, if executed, can lead to success. At stage III, you move fromplanningandintrospectiontoexecution.Whenyouexecuteyourplan,therewillbesetbacks,butitistheroleoftheleadernotonlytomodelandencouragethebehaviorsthatleadtosuccessbutalsotoidentifyandcorrectthebehaviorsthatwillinevitablycarryoverfromtheearlierdaysoflosing.

UnderstandingtheStagesofChange:Leader’sWorksheetJamesProchaska,JohnNorcross,andCarloDiClementedevelopedthetranstheoreticalmodelofbehaviorchange.Inthemodeloutlinedbythesethreeresearchers,individualsprogressfromprecontemplationtocontemplationtopreparation,andfinallytheyadvancefromactiontomaintenance.Accordingtothismodel,peopleslowlymovefromignoringtheirproblembehaviorstoacknowledgingandlearningaboutthenegativeimpactoftheiractions,andthentochanging.Throughoutthisprocess,differenttoolsarecriticalforcontinuedprogress.Understandingwhereemployeesareinthebehavior-changeprocesscanassistyouinmeetingthemwiththeappropriateinterventions.Thefollowingfigureillustratesthestagesofanindividual’sbehavior-changeprogress.TranstheoreticalModelSource:AdaptedfromJ.O.Prochaska,J.C.

Norcross,andC.C.DiClemente,ChangingforGood(NewYork:Avon,1994).

TeachWhat’sRight:Leader’sWorksheetWhenAniShabazian(ChapterFour)explainedtoanemployeethatlisteningtoaniPodatworkwasinappropriate,shewasbringingthatemployeefromprecontemplation(notevenconsideringtheactionasinappropriate)tocontemplation(thinkingabouttheimplicationsandimpactoftheaction).Asyoubecomefamiliarwiththetranstheoreticalmodelofchange,youcanmakeaneducatedguessaboutwhichstageofbehaviorchangeanemployeemightbein.Onceyoubelieveyouhaveidentifiedwhereanindividualfallsinthebehavior-changeprocess,youcantargettheappropriatetypeofinterventionusingthefollowingtable.Insteadofsimplytellingtheemployeetochange,youcanusethetabletoguidehimorhertowardmorepurposefulaction.Ifyoualignyouractionsasaleaderwiththestagetheemployeeisin,youcanbemoreeffectivewhenworkingwiththatemployeetochangehisorherbehavior.

Stage ManagementGoal ManagementIntervention

Precontemplation Increasetheemployee’sawarenessofaspecificproblembehaviororoftheneedforamoreeffectivebehavior

ProvideeducationConductanindividualconversationExplainhowthebehaviorimpactsperformanceExplainhowthebehaviorimpactstheteam

Contemplation Helptheemployeetoconsiderhisorherbehaviorandwhychangemaybenecessary

AssistwithevaluationoftheprosandconsofbehaviorchangeOutlineexpectedoutcomesifbehaviordoeschange

Preparation Encouragepreparationbygentlynudgingtheemployeetowardactionandincreasingthefeelingofsupport

WorkwiththeemployeetodefineandovercomeobstaclesEncouragesmallfirststepsAssistwiththeplanningthatgoesintomakingachange

Action Encourageandsupporttheemployee,andcelebratehisorhersuccesses

EnsurethattheemployeehasappropriatesupportCelebratenewoutcomes

Maintenance Helptoreinforceandrefineneededandsuccessfulbehaviors

ReinforcebehaviorsthatleadtosuccessthroughexplicitmentionandcelebrationOfferadviceforandguidancetowardthecontinualrefinementofbehaviors

ModelWhat’sRight:Leader’sWorksheetOneofthemajorreasonswhyMarilynMasaitisissoeffectiveinleadingMarilyn’sCafeisthatheractionsconsistentlymodelthebehaviorsthatsheexpectsheremployeestodisplay.Astheleader,youractionscangoalongwaytowardfurtheringrainingdesiredandsuccessfulbehaviorsinyourteam.Conversely,ifyouractionsareinconsistentwithyourwords,confusionand

frustrationwilllikelytakerootamongteammembers.Nothingwilldestroyateam’swillingnesstochangefasterthanthepossibilitythatyouarenotwalkingthetalk.Attheendofeachworkday,takefiveminutestoreflectonyouractionsandaskyourselfthefollowingquestions:1.WhatdidIdotodaytoserveasarolemodelforthegroup?WhatdidImodel?2.Werethereanycrisesthatoccurredtoday?Ifso,howdidIaddressthem,andweremyeffortseffective?3.DidIdoanythingtodaythatmayhaveunderminedtheteam’ssuccess?4.HowcanIcontinuetosetastandardfortheteamwithmyactions?

Thissimpleactofself-reflectioncanpromotedeepenedawarenessaboutwhatyou’redoingtoleadyourteamtosuccess.Theexerciseisnotintendedtobewhollypositive.Leaderswillmakemistakes,andthisexercisewillhelpyouidentifyyours.Ifyou’veunderminedthesuccessoftheteam,thenworktoremedyyourmistakequicklyanddecisively.Similarly,ifyoustruggletocomeupwithday-to-dayactionsthataresupportingandadvancingtheeffortsoftheteam,itmayhelptoidentifyneweffortsthatyoucanintegrateintoyourroutine.Wecanallimprove,andpushingyourselftobethebestleaderyoucanbewillnotonlypositionyoutoleadeffectivelybutalsoinspireandguideyourteamforward.

ReinforceWhat’sRight:Leader’sWorksheetBecausemostleadersareachievement-oriented,yourthoughtsmaylikelybedominatedbythequestionofwhat’snext.Ifyou’realwayslookingahead,however,youwillmissopportunitiestocelebratethesmallaccomplishmentsandsuccessesthatyourteamachievesalongtheway.Stoppingtocelebrateisasessentialasholdingteammembersaccountablewhentheymissthemark.Yourfocusmaynaturallygravitatetowardaccountability,butcelebrationsofsuccessareneededforcontinuedgrowth.Mostbasketballcoacheswouldn’tcelebratetheireighthwinoftheseason,butKimMulkeydidbecausesheknewitrepresentedprogress.Acelebrationcanbeassimpleasapatontheback,publicrecognitionthroughagroupe-mail,orpraiseduringaprivatemeeting,butthekeyistoacknowledgesuccessinsomemanner.Byaskingthefollowingtwosimplequestionsatsomepointduringeveryday,youcanraiseyourawarenessofwhensuccessesoccurandofhowyou’recelebratingthem:1.Whatoccurredtodaytodemonstratethatanindividualortheteamismakingprogress?2.HowcanIrecognizetheseaccomplishments?

Becauseitiscriticalaswelltoholdteammembersaccountabletothestandardsthathavebeenset,alsoaskyourselfthesequestions

everyday:1.Whatsetbacksoccurredtodaythatcouldcompromisetheprogressoftheteam?2.Werethesesetbacksaddressed?Ifnot,howcanteammembersbeheldaccountabletopreventsimilarsetbacksinthefuture?Onceyouraiseyourawarenessofyourteam’ssuccessesandsetbacks,takeappropriateaction.Govisitwithyourteammembersandacknowledgetheirprogress,ortheirdifficulties.Eitherway,letthemknowthatyou’venoticed,thatyoucare,andthatyou’recommittedtotheirprogress.

STAGEIV:EMBRACINGADVERSITY

ThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageIV:Theyembracetheopportunitytoacceptsetbacksandchallenges.Theyexperiencetheexcitementofnewchallenges,newconcerns,andnewsuccesses.Theyembracetheopportunitytoprovethemselvesonabiggerstage.Theytakeonnewsetsofobstaclesthatwillsparkdevelopmentandgrowth.Theygaintheconfidenceandbeliefthatcomewithsuccessfullyovercominglargersetbacks.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:ToappropriatelyframeobstaclesaschallengesthatwillallowforgrowthToembraceandsometimesevencreatelargercrisesforteammemberstorallyaroundTopromoteanddevelopresilienceintheteam

Asteamsbegintowin,theyinevitablymeetwithobstaclesandchallenges.Inspite of these barriers, the most successful teams embrace challenges,consideringthesetobeameansofbonding,improving,andmovingforward.AtstageIV,youmustlearntoseechallengesasopportunitiesbecauseindoingsoyouwillguideyourteamtocontinuedsuccess.

EmbraceChallenges:Leader’sWorksheetAsyouencourageteammemberstoembracechallenges,helpthembyidentifyingwhatneedstochange,whatwillhappentothegroupifthechangeeffortsareunsuccessful,andhowthechangealignswiththeteam’slong-termsuccess.Thefollowingtablewillhelpguideyouthroughtheexerciseofidentifyingchallengesandhowbesttodealwiththem.JustasDomino’sPizzagrewbyembracingmultiplechallenges,usethesechallengesasrallyingcriesforcontinuedeffortandsuccess.Step Description GuidingQuestions

1 Identifychallenges Whatcouldconceivablyoccurthatwouldderailtheteam’sefforts?Whatisapriority?

2 Setadeadline Whenwillthisobstacleimpactus,andwhendoweneedtodealwithit?

3 Identifyconsequences Whataretherepercussionsifwedonotdealwiththechallenge?Whatwillhappentothelargergroup?Howwilltheteam’ssuccessbeimpacted?

4 Identifywhoisimpactedandhow

Whatwillhappentotheteamifthechallengeisnotembraced?Whatwillhappentotheteam’sconstituentsifthechallengeisignored?

5 Identifybenefits Ifthechallengeisovercome,howwillthathelptheteamintheshortterm?Howwillovercomingthechallengebenefittheteammovingforward?

6 Deliverthemessage Howcanthemessageofembracingthechallengebedeliveredquicklyandconcisely?Throughwhatmediacanthemessagebedelivered?

Onceyouhaveidentifiedachallengetoembraceandhaveestablishedamessagethatwillcallyourteamtoarms,it’simportantthatyourelentlesslyfocusyoureffortsonovercomingtheobstacle.Thischallengeisaunifyingopportunityforyourteamtoproveitself.Gooutandtacklethechallenge,andprovethatyou’regettingbetter,morepowerful,andmorecompetentatovercoming

setbacks.

EmbraceChallenges:GroupExerciseDomino’sPizzaembracedavarietyofchallengesrelatedtocustomersatisfaction,publicrelations,andproductquality.AlltheseobstacleswereseenbyDomino’sasopportunitiestoimprovewhileprovingcompetentandcapable.Learningtoseechallengesasopportunitiestoproveyourstuffcanbeapowerfulandmotivatingexercise.Thefollowingquestionswillhelpteammemberslearntothinkpositivelyaboutthechallengestheyface:1.Whatproblemsarewecurrentlyfacingthatcanbeviewedaschallengestoembrace?2.Howcancurrentproblemshelpusgrowasateam?3.Howcancurrentproblemsbeconfrontedsoastoshowcaseourabilitiesandpotential?

Whenyouembracechallengesasameanstoseejusthowgoodyourteamis,whatonceseemedoverwhelmingmaycometoseemmanageableandexciting.

BuildResilience:GroupExercise(F)Buildingaresilientteamiscriticaltolong-termsuccess.Ateamneedstobeabletotakeonchallengeswithoutdisintegratingassoonasthingsbecomedifficult.

Resilienceisatermthatencapsulatesarangeofconcepts,includingpositivethinking,flexiblethinking,problemsolving,andgratitude.Resilienceisamind-setthatisdevelopedthroughpractice,experience,andreflection.WhereBillStonemanoftheLosAngelesAngelssawamarketthathadmillionsofpeople,hundredsofbusinesses,andimmensepotential,hispredecessorshadseenasmall-marketclubthatcouldnevercompetewiththelarge-marketteams.Inmanyways,wehavealotofleewayintermsofhowweperceivetheworld.Unfortunately,oncewemakeourdecisiononwhethersomethingisgoodorbad,ourperceptionssolidify,andwebegintolookforevidencethatonlyreinforcesouropinions.Inchallengingyourteamtofindevidencethatsupportsmorepositiveconclusionsandperspectives,youcandrivehometheconceptthatourperceptionsareinfluencedbyourchoices.

Askyourteamtoidentifytwoorthreethingsthatarewidelyperceivedasnegative(eitherwithinorexternaltoyourteam).Thesecanrangefromalackofresourcestoexternalmarketfactorsthatmaybeimpactingprogress.Ensurethatthereisconsensus,ornearconsensus,withthefinaldiscussionpoints.Oncethegrouphasagreedontwoorthreenegativeissues,haveteammembersbrainstormwithoneanotherabouthoweachofthesenegativescanbeperceivedasapositive.Encourageyourteamtoputgenuineeffortintoworkingthroughthisexercise,andtaketimetoidentifyrealisticalternativestotheinitialnegativeperceptions.

Uponcompletionoftheexercise,thefacilitatorcandrivehomethekeypointthatperceptiondrivesperspective.Wechoosetoviewtheworld,ourteam,challenges,andprogressaspositiveornegative,andwecanmodifyourperspectivebyadjustingourperceptions.Wecanlookatthesameissueintwoverydifferentways,andperhapsweoftenshould.Resilienceisstrengthenedwithpositivity,andtakingthetimetolookonthebrightsidewillactuallyenhanceyourteam’sabilitytotakeonandworkthroughchallenges.

AProblem-SolvingModel:GroupExerciseThisexerciseisbasedonasix-stepproblem-solvingprocessdevelopedbyEdgarSchein,formerlyoftheMITSloanSchoolofManagement.1Theexerciseisintendedtohelpyouidentify,define,andgeneratepotentialsolutionstoproblems.Schein’smodelbreakstheproblem-solvingprocessintotwocyclesofactivity,eachconsistingofthreesteps.Cycle1encompassesthestepstakenbeforeadecisionoranactionhasbeenchosen,andcycle2encompassesthestepstakenafterthedecisionoractionhasbeenchosen.Thisexerciseisbestconductedwithplentyoftimefordiscussion,andtheobjectiveisforthegrouptoworkthroughandbecomecomfortablewiththeprocessofidentifyingandresolvingaspecificchallenge.Thisprocesscantakealotoftime,sotakebreaksand/orschedulemultiplemeetingswhennecessary,buthaveconfidencethattimeisnotbeingwastedandthattheneededprogressisbeingmade.

ScheinProblem-SolvingProcess,Cycle1Source:AdaptedfromEdgarH.Schein,ProcessConsultationRevisited:BuildingtheHelpingRelationship,1sted.(Reading,Mass.:Addison-Wesley,1999).UsedbypermissionofPearsonEducation,Inc.,UpperSaddleRiver,N.J.

Cycle11.Formulating the problem: The objective of this step is to clearly identify the problem.Teamsgetintotroublewhentheycomeupwithsolutionsforsymptomsratherthansolutions

forcoreproblems,andsoitiscriticaltocorrectlyidentifyanddefinethecoreproblem.Theproblemmayverywellhavemultiplerootcauses,butthefollowingquestionswillhelpyounarrowinonthetrueconcern:

Whatisoccurringthatisproblematic?Whom/whatdoesitinvolve?Howisitimpactingus?Isitasymptomofadeeperissue,orisitacoreconcern?

2.Producingproposalsforasolution:Nowitistimetogeneratesolutions.Thebestwaytodo this is tobrainstormopenlybyacceptingall ideasandby refraining from judgmentandpersonalattachmenttoanyonesuggestion.

Writedownanyandall ideas,withoutdiscussingor judging theirvalueoreven theirplausibility.Onceallideashavebeenrecorded,gobackandevaluatetheresultinglistbyeliminatingsolutions that are obviously untenable and circling those ideas that are particularlyplausible, that are attractive to the group, or that have commonalities with othersolutions.Compilealistofmultiplesolutionsthatmayadequatelyaddresstheinitialproblem.

3.Forecastingconsequencesandtestingproposals:Thefinalstepofcycle1istoattempttopredicttheconsequencesofimplementingthesolutionsyou’veidentified.

Havetheteamvisualizetheimplementationofeachsolution,stepbystep,andwhattheconsequencesofitsimplementationmightbe.Have the team identify potential unintended consequences that could evolve intoproblemsdowntheroad.Have the group assess which of the solutions will work best and commit to itsimplementation.

Cycle1iscompletewhenthegroupmakesadecisionregardingafinalsolution.Thismaybeanaturalpointintheprocessfortheteamtotakeabreak,butyouneedtoemphasizethatthejobisnotcomplete.Yes,asolutionanditspotentialimpacthavebeendefined,butthesolutionnowneedstobeimplemented.Forthisreason,cycle2ofSchein’sproblem-solvingmodelstartswithactionplanning.

Cycle24.Planningactions:Younowneedtoguidethegroupinthedevelopmentofanactionplanthat includes accountability and responsibilities assigned to specific members—in otherwords,whoneeds todowhat,andbywhen?By theendof thisstep, the teamshouldhavecleartasksanddeadlinesaswellasascheduledtimetomeetanddiscussfurtherprogress.Thefollowingquestionswillhelptheteamidentifyrolesandresponsibilities:

Whatneedstobedonetoimplementthesolution?Whatrolesneedtobefilled?Howwillthoserolesinteract?

ScheinProblem-SolvingProcess,Cycle2Source:AdaptedfromEdgarH.Schein,ProcessConsultationRevisited:BuildingtheHelpingRelationship,1sted.(Reading,Mass.:Addison-Wesley,1999).UsedbypermissionofPearsonEducation,Inc.,UpperSaddleRiver,N.J.

5.Takingactionsteps:Individualteammembersnowneedtoexecutetheirresponsibilities.Itcanbehelpful to reconveneatdifferentpoints in the implementationprocess toensure thatthenecessaryactionsarebeingtaken,thatdeadlinesarebeingmet,andthatcommunicationbetweenteammemberscontinuestobeeffective.6.Evaluatingoutcomes:Oncetheprojecthasbeencompleted,youwillneedtoevaluateyourefforts.Theevaluationprocessiscriticaltolong-termsuccess,andyoumustbepreparedtogobacktothefirststepofcycleIiftheproblempersists.Herearequestionsthatcanguidetheevaluationprocess:

Wastheactionplaneffectivelycarriedout?Didtheactionplanleadtotheintendedoutcomeswhileaddressingtheinitialproblem?Havetherebeenanyunintendedconsequences?

Usingthistypeofstructure,yourteamrepeatedlyhastheopportunitytofacedownitschallengesbydevelopingandexecutingsolutions.Inrepeatedlygoingthroughthisprocess,yourteamwilldevelopcollectiveconfidencefromthemountingbeliefthatitcanovercomeanychallengeitfaces.Throughthisprocess,yourteamwillactuallybedevelopingitsresilience.

STAGEV:ACHIEVINGSUCCESSThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageV:

Theydevelopaprofoundanddeservedsenseofself-satisfaction.Theyexperienceasenseofconfidence,orsincerebeliefthatanythingisachievable.Theyexperiencetangible,outwardsuccess.Theyareconcernedabouthowtomoveontothenextchallenge,andaboutwhatthenextchallengeshouldbe.Theymaketheefforttodevelopnewgoals,adapt,andmaintainanedge.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:ToincreasetheawarenesswithintheteamofhowitjudgessuccessTocontinuallylooktothehorizontofindnewchallenges,goals,andobstaclesTomaintainawarenessoftheexternalandinternalenvironmentandconsciouslystrivetoadapt

BystageV,yourteamhasactualizeditspotential,madeittothebiggame,andprovedthatit’salegitimatecontender.Asyouhaverackedupmultiplevictories,however,youhavealsodevelopedapersonalanduniquedefinitionofsuccess,onethathasevolvedovertime.Bydefiningwhatsuccessmeanstoyou,andbybeing open to adapting, you will guide your team to unprecedented levels ofachievement.

MyDefinitionofSuccess:Leader’sWorksheetAtthispointinitsdevelopment,yourteamhasalreadyachievedsuccessatahighlevel.Nevertheless,it’sstillyourresponsibilitytodevelopandarticulatenewchallenges,newwaystomeasuregrowth,andanewstandardofachievement.Taketimeoutofyourscheduleonamonthlybasistoreflectonthefollowingquestions:1.Whatisourdefinitionofsuccessmovingforward?2.Whyisthisdefinitioncritical,andhowdoesitdifferfrompreviousdefinitions?

Onceyoudecideonadefinitionyoufeelcomfortablewith,youneedtodeterminewhetheryouwanttoshareitwithyourteam,andhowyouwillclearlyarticulatethisnewtheme.Thiscouldprovetobemoreofanindividualexercise,onethatwillpushyouastheleadertocontinuallyreachtowardahigherideal.Ifyouchoosetoshareyourdefinition,however,it’simportanttoexplainwhythispersonaldefinitionofsuccessismeaningfultoyou,andhowitcan

positivelyimpacttheentireteam.

DefineSuccess:GroupExerciseEvenifyouhaveanindividualdefinitionforsuccess,it’simportanttounderstandyourteam’sdefinition.Inordertolearnhowyourteamdefinessuccess,youneedtoask.Usethefollowingtwoquestionstoguideindividualreflectionaswellasgroupdiscussionaboutwhatsuccessmeanstoteammembersandtothelargergroup:1.Howdowecurrentlydefinesuccess?Considerthefollowingadditionalquestionstoadvancetheconversation:

Issuccesssomethingthatismeasuredinrelationtocompetingorganizations,orisitmeasuredinrelationtoourownperformance?Issuccessaspecificgoal?Doesourteamfocusonelementsofperformancethatcanbecontrolled(suchaseffort,ornumberofcallsmadeperday)oronconceptsthatcannotbecontrolled(suchastheideaofoutperformingourcompetitors)?

2.Howshouldwedefinesuccess?Whatdoesthisdefinitionsayaboutus?aboutourgoals?aboutwhatwevalue?Howcanweworktowardsuccessunderthisnewdefinition?

Howwillwesupporteachotheraswestrivetobesuccessful?

Focusononequestionatatime,andbewillingtotakeonetotwohourstofullydiscussthetwomainquestionsaswellasthemyriadoffollow-upquestionsthatwillrelatetothelargertopic.Throughoutthediscussion,digdeeperintoteammembers’responses,encourageteammemberstochallengeoneanother,andtrytouncoverwhyteammembersbelievewhattheysay.Seeifyoucangetthegrouptocoalescearoundoneortwoideas.Attheendofthediscussion,youshouldhaveashareddefinitionofwhatsuccessmeanstothegroup,andofhowteammemberscanworktogethertoachieveit.

Adapt:GroupExerciseAsyouevolveandgrowinresponsetoyourenvironment,youadapt.Youandyourteammustcontinuallyadvanceanddevelopinanefforttostayaheadofchangingtimesanddynamics.Adaptationishealthyandshouldbewelcomed,butsometimesitneedstobeguided.Inordertosuccessfullyadapt,it’sfirstnecessarytohaveclarityaboutwhatyouareadaptingto.Thisexerciseallowsyoutofocusonrecentchangesthathaveoccurredatvariouslevelsofyourenvironment,suchasthelevelsofyourteam,yourorganization,yourindustry,andthecountryorcountrieswhereyoudobusiness.iContact,ane-mailmarketingsoftwarecompany,noticedmoreglobaltrendsrelatedto

sustainability,andthecompanyadaptedaccordingly.Lookmorecloselyatyourenvironment,andworktoidentifywhat’shappeningandhowyourteamcanadapt.Thefourquadrantsshownhererepresentfourdifferentlevelsofyourenvironment.Quadrantslikethesecanrepresentanynumberofenvironmentallevels,rangingfromglobalpolicyandcustomertrendstotechnologyandmediatrends,butthetopicsshownhereareagoodplacetostartadiscussionaboutwhereadaptationsmaybenecessary.Thesequadrantsofferaframeworkforaconversationwithyourteamthatcanhelpyouidentifytrendsandencourageadaptation.TeamLevel

Howhasourteamchangedrecently?Whatadditionalchangescanweanticipate?

CompanyLevelHowhasourorganizationchangedinthepastsixmonths?Whatadditionalchangescanweanticipate?

IndustryLevelHowhasourindustrychanged?Whattrendsmightbeanticipated?

CountryLevelWhatbroaderchangesareoccurringinthecountryorcountrieswherewedobusiness(businessclimate,government,andsoon)?Whatchangescanweanticipate?

Youcanleadaconversationabouteachoftheseissuesbysimplytakingonequadrantatatime,askingthequestionsposedineachquadrant,andencouraginginputfromallteammembers.Aftereachquadranthasbeendiscussed,furthertheconversationwiththefollowingtwoquestions:1.Doweneedtomodifyourprocesses(focus,skills,andsoon)inanticipationofthesechanges?2.Ifso,how?

Theremaynotbesignificanttrendsthatyouneedtoreacttoineveryquadrant,butthisexercisecanprovideinsightintowhereyourgroupneedstofocusinordertocontinuecompetingatthehighestlevel.Usetheresponsestotheprevioustwoquestionstodevelopanactionplanaroundthesechanges.Someadaptationsmaybesimple(forexample,acquiringtraininginaspecificarea),whereasothersmaynecessitateamorecomplexstrategy(forexample,iContact’seffortstobuildsustainabilityintothefabricoftheorganization).

STAGEVI:NURTURINGA

CULTUREOFEXCELLENCEThefollowingstatementsaretrueofteamsatstageVI:

Theyachievelong-termsuccess,areconsidereddynasties,andcontinuewinningwellbeyondanyearlyachievements.Theysetgoalstoadvancebeyondanysingularsuccess.Theycommittocontinuallearninganddevelopment.Theyfindwaystoinnovateandstayonthecuttingedgeinordertodifferentiatethemselvesfromcompetitors.Theyferventlyprotectaninternalculturethatquitesimplybreedssuccess.Theystimulateevolutionwithintheculturesoastoavoidstagnation.

Atthisstage,theleaderhasthefollowingresponsibilities:TofindwaystodevelopprocessesthatenabletheteamtocontinuallylearnTocreateanenvironmentinwhichnewandinnovativeideasarewelcomedandnotperceivedasthreatsTodriveandinspirecontinualinnovationTomaintainawarenessofawinningculturewithintheorganization

Although stageVI is technically included in the turnaround process, at thispointtheactualturnaroundhasbeencompleted.StageVIexistsbecauseitlaysthe foundation for continued success through an explicit focus on continuallearning, a commitment to innovation, and fervent maintenance of a winningculture.Your teamnowhasawinningculture thatneeds tobeunderstoodandprotected.Don’ttakeitlightly.Embracethefactthatsometimesthesimpleactoflearningandinnovatingcankeepyourculturemovingforward.

ContinueLearningandInnovating:GroupExercise(F)Anafter-actionreview(AAR)isastandardizeddebriefingprocessdevelopedbytheU.S.Army.Itguidesagroupthroughtheassessmentofaspecificprojectinanefforttobestunderstandwhatworked,whatdidn’t,andhowthegroupcanimprovemovingforward.AnAARisbuiltaroundadualpremise:thatnoindividualleadercanhaveacomplete

understandingofwhatoccurredduringanexercise,project,orbattle,andthattheperceptionsofeveryteammemberarevaluableinaccuratelydiscerningwhathappened.ThroughtheuseofanAAR,teammembersreviewwhatthegroupintendedtoaccomplish,determineacollectiveunderstandingofwhatactuallyhappened,exploreoutcomes,andreflectonsuccesses.1Thisprocessforcesadialoguethatraisestheconsciousnessofthegroupandenhancesasharedunderstandingofwherethegrouphasbeenandwhereitisgoingwhilealsoprovidingaforumforgroupmemberstocollectivelyshareexperiencesandperceptions.AnAARrequirestheabilitytogiveandreceivehonestandcandidfeedbackand,ideally,occursthroughoutaproject(thatis,fromtheplanningstagethroughtheactionstagetothereviewprocess).WiththeuseofanAAR,youcatchyourteamwhilememoriesareclear,allowcommunicationtooccurasissuesareappearing,andengageparticipantsintheoutcome.Toruntheexercise,beginbypostingeachofthequestionsinthefollowingtableonaflipchart.Asyouintroducetheexercisetoyourteam,providesomeofthebasicinformationaboutwhatanAARis,asjustexplained.Makesureyouemphasizethatitisatoolforcontinuouslearningandaprocessthatyouandyourteamwillrepeatedlygothrough.Thengenerate,oneatatime,discussionsabouteachofthefivequestionsinthetable.AsyouprogressthrougheachstepoftheAAR,remembertowriteyouranswersdown.

Source:AdaptedfromL.Baird,P.Holland,andS.Deacon,“LearningfromAction:ImbeddingMoreLearningintothePerformanceFastEnoughtoMakeaDifference,”Organizational

Dynamics27(1999),19–32.Onceyoucompletetheexercise,itcanbehelpfultoreiteratethekeypointsoftheconversationandaskifanythingwasmissed.AnAARprovidestheopportunityforeveryprojecttomorphintoalearningmechanismsothatteammemberscangrowstrongerastheprojectadvances.Allowingdifferentteammemberstofacilitatetheexercisewillpushemergingleaderstodevelopnewskillswhileenhancingteamcommunicationandchemistry.Inthisway,anAARbecomesmoreabouttheteamandcantakeplaceevenwhenyouarenotpresent.

UnderstandtheCulture:GroupExerciseEdgarScheindefinescultureasartifacts,values,andunderlyingassumptions,andjustasDanRooneywasfastidiousinhiseffortstomanageandmaintainthePittsburghSteelers’culture,yourteamwillbenefitinbetterunderstandingandmaintainingitsownculture.Herearesomequestionstohelpyouunderstandtheexistingcultureinyourorganization:1.Whatarefiveartifacts(posters,quotes,shirts,andsoon)thatyoucanpointtoindefiningyourteam’sculture?2.Whatvaluesareunderlyingthoseartifactsandtheoverallculture?3.Whatdoesyourculturesayaboutyourteam?aboutwhereit’sgoing?aboutwhatit’smadeof?4.Whatcanbedonetomakeyourculturemoreexplicitandpronounced?

Asyoucontinuetomoveforward,usetheanswerstotheprecedingfourquestionstocheckinwithyourteam,toensurethatyourfocus

iswhereitneedstobe,andtoensurethatyourculturesupportscontinuouslearning,innovation,andsustainableachievement.Throughoutthisjourney,don’tforgethowfaryouandyourteamhavecome,andmakesureyoucelebratetheprogress.

Notes

1K.Ishikawa,IntroductiontoQualityControl(NewYork:ProductivityPress,1990).1J.F.Rockart,“ChiefExecutivesDefineTheirOwnDataNeeds,”HarvardBusinessReview57:2(1979),81–93.1EdgarH.Schein,ProcessConsultationRevisited:BuildingtheHelpingRelationship,1sted.(Reading,Mass.:Addison-Wesley,1999).1M.J.DarlingandC.S.Parry,“After-ActionReviews:LinkingReflectingandPlanninginaLearningPractice,”Reflections3:2(2001),64–72.

Acknowledgments

Both of us, Dan Leidl and Joe Frontiera, would like to extend our heartfeltthankstoeveryonewhoparticipatedinthisbook.Youhaveourdeepestgratitudeforsupportingthisprojectaswellasourrespectforyouasprogressiveleaderswhoareguidinginspiringteams.Thankyou!Yourstorieswereinspirationalandeducational,andtheyhavethepotentialtohelpmanyotherteamsturnaround.Thank you, Karen Murphy, for the opportunity to write this book. Your

confidenceandsupportmadetheprojectgo.Thankyou,TeresaHennessy,foryourinvaluableeditsandinsights.Thanksalsotothemanypeoplealongthewaywhosupportedandencouraged

us.WithoutAndreaUseem,LillianCunningham,JohnJilloty,JackWatson,LisaDeFrank-Cole,andotherswhobelievedinusandgaveusashot,wemightneverhavepursuedthisproject.Danwouldliketothankhisbeautifulwife,Erin,andhisson,Holden,fortheir

constant support and inspiration, as well as his loving parents and his foursiblings,whohavebeenbehindhimalltheway.Joewouldliketothankhiswife,Megan,andhisdaughter,Quinn,forcarrying

him through the day-to-day of family life during this project.Hewants to letthemknow—he’sback!

AbouttheAuthors

JOE FRONTIERA, Ph.D., is cofounder and managing partner of MenoConsulting,whereheworkstohelpleadersandtheirteamsperformatahigherlevel.JoecoauthorsaregularcolumnintheWashingtonPost’s“OnLeadership”section and has also been featured in CLO magazine, CIO Insight, theSportBusiness Journal, and the Journal of Leadership and OrganizationalStudies. Joe has survived cancer, three years of Division I Crew, and theWorldCom scandal, and he draws on those experiences to further assistcorporate,government,andathletic teamsinreachingtheirpotential. Inhisofftime, Joe enjoys playing with his children and the increasingly infrequentopportunitiestotravelwithhiswife.DANIEL LEIDL, Ph.D., is cofounder and managing partner of Meno

Consulting,whereheworkstodevelopleadersandtheirteams.Inaddition,Danwrites and speaks to audiences about creating a positive culture that bothmotivates and inspires. Dan’s interests in leadership and team dynamicsdeveloped while he was a lacrosse player and coach, competing collegiately,professionally, and internationally. In his free time,Dan loveswatching films,swimming in the ocean, and being a dad. Dedicated to seeing the sport oflacrossegrowin thecountryofhisheritage,Dansitson theboardof the IrishLacrosseFoundation.Pleasevisitwww.menoconsulting.comformoreinformation,ortocontactJoe

orDan.

Index

AAdams,T.Adaptation; abilities necessary for; culture, abilities of; and growthAdvancementofavisionAdversity,embracingAguirre-Sacasa,R.Ahearne,M.Alexander, H., See also Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center(LMUCC);staffbehaviorchangeAllen,WoodyAllis, R., See also iContact; background of; challenge to self; dedication ofiContacttosustainablepath;Zeroto1Million:HowtoBuildaCompanyto$1MillioninSalesAnxietyAtlantaFalcons,headcoachesAvolio,B.J.Awamleh,R.

BBCorporations;goalofcertificationBaltimoreRavensBarrow,E.G.Barsade,S.G.Baumeister,R.E.BaylorUniversity:Mulkey aswomen’s basketball coach;NCAA tournaments,participationin;teamrecord;wins/losses/postseasonachievementfor;women’sbasketballteamBeachamp,M.R.Behavior,teachingBenefitCorporation(BCorporation)Bernstein,D.Berson,Y.BloombergBusinessweekBohmer,R.M.Bono(U2)

Bouchette,E.Brantley,B.Brass,D.Bray,S.R.Brock,C.Bruno,J.

CCarolinaPanthers;coachesCarron,A.V.CertifiedBCorporationChandler, R., See also Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center(LMUCC);staffbehaviorchangeChange,makingthecaseforChouinard,Y.Christensen,C.M.Churchill,W.Cialdini,R.B.Clinton,W.J.(Bill)Cohl, M.; and focus group feedback; new plan for Spider-Man productionCommittingtogrowthCommunication of the truth of a situation Communication recommendations;ask for input; concrete/straightforward language; consistency; effectivenessConsistentcommunicationCovey,S.R.Covin,T.Cowher,B.Craig,S.B.Criticalsuccessfactor(CSF)formatCulture:andcomponents,aspotentialtools;and leadership; maintenance of; underlying assumption guiding stakeholders’actions;underlyingassumptionsof;understanding;valuesaselementofCultureofexcellence,nurturingCumming,A.CurrentSituationIndex

D

DallasCowboys,coachesDaly, M., See also Tufts University men’s lacrosse team (Tufts Jumbos);challenges made to team; defeat of Trinity College; definition of success;Division III national championship; as lacrosse coach; leadership of TuftsJumbos;andplayers’lackofpassionforthegame;onQuintanilla;relationshipsand success; success of; understanding of skills/strategy leading to on-fieldsuccessDavis,D.A.Deimler,M.S.Denial,withinanorganizationDensten,I.DevaluationDickson,P.R.DiClemente,C.C.Domino’s Pizza; challenges embraced by; challenges turned into growthopportunities;CurrentSituationIndex;focusgroups;hardshipsasopportunitytoforcechange;newrecipe;poorcustomersatisfaction,reactionto;PRnightmare;renewedfocusof;restaurantperformanceindex(RPI);same-storesales;“ShowUsYourPizza”campaign;successof;teamconfidence;uniquenessofdeliveryDoughtie,M.Doyle,P.Dutton,J.E.Dyer,J.H.

EEdge,TheEdmondson,A.C.Effectstatement,definedEffectivecommunicationElkington,J.Employeeexpectations/goalsEsposito,F.,SeealsoKendon Industries; ondenialwithin theorganization; aspresident of Kendon Industries; restoration of relationships with distributors;team-memberinterviews;andtruth;asvalidatorEys,M.A.

F

Fishbonediagram;asking“Why?”;causecategories;completedFisher,C.Friedman,T.L.Frontiera,J.

GGarfinkel,D.GoalsettingGollwitzer,P.Gray,J.Graydon,J.K.Greenlees,I.A.Gregersen,H.B.Growth,committingtoGrundberg,J.,SeealsoSeeMorePutters;oncustomerservice;focusonvaluesofcustomerserviceandtechnologyGuidingvalues,adopting

HHamel,G.Hamner,W.C.Harbaugh,J.Harris, J.; and focus group feedback; new plan for Spider-Man productionHarrison,M.Haynes,R.B.Healy,P.Helfer,D.;accessibilityof;background;compensationplansforpartneraccountmanagers; concern for roles individuals played; EMEA team; opportunity toadjust/clarify the psychological contract; partner account managers; partnerteam;turningtheteamaroundHensley,S.Heskett,J.Hogan,R.

IiContact; adaptation; corporate focus; e-mail marketing; growth of; long-termvision; sustainability efforts, advancement of; triple-bottom-line certification

Indianapolis Colts, See also Polian, B.; desire to win; fan embarrassment;generalmanagement,struggleswith;movewest;playoffs;Polian’slegacywith;ranking inAmericanFootballConference (AFC); reputation for losing; sellingthefranchiseonahopefulfuture;SRSfor(1992–2010);staffturnover;win-lossrecordInfluenceInnovationIntroductiontoQualityControl(Ishikawa)Irsay,R.Ishikawa,K.

JJackson,S.E.JobsatisfactionJuniper Networks; background of; individuals and team membership;insufficient focus on aligning skills/titles/compensation/expectations; partneraccountmanagers;psychologicalcontract;reorderingofroles,needfor

KKaiser,R.B.Kanter,R.Kendon Industries, See also Esposito, F.; culture at; decline of; employeeexpectations/goals; employee passion for quality products; employee pride;internal conflicts/inefficiencies; new path for; production, outsourcing of; andtruthKickson,P.R.Kilmann,R.Kopac,M.Kotter,J.Kouzes,J.M.Kovoor-Misra,S.Krueger,N.E.

LLam,S.Latham,G.P.Lee,L.

Lencioni,P.Lewis,L.K.Lindsley,D.Lipton,M.Locke,E.Locke,E.A.LockheedMartinLosAngelesAngelsofAnaheim;coaches;fieldmanager;resilience;serieswon;win-lossrecordsLosingteams,characteristicsofLoyolaMarymountUniversityChildren’s Center (LMUCC), See also Shabazian, A.; accreditation; behaviorchanges within teams; comprehensive satisfaction survey; educating staff inmultipleways; growth/progress at; loss of trust between parents andLMUCCleadership and staff; mistakes; respect within the industry; staff behaviors;teacher backgrounds Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Lurie, J.;developmentasEagles’owner;Eagles’losingseaons;earlyobservationsoftheEagles

MMack,C.Maier,S.F.MajorLeagueBaseball(MLB);seasonManning,P.Marilyn’s Café (Chester NJ), See also Masaitis, M.; cleanliness of; cook;customers; decor; environment; history of; purchase of, by Marilyn; staffMasaitis,M.,SeealsoMarilyn’sCafé(ChesterNJ);attentiontodetail;behaviorsandactionsof;crises;dedication;expectations; relationships,storms thatcomewith;rewardsMasicampo,E.J.Maynard,I.W.McGrath,C.McIntyre,T.McKinley,P.W.MiamiDolphins,coachesMiller,I.Montgomery County (Maryland) Public School System; academicachievements; achievement gap, reduction of; African-American and Latinocommunity; Asian and white community; classroom size; commitment to

success; cut of ineffective programs; foundation for continued excellence; andinnovation; learning in times of failure; and Maryland state-level educationalguidelines;mistakes/failuresastoolsoflearning;servingasanexample;sizeof;studycircles;successof;surveysMosley,M.Mulkey, K., See also Baylor University; discipline of team;encouragement/positive reinforcement from; expectations; guidance of team;relianceonpastsuccesses;successes,celebrationof;women’sbasketballcoach

N

NASDAQNational Football League; team sales National Restaurant Association,restaurant performance index (RPI) New England Small College AthleticConference(NESCAD)Noll,C.Norcross,J.C.Norman,J.

OOffice of Communications and Family Outreach Organizations: employeedevaluation; exploring; facing facts about performance; lack ofmotivation/engagement; in stage I; and turnaround process; turning aroundOxman,A.D.

PPathforward,definingPhiladelphia Eagles; advances to playoffs; commitment to team/fans;communication among; conference championships; destructivebehaviors/interactions; hoarding socks, issue of; interaction of personnel anddepartments; and National Football League; non-player employees; on-fieldperformance; performance; pervasive negativity; playoff record; purchase of(1994); record; season wins versus losses; SRS for (1995-2010); Super Bowlchampionships;trustamong;VeteransStadiumPisano,G.P.PittsburghSteelers;affordabletickets;artifactsasremindersofvaluesembraced;backgroundof;coaches,loyaltyto;commitmenttosuccess;cultureof;fansof;franchise-wide support; future of; headquarters; injured reserves, treatment of

during 2011 Super Bowl; loyalty, dedication of; SRS for (1998-2010); steelcurtaindefenseunderNoll;successofPlan,establishingPolian, B., See also Indianapolis Colts; commitment to vision; oncommunication;historyofreversingfortunesofbad/unprovenfranchises;legacyof;reputationofPoorlyperformingteams,characteristicsofPopper,M.PositivethinkingPosner,B.Z.Pouliot, J.,SeealsoSeeMorePutters; focusonvaluesofcustomerserviceandtechnologyPRGPricewaterhouseCoopersProchaska,J.O.Psychologicalcontract;adjustment/clarificationof

QQuintanilla,J.

RReeves,M.Reivich,K.Resilience:building;definedResponsibilities,redefiningRestaurantperformanceindex(RPI)RevertingtomediocrityRiedel,M.Rockart,J.F.RoleclarityRooney,A.IIRooney,D.,SeealsoPittsburghSteelers;onchange;goalof;inductionintoProfootballHall of Fame; leadership of; long-standing actions to back up values;andNFL,developmentof;onopenofficeplan;andSteelersuccess;supportiverolewithPittsburghSteelers;treatmentofplayers;onvaluesRousseau,D.

SSanFrancisco49ers,coachesSarros,J.

Schein,E.H.;problem-solvingprocessSchmisseur,A.M.Schneider,S.L.Scioscia,M.SeeMorePutters,See also Grundberg, J.; accessibility/accommodation; annualgrowth; customer care; development/innovation of putter technology;diversification;historyof;internationalvisibility;products;relaunchof;shelvingof;teamSeligman,M.P.Shabazian, A., See also Loyola Marymount University Children’s Center(LMUCC); accessibility of; background of; and behaviors needed for success;and conflict; desire to transform the center into a lab school; fostering a safeenvironment;growth/progress;healthandsafetypractices;hiringofShamit,B.Shatte,A.Sheridan,P.Simpson,D.SixSigmaSpider-Man:TurnOff theDark;Cohl-Harrispartnership; focusgroups;gettingtheproductionbackontrack; lambastingreviews;newteam;previews;projectstagnation; reopening of the show; shutdown of show; technical problems;turnaround,chronologyofStageI;defined;DefiningRolesandResponsibilities(Leader’s Worksheet); Face Reality (group activity); Face Reality (Leader’sWorksheet);fishbonediagram;groupexercise;leaderresponsibilities;long-termsustainableperformance,building;ObserveandLearn(groupexercise);Observeand Learn (Leader’s Worksheet); organizations; statements true of teams at;teams at; waiting to take action Stage II; accepting the reality of poorperformance;AdoptingGuidingValues(groupexercises);committingtogrowth;Develop Goals (group exercise); enthusiasm for what lies ahead; Establish aPlan (group exercise); focus of; focus shift; goal setting; guiding values,adopting; Launch the Vision (group exercise); Launch the Vision (Leader’sWorksheet); leader responsibilities; plan, establishing; SMART Goals (groupexercise); statements true of teams at; vision, launching Stage III; and action;advancesin;changingbehaviors;defined;leaderresponsibilities;ModelWhat’sRight (Leader’s Worksheet); Reinforce What’s Right (Leader’s Worksheet);statements trueof teamsat;TeachWhat’sRight (Leader’sWorksheet); tediousnatureof;UnderstandingtheStagesofChange(Leader’sWorksheet)StageIV;acceptance of challenges; adversity, embracing; Build Resilience (groupexercise); confidence; Embrace Challenges (group exercise); Embrace

Challenges (Leader’s Worksheets); leader responsibilities; Problem-SolvingModel (group exercise); setbacks and obstacles; statements true of teams atStage V; Adapt (group exercise); adaptation through; Define Success (groupexercise); leadership responsibilities; as moment of victory;MyDefinition ofSuccess (Leader’sWorksheet); statements trueof teams atStageVI;ContinueLearning and Innovating (group exercise); discipline required for; leadershipresponsibilities; statements true of teams at; Understand the Culture (groupexercise)Stensson,A.Stephens,K.K.Stewart,P.Stoneman, B.; background of; opportunities seen in the Angels; positivethinking;supportforteamStrategicplanningSuccess:achieving;formsof;framedasafleetingmoment

TTaymor,J.;dismissalofTeam Turnaround Process; stages in; and truth Team Turnaround workbook;groupexercises;Leader’sWorksheetTeams,needtofacerealityThomas,J.Thomson,M.A.Tocchini,G.TosiTranstheoreticalmodelofbehaviorTriple-bottom-linecompanies,definedTruth:coldshowerof;asrelieftoteammembersTuftsUniversitymen’slacrosseteam(TuftsJumbos);DivisionIIInationalchampionship;performancedetails;playerpractice; players’ lack of passion for the game; success achieved by; success,forms of; throwing and catching skills; transformation; understanding ofskills/strategyleadingtoon-fieldsuccessTwerski,A.

UUnderperformingteams,traitsofUnitedHealthCare

VValues,aselementofculture

VanDick,R.VeteransStadium(Philadelphia):facilities;as“timeportal”Vincentelli,E.Vision:advancementof;launching

W“Walkingmoodinductors”,individualsasWalsh,B.Weast, J., See also Montgomery County (Maryland) Public School System;achievement gap, reduction of; background of; on change as an economicnecessity; commitment to change; continual education, commitment to; high-performing student group, protectionof; lowacademic achievers, performanceof;onMCPSacademicachievements;onorganizingthebusinesscommunitytogivebrandpower;protectionofbrand;reconsiderationoftraditionalmeasur3esof student achievement; reorganization of the central office; school systemsfocus on its doing development experience, reorienting; as superintendentWeiner,R.Weir,K.E.White,H.C.Wieseke,J.Winick,J.Wood,E.R.

ZZeroto1Million:HowtoBuildaCompanyto$1MillioninSales(Allis)