I’m sure you’ve been there before; the numbers aren’t stacking in your favor this month, you lost a big client, the integration of the merger isn’t going so well, the new ERP is bogging down your teams, you might have to take out a loan out for cash flow, you are about to lose your best employee…etc., etc.  There are sleepless nights and tension around your eyes, and you can’t quite get past the fear in the pit of your stomach.  You are operating out of fear, and when we operate with fear or pressure, we behave differently, which impacts people in our stratosphere.  This is a bad thing, right?

In the world of business, fear often carries a negative connotation. However, if harnessed correctly, fear can be a potent motivator and a catalyst for growth and innovation. One of the most prevalent fears in business is the fear of failure. This emotion can significantly impact our professional behaviors and outcomes when understood and managed appropriately.

The Motivating Fear of Failure
As most of you know, here at Steople, we use assessments to accurately predict/discuss the strengths or weaknesses of individuals and organizations.  When looking at leaders, one of the Motivation Quesionnaire scales measures the fear response. This emotion acts as a driving force for those high on the scale of fear of failure. The apprehension about not meeting expectations or not achieving goals can lead individuals to work tirelessly, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and sustained effort in their endeavors. This intense commitment can lead to high-quality results and exceptional performance, as the fear of failing pushes one to go the extra mile to secure success.

However, this fear is not without its drawbacks. It can lead to stress, burnout, and a potentially paralyzing pressure that may hinder creativity and innovation. Individuals overwhelmed by the fear of failure might also avoid taking necessary risks, which are essential for breakthroughs and significant advancements in business. On top of that, if you believe that people “pick up on energy,” there’s a good chance it could negatively impact your leadership effectiveness.  According to a study by Harvard Business Review, nearly 40% of executives admit that fear of failure is the biggest hindrance to growth in their organizations.

The Strategic Lack of Fear of Failure
Conversely, individuals who score low on fear of failure often respond differently to fear. Rather than doubling down when faced with potential failure, they pivot and redirect their efforts toward more promising ventures. This ability to shift focus without the emotional baggage of potential failure allows for a more strategic approach to business challenges.

This agility can be a tremendous advantage, as it enables quick adaptation to changing market conditions and exploring innovative ideas without the fear of falling short. The downside, however, is that it may lead to a lack of perseverance. Some great ideas need time and persistent effort to come to life, and without the drive to overcome initial obstacles, opportunities for significant achievements might be abandoned prematurely.

Personal Insights
Speaking from personal experience, being low on the fear of failure scale has served me well, for the most part, in my career. It has allowed me to see the bigger picture and maintain a clear focus, even under pressure. This trait has aided me in navigating complex situations and created an environment where out-of-box thinking is the norm rather than the exception.

This approach often leads to breakthroughs that might not have been possible if I were overly concerned about failing. Embracing this aspect of my personality has led to successful pivots and adaptations that have propelled my business forward. But it also makes me think…do I need to use “fear of failure” more? Probably! “Sticking it out” might be something to consider when I need to allow something to develop more.  It is something every leader needs to ask themselves.

Harnessing Fear for Business Success
Understanding and harnessing fear, whether high or low on the fear of failure scale, is crucial for leaders. For those more driven by fear, it’s important to channel this emotion constructively. Techniques such as setting realistic goals, practicing mindfulness, and maintaining a balanced perspective on success and failure can help manage the stress associated with this fear.

For those less affected by fear of failure, it’s vital to cultivate resilience and ensure that agility does not give the perception of being wishy-washy. Building a solid foundation of persistence, even when the immediate threat of failure isn’t looming, can lead to sustained success and fulfillment of a long-term vision.

In conclusion, whether you’re motivated by a fear of failure or empowered by your indifference to it, both traits have their unique advantages and challenges. The key to making fear a powerful ally in business lies in understanding your emotional drivers and leveraging them to enhance your effectiveness. In doing so, we overcome our fears and turn them into stepping stones for innovation and success in the competitive business landscape.

I recently engaged with an HR professional from a high-profile company, exploring the prospect of working together. I got word that the answer was no. It seemed like the perfect fit!  The disappointment lingered as I walked out of my office and wondered out loud to no one in particular, “I don’t lose – how did that happen?” Frustration set in, and I spent the next couple of days pondering ways to make it happen.  I’m assuming you are a lot like me in thinking that if I put enough time and effort into something I can influence outcomes.  It has worked for me in the past, so my brain tends to go down that neural pathway!

That same week a conversation with my coach (yes, I definitely practice what I preach) made me stop in my tracks and reflect. She astutely remarked, “Cristina, this was a blow to your ego, not your core purpose.” I grappled with the truth in her words, questioning whether it truly was a dent to my ego. I slowed down and questioned whether the desire to collaborate with that specific company stemmed from a genuine appreciation for their core purpose or merely the allure of NYC and a high-profile team. The answer was uncomfortable and one I’m not proud to admit; it was the latter. My inner achievement addict had veered me toward a path misaligned with my values.

Later, that weekend, I went to the movies, where “Killer of the Flower Moon” captivated me. Growing up in Oklahoma, witnessing the impactful work of tribes play in leading their sovereign nation stirred a deep resonance within me.  On the journey home, reflections on the call with the HR director intertwined with the tribal resilience on the big screen. It became evident—I needed to realign with the essence of why I embarked on this journey in the first place. My focus had to shift from the allure of achievement to the fundamental motivation of serving companies with compelling core purposes.

I did find out that the “no” to the work was due to the CEO being relieved of his duties and a search for a new CEO commencing. The CEO’s replacement and a temporary halt to the work was inconsequential. The roadblock was the Universe looking out for me, safeguarding me from a venture that would have kept me busy but devoid of inspiration. It was a pivotal moment of course correction, a return to rethinking my efforts and not “pushing” into areas that aren’t even aligned with what I am trying to achieve.

In a world that glorifies achievement and busyness, where the default response to “How are you?” is often “Busy,” or if you are honest and talk about what’s not going well…there isn’t a lot of time or interest to unpack it because everyone has so much on their plate as well.  I believe it’s time to question the narrative we’ve embraced. The prevailing belief that success requires relentless upstream effort, pushing against the current, and making things happen. And if you put all of the things you need to get done on a list and just barrel through them, success will come. Truth is that this significant costs to our health and well-being. What if there’s a more sustainable approach? What if we could achieve more by doing less?  What if the answer to getting more of what we want isn’t addition at all, but subtraction?

To-Do, To-Do, To-Do
As it turns out, evidence supports that if we want to ramp up our productivity and happiness, we should actually be doing less. David Rock, author of Your Brain at Work, found that we’re truly focused on our work a mere six hours per week, which starkly contrasts our collective buy-in to the 40-hour workweek. When you stop doing the things that make you feel busy but aren’t getting you results (and are draining you of energy), then you end up with more than enough time for what matters and a sense of peace and spaciousness that constant activity has kept outside your reach.

As people with full lives — kids, careers, friends, passions, logistics, and more — how can we apply the wisdom of doing less to give ourselves more time and alleviate stress without jeopardizing our results?  We need to identify what not to do. But this determination can’t be random. It must be methodical and evidence-based.

For those who are still not convinced that doing less will result in actually getting more done, consider this: it’s not about actually having less on your plate, it’s about allowing your mind to focus on one task at a time, so that you can actually complete things fully and well. From there, you can build momentum to go onto the next task. Overloading your to-do list and overwhelming your brain is not forcing you to perform faster, it’s ensuring that you’re accomplishing less than you would if you only gave yourself a few tasks per day.

Rethinking Effort: Upstream vs. Downstream
Let’s look at upstream efforts and what that means.  Upstream effort is characterized by pushing against the current, striving tirelessly, and often feeling the weight of burnout. This type of effort is commonly rewarded by society, reflecting qualities such as hard work and determination. However, despite external validation, upstream effort may not always translate into a sense of genuine progress. It can be akin to swimming against the current, where the struggle may not yield the desired outcomes or a fulfilling sense of achievement.

While upstream effort might be externally praised, it can come at a cost. The relentless pursuit of goals without considering the broader context may lead to burnout, decreased well-being, and a lack of fulfillment. Working against the current can also result in inefficiencies, as the energy expended may not yield proportional results. Moreover, a singular focus on upstream effort may cause individuals to overlook the importance of the journey and personal well-being.

Conversely, downstream effort involves rowing with the current, adopting a more fluid approach to goals, and placing emphasis on the journey rather than solely on the destination. Working downstream entails maintaining a loose grip on objectives, allowing oneself to be guided by the natural flow of circumstances. The key to downstream effort is finding a balance between exerting effort and embracing a state of ease. This approach often leads to a more sustainable and fulfilling work experience.

Working downstream means aligning one’s efforts with the natural flow of circumstances. It involves being attuned to the environment and adapting to the rhythm of the situation. When working downstream, individuals may experience a sense of flow—a state of complete immersion and focus where tasks are performed effortlessly. This flow state is associated with heightened creativity, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

Reflection Exercise
So, let’s put these two concepts together – focusing on things that really matter and spending the majority of our time in downstream efforts.  There is a surprisingly simple exercise to decide what activities on their to-do list need the most focus.  Here’s how it works:

Step 1: This is a big one!  Be very clear on what your core purpose and your core values are.  Not just “where” you are going, but also “how” you will behave along the way.  Once you have this established, it will make every other decision easier.  This one will take you some time and if you get stuck, reach out to a trusted person such as a mentor or coach.  You have to nail this one.

Step 2: Now, take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle, lengthwise.

Step 3: Decide on an area of your life or work where you’d like to have better results and less
stress. For example, perhaps you want to expand into an area that you know you can add value.  I spoke to a client about this exact topic with a woman who had put her hand up in her organization to put together a robust onboarding program.  She did an outstanding job and the whole team was so appreciative – and she was playing to her strengths and working in “flow”.

Step 4: On the left-hand side, list the tasks or activities you do in that area of your work or life. Say you want to be an expert in a certain area and thought leader…you might list attending conferences, pitching organizations for speaking opportunities, writing new articles, reading and researching, and so on.

Step 5: On the right-hand side, make a list of your biggest “wins” in that area, like a speaking gig, a presentation you really nailed at work, or a pitch that was accepted at a major publication. This can often be a difficult step for some people. We have not been culturally conditioned to celebrate ourselves, so often, peoplewill draw a blank when listing their “wins.” Any result you’ve gotten (either one time or repeatedly) that was positive can go on this list.

Step 6: Draw a line connecting each of your biggest wins to the activity or task that was most responsible for that result. Reading and researching, for instance, were essential to getting your pitch accepted for publication, so connect these two together.

Step 7: Circle all the activities and tasks on the left side of your paper that have been responsible for your big wins. Look at what’s left. Whatever isn’t circled is something that you need to either stop doing completely, significantly minimize, or delegate if it absolutely must be done. For instance, if you discover that traveling for conferences once a month isn’t directly contributing to any wins, it’s time to set that aside or at least cut back.

Step 8:  Focus.  If you are being authentic in your path, working downstream and focusing your energy on one thing at a time, you will make strides.  This is a tough one because there are so many distractions and “have tos” in our life that can overtake us.  Stay the course.

Achieving More by Doing Less
The main point is not to stop trying but to stop trying so hard at things that don’t matter. By focusing efforts on personally meaningful goals, trying becomes effortless, and success feels internally satisfying. The paradigm shift towards downstream effort offers leaders a powerful framework for sustainable success. This might seem counterintuitive, but the call to action is clear: examine your inner achievement addict, question motivations, and choose pursuits that are true and authentic. Health, well-being, and authenticity outweigh external validations. When these values are prioritized, you get clear on what you want, you focus on one path, and you work in flow, individuals can truly achieve more by doing less.

As you wrap up the year and catch your breath…are you still marveling at the talent wars we have all been engaged in? And once you do get someone in the door, keeping your top employees from moving on to another company is almost as tricky. If so, you should consider an unpleasant thought: Your organization may be employing a bosshole.

It’s a fact that this type of manager gets operational results. Yet, in getting results, he or she may be taking down the organization in the process. These managers visibly gain ground in the organization, while simultaneously creating a path of destruction. They destroy morale, derail the efforts of others, and may ultimately destroy the company’s culture. We like to call these managers “abrasive leaders,” “competent jerks” or “bossholes.”

What Makes a Bosshole a Bosshole?
If you have one in your organization, they may not even be self-aware enough to know how they show up to their team. According to Laura Crawshaw, Ph.D., researcher, coach, and author of Taming the Abrasive Manager, “One of the characteristic aspects of abrasive leaders is they do not perceive themselves to be abrasive,” she explains. “They tend to be blind to their behavior, or think that it is necessary, that the only way to deal with employees is to be aggressive.” Essentially, these are the “red flag” behaviors that might be exhibited by a bosshole:

• Quick to anger and will utilize retribution with peers and direct reports.
• Superficially charming and makes a good first impression, but you soon see the personality and character flaws.
• Will manage up and attempt to create a good impression on their own boss or board members.
• Treats others with disrespect or publicly devalues others as being inferior or lacking.
• Seems to be highly dependent upon recognition from others.
• Constantly assesses for those who are a threat or will make him or her look bad.
• The word “I” dominates conversations. This person is oblivious to the frequency of self-references he or she uses.
• Takes little interest in you or others or in your life history, background, or accomplishments.
• They don’t seem guilty of errors or wrongdoing and do not apologize for their actions.
• Seeks to be the center of attention in meetings and will insinuate he or she is the smartest person in the room.
• Preoccupied with success or power to the point of alienating others.

Unfortunately, these types of behaviors rarely remain contained at the manager level. As in any culture, the behavior at the top can trickle down throughout the entire organization. People might rationalize the behavior and say, “We are getting results, so what’s the problem? I know people can’t stand her, but she delivers!” So, what is the problem? For starters, these individuals often maximize their own results at the expense of others. This manager is focused on operational metrics but forgets that results cannot always be immediately quantified in terms of sales dollars, increased contracts, or great audits. Are operational measures important? Absolutely! Are they complete? Not at all!

This type of manager’s long-term impact can devastate an organization. Unfortunately, many have risen through the ranks because of their ability to hit the numbers…their behavior is reinforced with each promotion or additional assignment.  When I work with teams in organizations, I sometimes see specific “symptoms” in the rank-and-file employees that might indicate that there is a bosshole on the team. These include:

• People are afraid to challenge the leader or take risks
• Complaints regarding the individual’s interactions with coworkers
• Requests to transfer out of the leader’s department
• Attrition of valued employees
• Decreased morale and motivation
• The company gets a bad reputation from various stakeholders
• There may be increased litigation costs in the company

Everyone in the organization knows the damage these managers can cause, however the organization puts up with their behavior for the sake of bottom-line results. But are the results from these managers really the results a company wants?

The Ripple Effect
Unfortunately, the impact these bossholes have on the culture of the organization can be devastating. Certain people in the organization may have worked for years to build up the culture, only to have it destroyed by one or two people in the company.  These are the behaviors that employees report when working for a boss hole:

• 48% intentionally decreased work effort and quality
• 47% intentionally decreased time at work
• 80% lost work time worrying about the behavior
• 66% said their performance declined
• 78% said their commitment to the organization declined

When looking at these percentages, it is obvious the impact that bossholes have on an organization.  However, the research indicates that their “Impact” may not match their “Intent”.

Myths and Truths about Bossholes
Contrary to popular misconceptions, bossholes are not necessarily awful people.  They may buy into their idea of success and not be aware of the damage they are doing to the constituents they serve.  Research by Lynne Harrison from Black Tusk Leadership states the following is true about these abrasive leaders:

• They often lack awareness of the real impact of their abrasive behavior.
• Their intention is to “do what it takes” to get the job done.
• They are defending against the threat of being perceived as incompetent or possibly failing.
• Often intense and driven, they are accustomed to being successful.
• They became leaders because they were individual solid contributors not because they were great leaders.
• They work in an environment that places high value on results regardless of how achieved.
• Sometimes the culture actually encourages abrasive leadership behavior.
• The organization is typically facing a high level of competition.
• The leaders did not receive any vital feedback from the organization requiring they change their behaviors.

Bossholes are especially sensitive to anything that challenges their position, success, self-perception, authority, or need to please. Therefore, they tend to overreact.  From experience, they have learned to survive by deploying unacceptable behaviors and will defend against any threats to how they are accustomed to achieving success.  Again, we want to emphasize that they may be shocked to find out that they are hurting the people around them.

Taming Bossholes 
In order to stop the destruction that occurs in organizations due to bossholes, people at the top have to take action.  They have to realize that while these individuals do get results, they are not the results that build a strong culture or typically align with company values. These are critical to being successful in taming your bosshole:

• Describe clearly the impact of their behavior on other employees.
• Declare their behavior is inconsistent with organizational values and will not be tolerated.
• Offer help and be actively involved in holding them accountable.
• Look at the organizational practices that may be contributing to the problem.
• Assess whether the leader, in fact, really is ready to change.
• Hire an outside coach or mentor for leadership development.

In summary, we have all either worked for a bosshole in the past or know a “living and breathing” one in our organization today.  It is essential to understand that the current culture may unintentionally encourage such abrasive behaviors.  But, the truth is that none of us has to continue to subject the people we are entrusted with in our organizations to these bossholes.  Any company with a relevant core purpose (that goes beyond making money) and truly lives by its core values will not allow a bosshole to continue to wreak havoc on the culture.

Shark Tank has been in the news lately…Mark Cuban plans to leave after 16 seasons. The following is a relevant, yet vintage, video about Mr. Wonderful on the ABC television show “Shark Tank” – a behind-the-scenes look at a self-proclaimed bosshole.

VIDEO:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/work-bosshole-19206386

At Steople we believe that leaders bring the weather, both sunshine and storms. In fact, a client I was recently coaching inadvertently brought the rain clouds to the office every time she walked in the room. Janet was an experienced manager, but new to her company. She came in eager to make a positive impression and quickly identified inefficiencies in her department.  She created a plan, and to ensure that it was implemented according to her vision, she spent several hours sitting with each of her employees, showing them how to work more efficiently.

Over the last couple of years, I have been awed by the dominance of the University of Oklahoma women’s softball team.  As many of you know, I’ve been a huge college football fan since I was a kid, but with recent changes such as the player portal (giving players the ability to easily transfer to another school) and the NIL rules (allowing players to get paid for their Name, Image, and Likeness) it just doesn’t feel the same.  It feels like college football went from selfless teams with individuals you felt were like family members to feeling disconnected from the “team” concept and uninspired by some of the “what’s in it for me” stories coming out about the players.   Super disappointing to millions of us fans.  There is definitely a gravitational pull to finding sports that feels a little more authentic and inspiring…

But, hold on, this blog is not able college football, it is actually about leadership and building a high-performing team.  Research tells us that, at best, 20% of leadership teams are high performing. It also tells us that at least 50% of teams in organizations are underperforming.  So, of course, one of the best routes to success a leader can take is being able to build an effective team.  A high-performing team can be a game-changer for any company as it can significantly impact productivity, engagement, innovation, and profitability.  So, today I am going to introduce you to the  OU Women’s Softball program (if you don’t already know of them) and understand what nuggets of wisdom we can glean from the leader of that team to use in your own leadership journey.

The Background
When Patty Gasso first arrived in Norman, Oklahoma in 1995, she was overwhelmed.  After five years at Long Beach City College, this Californian was hired to take over Oklahoma’s softball program. While the work was the same, the grind and heightened workload of being a Division I coach left Gasso feeling underwater. “I thought going from junior college to Division I was kind of the natural step, but I found out it is absolutely not a natural step,” Gasso said. “The workload, the stress factor, the recruiting, everything is magnified by 1,000. And I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect it to be as tough as it was.”

Back in those days, before OU softball called their current Marita Hynes Field home, it had Reaves Park.  Don’t be fooled by the name. Reaves Park stretches from Timberdell Road to Constitution Street, just east of Jenkins Avenue, in Norman but was no mecca for softball. Yes, it’s where OU played its home games and even hosted postseason events before its current stadium opened in 1998.

But it’s quite literally a park. Home to family picnics, youth sports leagues, and the city’s annual Medieval Fair, Reaves Park provided humble beginnings to the Gasso era. OU’s dugout wasn’t big enough to hold its entire team, forcing a few players to sit on nearby wooden benches, meant for spectators. Recruiting was tough.  Team activities often included picking up trash, such as beer cans from the adult baseball and softball leagues that shared the venue, often before and after practice and games. Games, mind you, that the team could hardly charge fans money to attend, because, well, there weren’t exactly gates to keep anyone out.  And, worst of all, no excitement for the sport.

Today’s Reality
Fast forward to what Gasso’s Sooners have done since those early days.  It is dynastic. They’ve won six national titles in the past decade, starting with the 2013 championship, and continuing their latest last week. So, what exactly does this leader do to create such extraordinary results?  Here are three of the most relevant lessons from Gasso:

1. Surround Yourself with Great People
Gasso learned in her early years that the rigor of being a Division I coach could not be taken on by one person alone —  it required an elite staff working together.  The ability to craft a staff that’s able to execute her vision has been crucial in maintaining success.  “It’s about trusting your assistant, trusting your staff, appreciating your staff so that they’ll work for you,” Gasso said. “And when I first was here, I was trying to do everything myself, and that’s part of why I was so underwater. When I started to bring in coaches and give them bigger responsibilities that allowed me to oversee things versus trying to control everything, which was not working well for me.”

Gasso cultivates that trust in her staff by keeping those duties in the family of OU softball, and sometimes even within the Gasso family.  All of Gasso’s assistants in 2019 had some connection to the program before being hired as coaches. Her oldest son JT is an assistant, and her youngest son DJ is a graduate assistant. Associate head coach Jennifer Rocha played at Oklahoma from 1996 to 1998 and was a graduate assistant from 1999 to 2001 and Gasso hired five recent former players as assistants this season.  That’s no accident. Gasso intentionally and proactively hires people who have seen her coaching style —  a unique combination of tough love, compassion, and life lessons — up close and personal.

Business Questions:  Are you surrounding yourself with the best talent?  Do you trust people on your team?  Is there diversity on your team?  Are team members loyal to one another? Do you feel people on your team are competent and do what they say they will do?  Are people motivated and passionate about what you are trying to accomplish?

2. Evolution is Necessary for Survival
Gasso has evolved over time as a leader and attributes that change to part of the formula for success.  “When I got here, I wasn’t a player’s coach,” Gasso said. “I pushed, pushed, pushed. I was a discipline coach. I didn’t let players get away with a lot of things. I just ran a very tight ship.”

Kelli Braitsch, a freshman on Gasso’s first national championship team, knows that version of Gasso well. Following an expo tournament at Reaves Park, Braitsch and her mother, Judy, met with Gasso, who was still recruiting her at the time. Judy Braitsch inquired what position Gasso envisioned her daughter playing at the next level and received an answer her daughter can’t forget. “Coach Gasso looked directly at me,” Kelli Braitsch said, “even though my mom asked the question, and she said, ‘Kelli will play whatever position she earns.”  Braitsch now admits “In the end, I earned the spot that I deserved and that is one thing that I love and respect still to this day about Coach Gasso. She doesn’t care who you are, she doesn’t care what stats you had the year before or what you did in high school or whatever. Who cares that you’re an All-American one season, because the next season, you could be the worst player on the team.”

Gasso saw a need to change. She didn’t want to compromise her authenticity, but she understood coaching the way she did in the late 1990s wasn’t the way her program would sustain. “I knew that there was a generation change happening, and I knew that my style was not going to fit them,” Gasso said. “That’s when I knew I had to meet my players halfway. ”  Yep, she had to tweak her style to fit new circumstances.

During this time, Gasso naturally became the coach recruits wanted to talk to — a stark contrast from when Gasso was first cutting her teeth in big-time college softball, doing all she could to convince players to come to Norman at a time when softball championships ran through UCLA and Arizona.  Perhaps as important to anything she’s done as a coach, Gasso has learned how to uphold her lofty standards, while also building those meaningful bonds with her players and staff.  “The goals from my side are to make them understand that, win or lose, you’re loved, you’re appreciated and you’re fabulous.”  Players matter to this coach.

Business Questions: Do you emphasize the results AND the relationship?  Are the “goalposts” established so people know how to succeed?  Does your team have one another’s back?  Do people perceive that you really listen to their feedback?  Are members of the team continually growing?

3. Remember, There is Life Beyond Work
For those who have played for, coached with, and been raised by Gasso, the part of her style that stands out most has nothing to do with batting stances, throwing motions, or base running techniques — it’s her emphasis on preparing players for life beyond softball.  The crux of Gasso’s coaching isn’t separating teaching the minutia of softball and teaching broader concepts about life, she combines the two and uses athletic lessons to inform life lessons.

“It’s cool to be able to see how things correlate on and off the field —  she teaches us to be tough on the field and to stand our ground,” said Keilani Ricketts, who played for Gasso from 2010 to 2013. “And she teaches us off the field to have a voice and stand up for ourselves whenever we’re dealing with conflict… It inspires us to advocate for ourselves.”  Inspiring her players to advocate for themselves is exactly what Gasso aims to do. A coach directs, instructs, and trains her players to succeed on the field. But as an advocate, Gasso tries to transform her players from teenage girls to young women ready for professional softball, coaching, the workforce, or whatever else may await them.

She also utilizes some other interesting tactics for life skills.  “What we have started to do now is create like a blue-collar day, where after practice, they’re all given job responsibilities. Last night, we were raking leaves, we were blowing out the dugouts, we were down on our hands and knees picking up little pieces of trash from the indoors. They’re picking up trash behind the grandstands. I mean, they are sweeping off the turf.  Everybody’s got jobs. Like, you get to learn how to take care of your house. So this is our house. You want to know what it means to keep your house in order. This stadium is going to be in order as long as we’re here. So we’ve changed a few things and put them to work.”  It’s probably not the most popular thing she’s ever done, but for this team, there are new opportunities for team bonding, building a sense of pride, and taking care of the “little things.”

Business Questions:  Do you care about your employees beyond what they bring to the job?  Do you have a mentorship program?  Does your team think outside the box when creating team bonding experiences?  Can everyone on the team tell you what the purpose is of what they do every day?  Do you spend informal time together as a team?

In leadership, you always hear the stories.  The tough road that had to be traveled, the grit and determination that was needed, and the lessons learned along the way.  I’m sure you have many of those same stories.  Patty Gasso is no different and we can learn a lot from her experiences.  She would tell you the word “lukewarm” is a dirty word in the OU program. To her, it means someone is either half in or half out…They need to be either all in or not be in at all.  I actually feel that way about leadership.  Of course, there will be days you feel a little “off”, but if you are not totally committed to those three tenets laid out by Gasso… surround yourself with great talent, adapt your leadership when needed, and truly care about your employees…it will be tough to build that high-performing team you are working towards.

*Interview excerpts from OU Daily News