After watching then New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady at practice, former Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean, in a 2018 Sports Illustrated article, observed: 

“Everything Brady does, he does with purpose… bag drills, footwork drills, the dropping back, throwing to one receiver …the great ones… don’t waste any reps…the great ones never think they’re beyond improvement…”

The story reminds us how leaders, whether formally appointed executives and team captains or informal mentors, set the tone and example for any group. In this post, I revisit lessons that continue to help me and my team improve and make better decisions.

We Learn by Watching Others

We learn what is acceptable and okay based on what our leaders and role models do [see “We All Lead by Example”]. This applies both to productive habits and less desirable ones. For example, while I learned much about leadership and integrity from my Dad, I also picked up choice four-letter words when listening to him on the phone in the other room when I was a kid. (I fear my daughters learned the same words from me the same way…)

People always watch and learn from others. Kids watch parents. Players watch coaches. Students watch teachers. Citizens watch their elected leaders. The actions and behaviors of others serve as models and permissions. If the goal is to become a better leader, manager, and person, then embrace the idea that, first, we can learn by watching others – especially “the best” – go about their work and, second, that we serve and lead as examples for others, as well.

Trust in Allah but Tie Your Camel

How do you decide on who to trust? By comparing a person’s words to their actions. Does the person do what they say they’re going to do when they say they’re going to do it? Do they answer questions simply and directly? Long rambling answers and failures to follow-through increase doubt and decrease trust. 

Years ago, partners at another consulting firm expressed interest on three separate occasions to explore a potential joint venture with Forisk and promised to follow up for a demo and details. They never did. To this day, I view those individuals and their work as unreliable. 

A manager or business owner cannot put up with the warm smelly mess of excuses, missed deadlines, bashful apologies, and inconsiderate tardiness that leave tracks through the office and get carried home. If someone fails to do their job or what they say they are going to do, you have a right and obligation to communicate and reinforce the expectation, to make a change if required, and to move on. 

Conclusion

If you think in terms of absolutes relative to your values and priorities, then decisions related to hiring and firing and improvement are easier [see Notes on Managing a Business]. Stop rationalizing. Say no to choices, offers, and performance counter to your values and goals. Don’t wait for the manure to hit the fan. Determine what is important, before the divorce, heart attack, kid failing a class, or upset client. Look at how the best perform. Then move forward, do your best, and have some fun.