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Insurance Industry News from ProgramBusiness.com

Bradshaw, Toms, O’Neal, and DelahoussayePreface: This is the second in a series of eight articles on issues of importance to the management of organizations and the leadership of people. The first article created a Management "Jambalaya" using various ingredients - "leftover" ideas that still have application in the world of people and work. The articles that follow will use the same ingredients and a "fresh" approach to create an entrée – nutritious food for thought.

Disclaimer: I don’t often use sports analogies but on occasion these are the best way to create a visual (a picture is worth a thousand words) that crosses language, cultural, and other barriers. I believe this example warrants their usage.

The Ingredient / Entrée – How to Attract and Retain Valuable Employees?

You’re accountable for results; you need talent. You want the best people you can find – ready, willing, and able to get the job done.

David Toms (Golfer – LSU), Shaquille O’Neal (Basketball – LSU), Eddie Delahoussaye (Jockey – New Iberia, LA) and Terry Bradshaw (Quarterback – Louisiana Tech / Pittsburgh Steelers) in addition to being "home boys" – are all talented. At the top of their game, they are as good as it gets. They are winners!

If you were responsible for creating a dynasty – you’d jump at the chance to "draft" these type folks. Obviously the games they play are as different as their expertise but no one can doubt that they are great athletes. Properly matched in the right organization and the right role, they will pay dividends on any investment needed to acquire them.

Talent is the want and the need. The secret to success is the proper recruiting, placement / positioning (matching the talent to the organizational need), development, motivation, and perpetuation of talent. To apply this Sports analogy to the business world, let’s talk about talent and the proper fit in an organization.

David Toms is the sole proprietor. He’s not a team player. He’s a technician. He doesn’t compete against other players – he competes against himself – his best score.

Eddie Delahousaye is in a partnership. He and his partner (the horse – his ride) are "connected at the hip". They are totally dependent upon each other. Together they have often won; without an excellent performance by both they are just "also rans."

Shaquille O’Neal is a critical part of a team. Some have called him the most dominant player of all time. As a practical matter, he is very important to the team and may be the inspirational leader on the court but he is not the boss. He is dependent upon his teammates for "assists" in order to maximize his potential to score. On defense he is an awesome presence in the key but to win his teammates must cover the majority of the court.

Terry Bradshaw is the Organizational Man. His organization includes 3 distinct units – offense, defense, and special teams. On the field he "calls the shots" – off the field his presence, performance, and influence significantly impact how the other units perform and the outcome of the game!

Before we get too enthusiastic about our talent pool, let’s address one obvious assumption - proper placement. With the names mentioned, each of us visualized David on a tee box, Eddie in the saddle, Shaq in the center, and Terry under the center. How ridiculous would it be to have Eddie trying to see over the butt of the Center, David elbowing his way to the hoop, Shaq forcing his feet in the stirrups and Terry "chattering" at the tee box and the marshals whispering "quiet please".

Watching these great athletes misfit for their jobs, we would see a dead horse, no passes thrown, only donuts being dunked, and Mr. Bradshaw being forced to play with a sock in his mouth. The results would be disastrous – an incredible waste of talent and opportunity.
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