In the 1980’s Chuck Daly was tapped on the shoulder to coach the Detroit Pistons. He did fairly well and led the team into the NBA playoffs. In fact, they became the highest scoring team in the league. Year after year, however, they got spanked (that’s a basketball term for not winning) in the playoffs. While still successful by many measures, the team was seemingly underachieving. Chuck Daly grew frustrated and sought to lead his team to a higher level of success. What did he do? He analyzed his team’s situation and potential. In addition, he analyzed the competition and various trends in the league. Finally, he came to two conclusions: 1. Defense wins championships. 2. We need to transform ourselves into the best defensive team in the league. And so Chuck Daly set his sights on winning an NBA championship.
When he approached his team about becoming the best defensive team in the league, they laughed. They all thought he was joking. But their smiles dissipated as Chuck’s unwavering, steely stare informed them that he was dead serious. Ultimately, a consensus was reached and the team decided that they would do whatever it took to become the best defensive team in the league. It took hard work and dedication – those of you who are basketball players know that it takes more energy to play defense than offense. Also, it is a LOT less fun. Soon the Pistons were nowhere near the top of the league in offense. But, they had become the best defensive team in the game.
What happened to Chuck Daly’s Detroit Pistons? Well, they became world champions. In fact, they were back-to-back champions. Here is the truly exciting part: they did it with the same players that stocked their offensive powerhouse. I repeat, they went through a dramatic transformation with the same people, and found heightened success.
Just how the heck did big Chuck and the ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons do that? There are five core reasons:
- They objectively and pragmatically analyzed their current situation.
- A clear vision of the desired result was communicated.
- A consensus was reached that created buy-in, commitment, and a sense of excitement.
- Measures, metrics, and/or dashboards were created in order to track and rank progress.
- An abundance of celebration took place along the way.
Let’s step back for a moment and look at Chuck Daly. He totally reinvented himself in order to lead his team where they needed to go. In other words, he decided that the team did not need a new leader or new players. He decided that the team needed a new direction. And he had the kind of vision, confidence, and skills that were necessary to lead his team to the Promised Land.
So leaders, ask yourself these questions: How have I reinvented myself in the past? What reinventions or tweaks should take place now? Are my fingers on the pulse of the marketplace? What current trends, some seemingly unrelated, will shape my industry’s future?
Consider this fact: in the twentieth century Penn Central railroad (once an incredible company) failed. They thought they were in the railroad industry, when they were really a transportation company. They did not reinvent even though they had ample opportunity and resources to do so. Don’t fall into the same complacency trap.