Thursday, February 25, 2010

Commitment Issues???


Recently friend and colleague Dr. Chris Stankovich wrote about athletic transferable skills an athlete learns from sports, and how those skills can be used in situations such as a classroom, a future career, and in life. Dr. Stankovich gave a few examples of these skills including: discipline, being a team player, motivation, goal setting, and I'd like to add commitment.

We've all been on some type of team in our life whether it be a sports team, a work team, a family, or just a group of friends. Think back to that team you were a part of and recall if there was a true sense of commitment not only to the team, but also to team excellence. Vince Lombardi said, "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of thier chosen field of endeavor." Lombardi had a way with words that still echoes in every football coaches office in this country. Football coaches are notorious for one-liners and repeating slogans handed down from the generations... It's not necessarily that current coaches do not have creativity or originality, rather the slogans and beliefs of the Vince Lombardi's of the world were simple and believable, and maybe best described as motivational. I think Lombardi's messages and certainly this particular quote resonates deeper than simply the locker room. The commitment that Lombardi is referring to is the same transferable skill Dr. Stankovich tells us we can learn from sports and use in other aspects of our lives.



After watching this video and listening to the greatest football coach of all time describe the game of football in his own words, I think we can relate to what Dr. Stankovich meant by a transferable skill. It doesn't matter what field one is in, if you go about your work with the passion and conviction that Vince Lombardi did, you're a winner. Vince Lombardi breathed, lived, and died football. Football was more than a part of him; football was in his soul. His voice still gives me goosebumps when I hear him talk about the game of football because for a long time, that was how I felt. Luckily I found another passion after football because I don't know how a person can stop something they feel that strongly about.

Lombardi mentions twice in his speech the importance of having a commitment to excellence... He mentions this because it's the right way to represent your family, the right way to coach and play sports, and it's the right way to do our jobs. While I don't believe I'm as good at sports marketing as Lombardi was at coaching football... (yet) I do believe having a commitment to excellence is a sure way of becoming the best at whatever it is any of us aspire to be. Whether it be a football coach, a marketer, a ditch digger, or a parent; listen to Coach Lombardi talk about the fulfillment and reward of working as a team to accomplish a goal and try to incorporate that same sense of unity in what it is that you do... Individual accomplishment is great, but "Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." - Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)

Friday, February 19, 2010

Rachel's Challenge

During Jim Valvano's 1993 Espy Awards Speech, he encouraged us to never give up, not ever give up. That speech still lives bookmarked on my favorites and is referenced when I need a little motivation.

Today, in a tearful Columbus, Ohio ball room on the second floor of the Renaissance Hotel, Darrell Scott, father of the first homicide victim from the Columbine School shooting, Rachel Scott, addressed a room full of middle school educators. I was there with my work as well and was fortunate to listen in. He shared his daughter's compelling story with us and quite frankly I don't know how he had the strength to watch the video that played on the two projection screens.

The similarities were astounding and equally as insightful in the back of my mind when I thought of Jimmy V's passion and sincerity in his delivery; Don't give up, don't ever give up. Rachel Scott was only 15 years old when she lost her life to ignorant violence but before she left, she had a dream and a vision of making the world a better place. Born from that vision, was Rachel's Challenge. Listening to Darrell Scott share his little girl's dreams with a room of strangers was inspiring. Because not only was his daughter killed that day but his son was also in that school and witnessed two of his friends murdered in cold blood. I can't imagine the pain that family has endured... It seems so unjust and so vulgar to be put into a situation of that magnitude; but if you believe everything happens for a reason, I hope you'll investigate the story of Rachel Scott more in depth because it truly is a story of miracles.

While I shook Darrell's hand after his talk, I could sense a bit of numbness in his expression and somber in his voice just like in this video. - It takes a strong individual to forgive when the pain is so great and the loss so special. Mr. Scott talked about prejudging people when we meet them for the first time and offered a suggestion that if we look for the good in people, we will see it; and of course viceversa... (If the father of a slain daughter can forgive, maybe I can forgive as well and find the good in others before noticing the bad, right?)

Today's experience left me feeling compelled to do something supportive; to carry out Rachel's wish; so I share Rachel's challenge in the best way I know how... my writing. Jim Valvano challenged his audience to accomplish three things everyday; to laugh, to spend some time in thought, and to have your emotions brought to tears. He said if you can do those three things everyday you will have lived that day to it's fullest.

Thank you Mr. Scott; Jimmy V would have been proud of all of us today, especially you.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Broncos get Right Coach for the Job

The Denver Broncos recently hired a good friend and college teammate as the newest member of their coaching staff. Craig Aukerman was named defensive assistant coach after serving in the college ranks for ten years. I'm extremely proud of my friend and do not have a doubt in my mind that he will be an asset to their coaching staff. Craig has always displayed greatness on and off the field and I am confident that he will continue to be just that.

As we talked yesterday on the phone I asked him what he thought of the playbook and the sytem the Broncos exercise on defense... As I expected, he mentioned learning the extensive playbook would be his first challenge as a new coach in a new system. - Knowing Craig though, he will impress the coaching staff in Denver with his work ethic and football intelligence; and ultimately learn the playbook.

Earlier today I read some cynical comments on Bronco blogs negatively portray the Bronco's hire due to his small college experience at Western Kentucky, Miami (Ohio), and Kent State. I don't want to bash the fans because they are the reason the NFL is what it is, but if you are hating on a guy because of where he learned to be a coach I have to ask the question... Are college athletes really that different in the MAC than they are in the Big 10 or the ACC or even the SEC? Does teaching a five-star collegiate athlete better suit a coach for the next level compared to teaching a three-star athlete? - I pose this rhetorical question because I don't know the answer from a psychological perspective... From a physical ability standpoint I think generally we all agree that athletes are better equipped at Ohio State University than they are at Ohio Northern Universtiy but that's the obvious.

Here's an example: Take a small college safety compared to a NFL safety reading the eyes of a quarterback from a cover-three zone. This means that the defensive player is watching the quarterback prepare to throw the ball and then breaking in the direction of the pass as soon as he believes he knows where the pass is going. A small college safety who runs a 4.6 second forty yard dash may have great instincts and as a result have many pass break ups and interceptions throughout the course of a season. The NFL safety who runs a 4.3 forty yd. dash may have decent instincts but not as many pass break ups or interceptions over the course of a season despite having more opportunity and more physical ability- Granted the quarterback play is much better at the NFL level so it's not entirely an apples to apples comparison but it works for the sake of our discussion. Also assume the atheltes are similar in their preparation, intelligence, and reaction time; however, one is simply physically superior to the other. From a coaching perspective, if a coach is teaching the small college athlete what to look for in the quarterback's progression and he is anticipating where the ball is going and is correct with his assumption, but he just isn't fast enough to make a play on the ball; there's not much else a coach can do or say to improve that athlete.

While the athletes Aukerman coached at his previous assignments may not be capable of making plays in the NFL, I can assure the bloggers of Denver nation that they were well-coached and better men because of him. His ability and potential as a coach is part of the reason the Broncos hired him, but also measured by the Broncos organization is the quality of man becoming a part of their team and community. Don't forget that building a TEAM takes more than talent sports fans. Jim Collins stresses in his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Other's Don't, the importance of having the right people in the right places to ensure your company, brand, or team's success. Craig Aukerman might not be the powerful household name Bronco fans were expecting but either was Josh McDaniels when he came to town. The 33-year-old had a lot to prove in Denver and I look for the new 33-year-old Aukerman to do the same.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Dance


My friends Ty and Cassie shared their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Rhoad last night in a quaint and beautifully decorated reception hall in Northwest Ohio. I was honored to be a member of their wedding party and while we were in the basement of the church before the ceremony, the famous wedding dance YouTube video came up in conversation. I'd like to say that we entered the Lutheran church to Forever by Chris Brown like the video wedding party, but we saved our big entrances for the reception hall. (Which by the way, everyone said Jessica and I had the best entrance! - Besides Ty and Cassie of course)

I will remember Ty and Cassie's wedding day for a number of reasons. There were some special moments though that especially come to mind: a smile from Cassie, a hug from Ty, a conversation with Ty's father, a dance with Ty's mother, and literally hours of laughter and jokes with our friends.

Creating brand association as memorable and emotional as that of a wedding day can also be accomplished by being authentic and original. Just as the video shows an original wedding party entrance, a brand with authentic, never-seen-before elements creates a branding scenerio that that people will remember and ultimately talk about.

Those of us at the wedding will definitely be talking about the best man's speech this week but I won't attempt to explain that. Some things you just have to experience for yourself to really appreciate them. With that said, if you haven't seen this wedding dance, I hope you appreciate it as much as I did and if you are reading Invizzible Ink to increase your brand's exposure in the market, I hope you can appreciate the originality and authenticity of the dance.



The things I love about this video from a marketing perspective are the unexpectedness of the procession and originality behind the decision. Two elements essential in WOM success that makes a brand talkable are originality and surprise. The wedding party certainly surprised the congregration with their original entrance and you can bet the topic of conversation later that night at the reception was about their big entrance.

If we create buzz around our brands like this bride and groom did on their wedding day, we can safely assume customers will find our brands. Over 42.5 million visitors have viewed the wedding dance video on YouTube. Wouldn't it be nice if 42.5 million visitors heard about your brand and went online to see for themselves?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

4 tips to Listening in the Huddle


Twenty-One! Twenty-one!! Ok here we go: Explode to I-Buster right, lucy trade, 161 Y-shallow cross half back Ralfie, check, I-buster right, middle 27 bob-scissors on two...

Imagine you are in the huddle, it's 3rd and goal with four seconds left to go in a tied playoff game and your team is down five points... Do you know what to do if the defense lines up in cover 1 but rolls to a cover 2 zone? What if they stay in Man? What if the Mike Linebacker blitzes? What if the strong safety blitzes? Do either of these plays have a built in "hot" route? - As you approach the line of scrimage and get into your stance you hear the quarterback make an "Omaha" call, what do you do now? - If you were an NFL tight-end, you would be required to process all of the previous information in less than six seconds. As an added variable, your team is the visitor and the home crowd is making so much noise you can actually feel the vibrations ringing in your helmet from the crowd.

- Plays called by NFL quarterbacks can be up to twenty words long. So as you might guess, it's important to listen in the huddle. In business, like football, listening is a skill that requires some cognizant adherence in order to be great. We sometimes forget to listen or do a poor job of listening and the resulting outcome is undesirable. In comparison, if we would have done an exceptional job of listening, not only would our outcome have been favorable, but our ability to lead would be exemplified by creating an opportunity to help others understand. When you are in a huddle with time running off the game-clock you don't have the luxury of asking questions or requesting the quarterback to recap what he just said; you do however, have to be prepared number one, and number two, you have to listen and have total concentration and focus in this situation.

Listening is a skill that separates many of us, and ultimately makes a leader special. As a manager, there are few actions you can demonstrate to your employees that will impact them personally more than being proactive in helping them accomplish their personal goals. Not only will your emplyees be impressed that you are willing to help them, but recalling the conversation in which you discussed goals with an employee will also show them you care. And if you show your employees that you care about them... Assuming you hired morally sound people, you can expect them to give you the same level of respect and do the extra little things it takes to be great. -- At the end of the day, listening is about caring. If you care about people, you will listen to them and value what they have to say.

However, if you have a hard time paying attention and have a touch of Attention Deficeit Disorder like I do, a few tips I picked up along the way that might help you out include:

1) Make Eye Contact-
Looking at the person talking while simultaneously reading their lips will help you retain information. Using your sense of sight and hearing together will also help improve information retention. (especially if you are playing on the road)

2) Recap confusing or uncertain lessons-
Restating what someone tells you allows you to process the information, restate the information in your own words, and open the dialogue back up in case you missed an element of what you were told. Also, hearing the information a second or third time will help you recall the information when you need it.

3) Ask Questions-
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Please. First of all, there are very few places in business for shyness. Be accountable and ask questions in regard to information you are unclear about. It's your responsibility to know what you need to know. It's much more embarrassing to be the person on film running the wrong route or the person who brought the wrong presentation to the meeting.

4) Knock the chip off your shoulder-
Listening is about caring. Value the people around you and seek to learn from them at all cost. If you walk through your day believing you are too busy to talk to your employees then you are missing out on an invaluable education and almost guaranteeing that later when you are actually paying attention to a conversation, a previous topic will come up and you will be the one left in the dark. All because you didn't think it important enough the first time... It's hard to redeem yourself after this happens - It's far better as well as utilitarian to simply care about your people and listen to what they have to say.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Actions Speak Louder than Words



Leadership Worthington (LW) is a not-for-profit organization in Worthington, Ohio that serves its community by developing its future leaders through leadership enhancement and focusing on and understanding the key issues facing their community. LW is facilitated by community professionals and designed for high school students in grades 10-12.
I had the opportunity and esteemed pleasure to deliver the keynote to the graduating class this past November at the request of the program's coordinator. My tie to the Worthington community dates back to 2005 when I first moved to the Columbus area. I was rehabbing injuries following my last stint with the Giants, and felt I could bring an added something to the Columbus area by means of service. I ultimately became active in the Worthington School System by first substitute teaching and later taking a full time position as a teacher assistant in an elementary behavior classroom. I must have made a decent impression on a few key people in the district because they looked me up four years later and asked me to be a part of thier leadership program. (Thanks again Val!)



When addressing young people about any topic, it brings with it a responsibility to be relavent as well as insightful to the issues that face them; or you might as well count on them to tune you out. I chose the topics for the keynote specifically because of the relevance I found between my friends whom I mentioned, and my Business Ethics professor, John Annarino, Esq.

In my speech I mentioned my friends Mike and Zack and shared what I learned from them, but not mentioned in the keynote is Professor Annarino. It was in his class that I learned the most about being a leader and what it takes to be my best. It was from John that I learnd to find a balance between my heart and my mind when making decisions. He taught me to be contemplative and aware of who I am and what my utility is as a man, a leader, and legacy. -- We learn many valuable lessons in books, but often times the most important lessons we learn, are learned through experience.

We know that every entity has some form of leadership and there are many adjectives we use to describe those leaders. Coincidentally, we can also compare the body of work which that entity produces to reflect to some extent the leadership that guides. Presidents of countries, CEO's of corporations, principals of elementary schools, and coaches of sports teams all have a unifying quality that conjoin them. - They lead people by defining a mission and entrusting in their own personal vision for the greater good of their entity and its stakeholders.

Leaders who preserve a humble desire to learn from others are demonstrating more than learning and leadership qualities; they are setting the greatest example possible for their pupils. A leader who leads by example will always have the respect and approbation of their team. Too often leaders find themselves in a position to influence others and forget that they too are students and have something to learn. Malcom Gladwell said, "We learn by example and direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction." This is very true in sports as well as business. As a back-up to Jeremy Shockey in New York, I had plenty of opportunity to learn by example. On film, on the field, in the weight room; It was like having another coach. In many ways, we all learned from each other. There are so many nuances to the game of football, especially in the trenches. The smallest tip to blocking a defensive end sometimes is the difference between scoring a touch-down or settling for a field goal attempt. For example, If I am watching Jeremy block a quick defensive end and see exactly how he takes his first step off the ball, I do not need to hear a word from a coach... I can see how to do it and will mirror his actions when I am in the same situation.

The same mirroring techniques can be used by managers in business, however they have to see the value of teaching their staff in a "do as I do, not do as I say" style. It's easier for some managers to tell others what to do because they do not have the ability themselves to actually do the task. However, to optimally build your brand and your business; its imperative to have leaders on your team who care to show others how it's done, as well as be able to explain to them why.