Bring Out the Best in Others
Ready — Casey Stengel was an unlikely baseball legend. He was a solid player but never a superstar. Then, as manager of the New York Yankees from 1949 to 1960, he led the team to an astonishing 10 American League pennants and seven World Series championships. His success came from understanding people.
Set — While other managers relied on rigid systems, Stengel recognized that no two athletes were motivated the same way. Some needed encouragement. Others needed a challenge. Veterans required different coaching than rookies. Rather than forcing everyone into the same mold, he adapted his leadership to fit the individual while never losing sight of the team's shared mission.
Here are five leadership lessons from Casey Stengel:
Know Your People: Great leaders invest time learning the strengths, weaknesses, and motivations of everyone on their team. Stengel understood a simple principle: don't ask people to do what they're not gifted to do.
Put People in the Right Roles: Stengel was one of baseball's earliest masters of strategic role assignment. He platooned players based on matchups and put people in positions where they could succeed.
Develop the Entire Team: Stengel believed championships were won when each team member contributed.
Adapt Without Compromise: Stengel adapted as different players left or joined the team but remained constant on the goals and mission of the organization.
Keep Learning: Even after years of success, Stengel continued studying the game and looking for better ways to lead.
Grow! — Leadership is less about filling positions and more about releasing potential. Leaders sometimes fall into the trap of treating every volunteer, team member, or employee the same. Effective leaders, however, help each person discover where they can make their greatest contribution to the team. Leaders don't simply build winning organizations. Rather, they build people. And when people are placed where they can thrive, the entire team succeeds.
Two Questions
Who on your team is working in a role that doesn't match their gifts?
How might you rearrange team members to build on their individual strengths?