Having coached at the high school level myself, I learned a valuable lesson about managing (coaching) people. Two of the greatest coaches of all-time at the college level were John Wooden and Denny Crum. Their genius was that although they both demanded discipline and teamwork, they were always conscious of letting the individual strengths and talents of their players flourish within their systems.
Having a “playbook” is essential for all of us who own and run businesses, but sometimes our greatest mistake is trying to impose the same game plan on every employee. What often happens is that the strengths of those employees are often minimized, trying to make “one system fit all.” There certainly have to be every day “plays” that our employees are expected to follow. But, don’t manage those plays so tightly that the individual gifts and talents of your players are thwarted!
Every UCLA team and every Louisville team ran the same plays. But every team had its own special identity because the players were allowed to utilize their own unique skill set within the scope of those plays. The bottom line is that we need systems and organization within each department of our agencies. But do not get so rigid that you neglect to allow your best and most talented players to shine!
LET YOUR BEST PLAYERS PLAY!!