Ron Washington

Ron Washington, Manager of the Texas Rangers, said so aptly after winning the American League pennant in Major League Baseball last week, “It’s not the best team that wins, it’s the team that plays the best on that day.”  I thought his philosophy was very insightful, and it illustrates Washington’s unselfish and realistic viewpoint on leading an organization of people.  As I pondered his slight twist on words, I couldn’t help but wonder how this wisdom can apply to other business settings where teams of people work together.

Not surprisingly, I think any business leader in a corporate environment would readily admit that having the best team can virtually assure the best performance.  After all, who would discount the potential stellar impact of assembling a group of employees who are considered the best in terms of their credentials?  But a stellar performance goes beyond credentials and taps into the skills of the leader and the propensity of the team members to deliver the best results. 

 

In a corporate business setting, being the most effective leader means building a team of individuals who are motivated to succeed in partnership with others and who are inspired by the guidance of their leader.  Finding and developing team members who present an aptitude for learning, a willingness to accept constructive criticism, and a relentless desire to improve may possibly transcend those with the best credentials. 

As a leader, securing such members for your team will help assure that your group will “play the best” everyday in the workplace.  While this approach can have a measurable and positive impact on your employees, it should be coupled with a regular practice of promoting their input, suggestions, and problem solving techniques to foster their accountability and ownership of their performance.  It is through this type of leadership style that true teamwork flourishes, and it builds the mutual respect that employees develop for everyone’s contribution.  This is the key to Washington’s success, and as a business leader, you can achieve the best results by adopting this strategy.

Our society is seemingly compelled to apply creative sports metaphors to business situations.  Some are certainly more appropriate than others, and to apply Washington’s theme of “playing the best”, means knowing how to win.