All people want to succeed. Why don't they? Three reasons: Lack of skill, lack of desire, or lack of leadership. Most of the time, says Frank Pacentta, it's lack of leadership that leads to lack of success on the job. Pacentta, author of Don't Fire Them; Fire Them Up, claims that he learns more about managing from reading the sports pages than from any business book.
Pacentta, author of Don't Fire Them; Fire Them Up, claims that he learns more about managing from reading the sports pages than from any business book. Teams win the Super Bowl, says Pacentta, not coaches or quarterbacks. The quarterback might be a big star, but he's just the most visible part of the team's work. Supervisor/coaches can encourage each team member by stopping to chat occasionally with each one. A few brief questions or comments about the work can be very revealing. Without effective communication, the leader could find himself or herself dead in the water when it's important to move forward. Showing an interest in people is important. Pacentta says you should be the first to know about a birth, illness, divorce, or death. Answer these questions every day: 1. Did you recognize someone today with a pat on the back or a thank you? 2. Did you teach, counsel, or motivate someone today? 3. Did you listen? 4. Did you think about your vision for the team? 5. Is each member of your team meeting your expectations? 6. Did you provide a blast of energy, and excitement today? 7. Did you assume that everything is okay today? (A "yes" answer to this question earns you a D-.) Great leaders like Napoleon knew how to get people excited about their plans and eager to follow them.