3 Ways to learn from "The Decision" and the aftermath of it

Unless you have been under a rock over the past 48 hours, you know last night was the announcement of The Decision. ESPN had its hype machines working double-time to promote and cover LeBron James's decision about where he will play basketball next year. There was theme music, special graphics, a pre-game show, and plenty of commercial breaks during The Decision show.

At approximately 8:30pm/central, the twenty-five-year-old basketball superstar announced his decision to depart his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. At approximately 8:32pm, jerseys were set afire in Cleveland and champagne bottles were popped in Miami.

As an infrequent follower of the NBA (the team left Kansas City in 1985) but a steadfast student of human behavior, the whole spectacle was captivating.

From the hype to the reactions, there are a few take-aways for leaders and employees:

#1 Money is not a primary motivator today.

James made it clear that he wants to win championships. He could have stayed where he was, in his hometown, earning millions of dollars, being loved and fawned over everywhere. But he wants to be on a championship-caliber team, and he feels that level exists in Miami and not Cleveland. People today, in all fields, levels, ages, want to be part of something greater than themselves. James wants to be on a championship-caliber team.

What do your employees and teammates want?

It's not about the money!

In light of the current economic environment, employers should be thrilled to know motivation goes deeper than money. Leaders need to face that and adapt to what motivates people today. (Read Dan Pink's new book, Drive, for the research to back this up.)

What are you doing to keep your James-caliber employees motivated?

#2 Loyalty is not a one-time occurrence but it is a two-way street.

Some former James fans are calling him disloyal for leaving Cleveland. Some are saying he let the city, fans, and team down and owed it to his hometown to stay. The team's owner called him a deserter and former hero. Does he owe it to them to stay with a team he does not think will win championships? Does he owe it to them to remain with a team he does not see positioning itself to win? Does he owe it to others to forgo his personal goal of winning championships?

No, he does not. And, neither do your employees or teammates.

If you got a job offer for your dream job, wouldn't you consider it? Of course. Or, would you pass on your dream job simply because your current employer hired you right out of college? There is more to loyalty than a one-time move.

Organizations need to earn loyalty all the time.

What are you doing to ensure that your superstars want to be on the team? Employers, team leaders, department managers, and teammates trusting the philosophy that those kept on during the recession will stay out of loyalty are likely to be setting themselves up for disappointment.

As for loyalty being a two-way street, employees need to earn loyalty all the time too. Perhaps if the team felt more loyalty to James, they would have better positioned themselves for championships.For some reason, the team did not open the wallets to retain the caliber of players needed to surround James and form a championship team. The team made its decision and James made his. No one knows how it will turn out, but both have to live with the results of their decisions.

Are you positioned to retain your best talent? Is your best talent positioning you to win championships in your industry? What needs to happen on a regular basis to ensure effective retention and reliance on your teammates?

#3 Childish emotional rants reinforce negative opinions.

Within an hour or two of the James announcement, the team owner published an open letter to the Cavaliers fans. In the letter (link: http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html), team owner Dan Gilbert wrote:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

Gilbert, the one person in a position of power to keep James in Cleveland, intimated that James is the following:

• Former hero
• Deserter
• Narcissistic
• Self-promoter
• Coward
• Betrayer
• Former "King"
• Shameful
• Selfish
• Disloyal
• Heartless
• Callous
• Cursed

There is a pencil-thin line between love and hate. But, before you print letters, publish proclamations, and promise results, get your emotions under control. Gilbert's letter reads like it was written by a nine-year-old sent to bed without dessert. 

Name-calling and false guarantees only reinforce the player's decision to leave. 

When someone leaves your team, how do you respond? Be careful. Others are watching and listening, and they know if you say it about a former teammate, you'd say it about them too.

In another part of the letter, Gilbert states he is even more motivated now that James is leaving. He says:

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

If it takes a teammate's departure to fire leaders up to win, then that says more about the leaders than the player--whatever the industry.

There are dozens of take-aways from the hype leading up the The Decision, to the event itself, and the reactions so far. If you ponder and implement based on the three discussed here, you will be a better leader and position your team for success better. And, you will do it without theme music, a television show, or hype. You can let your results speak for themselves.

In the meantime, Gilbert is slated to hold a press conference in about 30 minutes.It might be time to bury oneself under a rock for the next 48 hours.

3 Lessons to learn from others' poor judgment

Tony Hayward ought to be calling 1-800-FLOWERS to have a big bouquet sent to General McChrystal. The card should read,

"Dear Stan, Thanks for using judgment worse than my own and for getting me out of the news. Love, Tony." 

Hayward, of course, is the former BP executive in charge of the oil spill in its 65th day of ruining in the Gulf of Mexico. In the days leading up to the oil spill and immediately following it, Hayward's poor judgment included risking lives and livelihoods for the sake of a dollar, including deceased advisers in the plan to remedy the situation, botching oil containment, and most recently, enjoying a yacht race while eleven families mourned their loved ones who died in the blast which led to oil gushing in the Gulf.

What? A yacht race? Yes, Hayward made other more harmful lapses in judgment, but that one gives insight into just who Hayward is and who he thinks he is. BR replaced him this morning, which should give him insight into just who he is.

As for General McChrystal, the poor judgment that lands him on the front pages of news outlets an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in which he and his staff express dislike for President Obama and make fun of Vice President Biden. Being a non-military expert, I cannot speak to the General's judgment beyond this situation.

The General's apology (heck, at least he issued one, unlike his co-judgment-lapser Hayward) issued in a Pentagon statement said,

"I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," McChrystal said in a Pentagon statement. "Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard." (SOURCE: www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/23/general.mcchrystal.obama.apology/index.html?hpt=T1) 

BP replaced Hayward, and General McChrystal apologized. Shouldn't all be forgiven and the news return to the latest The Bachelor breakup, World Cup games, and Apple products?

Not so fast.

Since these highly accomplished professional men made such egregious errors, let's assume there are folks out there who need a refresher when it comes to errors in judgment.

Take these three rules to heart to avoid the effect of poor judgment in the future:

1. Your reputation will carry you only so far. You can claim to live by high standards, but your behavior indicates otherwise, it is your behavior upon which you will be judged. Do not expect different.
2. Mistakes can be forgiven and forgotten when genuine remorse and concern are shown, but do not excuse yourself by saying things like, "We're all human. Everyone makes mistakes." Statements like that undermine an apology. Plus, they just sound whiny and unprofessional.
3. Never publicly disparage your bosses, or their bosses, even in jest. If you have to be told not to do that in front of a journalist, then your judgment truly is pitiful. People will bridge the gap between "wow, he thought it was okay to say that to a journalist" and "he must be unfit to perform his duties." Expect consequences if you break Working Rule #1.

General McChrystal is meeting with President Obama to discuss his future this morning. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that room! Actually, it would be just as interesting to be a fly on the wall of the room when the General spoke with his staff about their unprofessional comments in the article.

If the General loses his job over the comments he and his staff made, perhaps they ought to be sending him flowers today.

How to Put Your Whole Self In #5

Put Your Curiosity In...

Notice how endearing it is when a three-year old asks, "Why?" a gazillion times? Even though it can be a little annoying at times, the curiosity is remarkable.

Imitate the child by asking, "Why?" and delving more to understand others better. Be curious and interested, and you'll be more interesting too.

Diane Sawyer, one of the book's all-in examples, says, "If there were rehab for curiosity, I'd be in it!" 

She strives to learn 30 things before breakfast. Way to go, Diane!

_____________________________________________________

From the new book available now: 

Put Your Whole Self In! Life and Leadership the Hokey Pokey Way
Please click here for more information

Copyright 2010 Kelly A. Tyler

If you found $20k, what would you do?

An employee at a furniture liquidation business in Washington found $20,000 in the back of an old armoire. If you were he, what would you do?

A. Keep it and keep it a secret
B. Tell the store owners and split it with them
C. Find the original armoire owner and return the money

If you were the store owner, would you keep the money or would you find the armoire owner? If your employee turned in such a large sum, how would you respond to him?

Check back in 48 hours to see the end result of this true story...

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As you may have guessed, the store employee notified the store owners who identified the estate sale where the armoire was purchased. The $20k was returned to a very surprised family.

Way to go!