You can be just like Mario Lemieux

Do you own an NHL team? Have you won an Olympic gold medal or three MVP awards? Have you played on two Stanley Cup championship teams?

Unless Mario Lemieux reads this blog, it's pretty safe to say the answers to the above questions are, "No."

You may not have medals, trophies, and Stanley Cups, but there is something very important you could have in common with Mario Lemieux. There is one thing he did this week, which you could do and do just as well.

He inspired his team.

By the time two teams are playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup series, as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings were last Friday, it is clear both teams are skilled and talented. The difference between first and second place at that level is rarely skill, but more likely mental edge. Some might say "heart". Others say "desire," as if one team wanted the championship more than the other. Whatever you call it, Mario Lemieux inspired it in his team, the Penguins.

On Friday morning, each Penguins player awoke to find this on their cell phone:

This is a chance of a lifetime to realize your childhood dream to win a Stanley Cup. Play without fear and you will be successful! See you at center ice.

It was a text message from team owner, Mario Lemieux.

It was the right message at the right time. Mario's Penguins won the Stanley Cup that night, and he met them at center ice for the celebration.

You can do the same exact thing Mario did.

Inspire your team with the right message. Let them hear from you. Let them know you are behind them and believe in them.

Some leaders will think the idea is too fluffy and superficial. I say, if it's good enough for a hockey player (they aren't known for being sissies, after all), it's good enough for any leader. Your team wants to hear from you, especially during tough times.

If you want your team to step up, then you should too. Be like Lemieux in this regard: step up and inspire your team. Now.

What makes someone worth it?

The professional-level employee:

• Easily distracted
• Lacks professionalism (attire, manners)
• Lacks verbal skills
• Openly speaks of other, better jobs out there
• Surfs the web for 20 minutes at a time
• Average performer

Question #1: If you were the manager of the employee described above, would you keep him? In today's economy, when organizations are struggling to make revenue goals to keep people employed, how far would you go for the employee described?

Isn't there a line to draw somewhere? Isn't it acceptable to release that employee to find that "other, better job" and replace him with one of the highly skilled laid off people who would love to work there?

Unless the employee brings something valuable to the business, such as his family business is their largest client or he is friends with Jack Nicholson who will give you court-side seats to the Lakers-Orlando series, it may be time to let the employee go.

Managers today do not have time to mentor, much less to babysit someone who makes the company look bad to clients, negatively affects morale, barely meets deadlines, and submits substandard work. As nice as the employee may be, there is no time for managers to waste on people who are not worth it. Someone who does not want to be there, and behaves like it, is not worth it.

Question #2: If you are the employee described above, how long will you continue the behavior and expect to remain employed?

This is the time to bring your A game to work every day. This is not the time to slack off on the Internet, complain about petty things, demand raises for size of workload (hint: it's not the quantity which usually earns raises!), pick fights with coworkers, or tell a client your boss can't come to the phone because he is in the loo (a real example, but I cleaned up the wording).

I've posted about it before, but take note, this is the time many employers are trading up. They are letting sub-standard performers go and replacing them with people who will bring their A game to work daily. Employers are finding superstars among the unemployed, so unless you perform at a superstar level, your job could be in jeopardy. Don't risk it by being unprofessional.

Bring your A game and show them you are worth it every day.