Gold Medal Strategies E-Book

Jim Craig

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 326

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

Business lessons from one of the greatest Olympic teams of all time It's been called the greatest upset of all time, the most memorable Olympic moment ever, the "Miracle on Ice." No matter which superlative is used, no one can deny that the U.S. men's hockey team's defeat of the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Lake Placid Olympic Games was a defining moment for Cold War America. The U.S. team's goalie was a Boston University student named Jim Craig, who is now a leadership expert and keynote speaker to business audiences. Gold Medal Strategies gives you Craig's unique lessons from the "Miracle" team on team dynamics, leadership, motivation, and other important management topics. With his unparalleled perspective, Craig dissects and analyzes the elements of a successful team, how to assemble one, and what philosophies will keep the team's shared goal a reality. This book outlines the necessary skills and details the specific techniques you need to maximize your business readiness, hone competitive cooperation, gather your strategies, and attack your challengers.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Praise

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1: Great Teams Think of Themselves as Winning Underdogs

Kindle Your Competitive Fire

Herb Brooks—A Winning Underdog for the Ages

Commit to Proving the Doubters Wrong

Victor, Not Victim—Results, Not Reasons

Expect Adversity—It Never Gets Easier

Accept the Challenge—Embrace the Opportunity

Beyond the Ice—Other Coaches and Mentors

2: Great Teams Have a Shared Dream

Make the Quest Epic

Have a Clearly Defined Mission, Values, and Messages

Get with the Program—Or Get Out

Leverage Individuality for Team Strength

Bring People Together—In One Place

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

3: Great Teams Make Personal Sacrifices

Understand That Not Only You Sacrifice

Sacrifice for Something You Love

Sacrifice for Your Legacy

Recognize and Show Appreciation for Those Who Sacrifice with You

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

4: Great Teams Hold Themselves and Others Accountable

Accountable, Yes. But for What?

Pull Potential Out of People

Accountability Is a Two-Way Street

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

5: Great Teams Are the Product of Picking the Right Players

Not Necessarily the Best Players—But the Right Ones

Team Chemistry Is Essential

Look for Those Who Will Dream Big—But Not Make Dreams Their Master

Recruit the Dreamers Who Can Handle Defeat

The Best Recruiters Are Master Salesmen

Recruit the Right Values and Right Character

Stick with the Plan—Own the Outcome

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

6: Great Teams Have a Real or Invented Enemy

Identify and Fixate on a Common Enemy

Plan, Prepare, and Execute

Be Ready for Anything—Respect Your Opponent

The Enemies Within

You Take on the Enemy Together

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

7: Great Teams Stay Young in Spirit and Outlook

Don't Let Your Players Get Comfortable

The Technology Challenge

Make the Workplace Fun—At Least Some of the Time

Caring About Your People and Your Customers Makes the Workplace Fun

Dare to Be Different—Push Innovation

Take Care of Yourself—Be Good to Others

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

8: Great Teams Manage Through Ego and Conflict

Find a Buffer-A Go-Between

No One Is Bigger Than Team

Everyone Has an Important Role

Agree to Disagree—Work It Out

Get Outside Your Comfort Zone for the Team

Beyond the Ice—Other Mentors and Coaches

9: Victory—The One and Only End Game

Define Victory

What Will You Do with Your Victory?

Index

Praise for Gold Medal Strategies

“Gold Medal Strategies, like Jim Craig, is a true winner! Jim's successful Olympic and professional hockey career has put him in position to help companies produce gold medal teams. The book is perfect for our organization—a must read.”

—DAVID MASON, CEO, HEALTH CONNECT PARTNERS, INC.

“Gold Medal Strategies is a must read for any manager looking to build, develop, and energize a high-performance team for execution. Jim's pragmatic, straightforward approach has application for even the most seasoned executive!”

—DON COLLERAN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SALES, FEDEX

“Gold Medal Strategies is just what your sales team needs: firsthand insights on how teamwork, the value of preparation, goal setting, and developing a ‘winning underdog’ attitude can positively impact the success of your company.”

—JACK LAURENDEAU, VICE CHAIRMAN, ACOSTA SALES & MARKETING

“No one assimilates winning in business and sports quite like Jim Craig; his focus on goal achievement is easily related to and implemented, whether you are going for a gold medal or a victory in today’s market. Gold Medal Strategies does it all.”

—TONY MEOLA, CEO, SAXON

“Jim Craig’s critical role in the ‘Miracle on Ice’ in 1980 was the epitome of peak performance. Now he combines that experience with everything he has learned in business and in life over the past 30 years into another winning achievement. Gold Medal Strategies should be read by anyone who has a team.”

—DAVE OGREAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, USA HOCKEY

“There are no better lessons than those we learn from life, and no better example of that than Jim Craig and the ‘Miracle on Ice.’ Gold Medal Strategies fits all ages, and everyone learns from it.”

—BERNIE SWAIN, FOUNDER, WASHINGTON SPEAKERS BUREAU

“For years, Jim has seamlessly tied USA’s 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’ success into smart business lessons in all of his corporate speeches. Gold Medal Strategies is no different. It is a business strategy must-read book.”

—DAVID SCHWAB, VICE PRESIDENT, MANAGING DIRECTOR, OCTAGON}

“I have had the good fortune of watching Jim Craig reshape the attitude of a national sales force in just over an hour by weaving the parallel threads of business performance and hockey performance. Now his book Gold Medal Strategies: Business Lessons from America’s Miracle Team gives anyone interested in lighting a fire under the organization a chance to see how it’s done. Jim transfers the energy and entertainment of his personal appearances into the written word. I have seen the energizing effect he can have on a crowd, and those feelings of positive intent came back as I read through the book.”

—STEVEN ROBINS, PRESIDENT, BAUSCH & LOMB VISION CARE NORTH AMERICA

“On a long-ago Friday night, Jim Craig stood between the pipes of a little hockey rink in Lake Placid, New York, and delivered arguably the greatest performance under pressure in the annals of the Olympic Games, turning away 39 Soviet shots and forever redefining the parameters of athletic possibility. In these pages, Craig is no less on top of his game, offering page after page of profound insights and innovative strategies, showing us that winning in business and in life has a whole lot in common with achieving an Olympic miracle. It is a splendid piece of work.”

—WAYNE COFFEY, AUTHOR

“Jim Craig provides inspiration and a playbook to create winning teams, from sports to business to elite military units. What makes his message unique is that it optimizes the talent and motivates the people to overcome any situation.”

—MICHAEL MINOGUE, UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT GRADUATE; U.S. ARMY PLATOON LEADER, DESERT STORM

“Jim Craig’s story and his message are both inspiring and educational. Jim addresses what is really important to achieve success. Creating a bold vision, holding fast to your convictions, moving forward with courage, having a passion and drive to succeed, silencing the naysayers, and achieving the mission—whatever it takes is what Jim teaches us in Gold Medal Strategies . It is a must read for all who want to achieve a gold medal in life.”

—GARY CHARTRAND, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, ACOSTA SALES AND MARKETING COMPANY

“The winning underdog attitude is engaging and provides a strategic advantage: never underestimate the competition. In Gold Medal Strategies , Jim Craig incorporates strategies into a motivating presentation that encompasses winning—a subject he is very familiar with!”

—ROBERT DELUCA, SANOFI-AVENTIS}

“Winning an Olympic gold medal was only the beginning of Jim Craig’s journey to create a legacy and achieve victory in whatever he set out to accomplish. In his book, Jim shares with the reader his lifetime experiences and inspires others to look introspectively and ‘pay it forward’ for the benefit of future generations.”

—TONY PINSONAULT, MANAGING PARTNER, PINSONAULT ASSOCIATES, LLC

“Jim Craig not only provides extraordinary insights (gleaned from his extraordinary life), but he has served as an inspiration to me and all my executives to ‘go for the gold.’ Jim has contributed significantly to the success of my business. With this book he can spread his valuable advice to a larger audience.”

—IRA D. RIKLIS, PRESIDENT, SUTHERLAND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

“Jim Craig is an amazing American sports icon who will forever be remembered for his role as a member of the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic gold medal hockey team. In his book Gold Medal Strategies: Business Lessons from America’s Miracle Team , Craig manages to capture the spirit of his sports experiences and to represent them in a context that is entertaining, riveting, and beneficial for all who are tasked with leading and inspiring teams. It is a quick read, well worth the time.”

—DENNIS R. MAPLE, PRESIDENT, ARAMARK EDUCATION, ARAMARK CORPORATION

“Honeywell has brought Jim Craig in to speak at two of its corporate meetings. He did a standout job each time, not only inspiring and entertaining, but also teaching how the elements of teamwork that enabled the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to be a world-beater and perform optimally can be practiced by Honeywell to continually improve and outperform the competition. In Gold Medal Strategies: Business Lessons from America’s Miracle Team , you will find the lessons that Jim spoke about and taught when he addressed Honeywell, and more. The book is an immensely educational, motivating, fun, and valuable read.”

—JOE PUISHYS, PRESIDENT, HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL & COMBUSTION CONTROLS

Copyright © 2011 by Jim Craig and Don Yaeger. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Craig, Jim. Gold medal strategies : business lessons from America’s miracle team / Jim Craig, Don Yaeger. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-470-92806-6 (hardback); ISBN 978-1-118-02344-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-02372-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-02373-0 (ebk) 1. Management. 2. Leadership. 3. Organizational behavior. 4. Organizational effectiveness. I. Yaeger, Don. II. Title. HD31.C683 2011 658.4′022–dc22 2010045657

This book is dedicated to my wife, Sharlene, and our children, JD and Taylor; to my 1980 U.S. Olympic teammates; to all my hockey coaches, especially Herb Brooks, Jack Parker, and Craig Patrick; to my business and life mentors, Dan Pratt, Paul Haley, Dave Brandon, and Jon Luther; and to the Gold Medal Strategies team.

Thank you, all of you, for your love and friendship and support – and for pulling greatness out of me.

Jimmy

To Jeanette: Thanks for bringing a championship mindset to our family. You are my Gold Medal.

DY

Foreword

I believe that everyone alive in America that February night in 1980 knows where they were. To me, and many others, it was the most memorable sporting moment in history. The images from the Lake Placid arena are burned into our brains. The fact that this group of young U.S. Olympians beat the unbeatable Russians was world-changing. Add to that the fact that these American heroes had to face and beat Finland two days later for the gold medal, and the whole thing was astonishing.

The image that had the most impact on me was watching Jim Craig seek out his father in the stands with the American flag draped over him. It brought chills and tears—chills because in that moment my confidence in the future of the United States was restored, and tears because I felt for the Craig family, who had just lost a wife and mother. My faith in family and values was solidified as well. Because of that, I always had a great deal of respect for Jim Craig, never believing I would ever meet him to share my thoughts with him on a personal basis.

But a miracle happened, and I met Jim Craig in 2003 when he did an appearance for Dunkin’ Donuts where I was the CEO. I had heard he had grown into an inspiring and engaging speaker, and on that day he met expectations—and more.

What impressed me as well was that beyond fulfilling what was required of him, he was personable and provided a high level of individual attention to people at the event. As I got to know Jim better, I discovered that this warmth and caring quality was grounded and nurtured from growing up in a big, loving family. It confirmed what I had thought would be the character of the man. We became friends.

These character traits had been evident and strengthened the role he had performed as the goalie for the 1980 U.S. “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team. Now I saw these traits demonstrated live. It was the close-knit and caring family paradigm that enabled the 1980 team—all the players and coaches recognizing that they were one family—to win gold at Lake Placid. You can’t be a world-beater without compassion and concern for the people around you. You have to care deeply, and deeply believe in what you are doing.

This notion motivated and guided Jim in hockey—and it is carried through in his business pursuits and in life today.

Jim not only did appearances for Dunkin’ Brands, but he also worked with us to develop profitable incentive and consumer promotions programs. As he does today in his keynote speaking and teamwork coaching, Jim approached each sales and marketing assignment as a separate challenge. He utilized precise elements of tactics and strategies, while staying true to the primary messages and values that are essential to a powerful and enduring brand. Jim is among the most talented and dedicated sales and marketing professionals with whom I have worked—and I have worked with many.

One of Jim’s strongest suits is that he pays attention to the details that are important to success. He doesn’t neglect the small stuff—and he sees the bigger picture as well. I suspect that may link back to his career in the net when he would have all the action on the ice in front of him—and he had to think many plays ahead to anticipate what could be coming his way.

I always relate to his strength of character, for that is what enables him to win in all arenas. Throughout my own career as a business leader, I have sought not only to build teams skilled in the Xs and Os of management, but also to select people with strong values who can role model these values to inspire others to succeed. Talent and intellectual horsepower get you in the game. When they are paired with honesty, humility, compassion, and passion, among other virtues, you win the game!

All of these qualities and virtues were necessary for Jim to play the role of the backbone, the final line of defense, for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team—a group that demonstrated optimum teamwork and efficiency.

It is because Jim is made of such stalwart character that we became close friends. He is a devoted husband and father, and he has said many times, publicly and in writing, that in the final appraisal that is how he wants to be judged in terms of whether he was a winner.

Without question, his qualities as a person are pivotal to his success in motivating, teaching, and pulling greatness out of people and organizations, and to his overall success as an athlete and a businessman.

Typical of Jim, he is eager to give credit and thanks to all those who have helped him succeed. And I know he receives special gratification when he talks about his 1980 teammates and how they all worked together to, as Jim is fond of saying, “win the unwinnable and beat the unbeatable.”

I have learned a tremendous amount from my friend Jimmy—and I am a better person for knowing him.

Enjoy this book and take counsel of its lessons. It is a trove of smart advice and wisdom; all delivered by a great athlete, a great person, a great American—and a consummate winner.

—Jon “Jack” LutherChairman of the Board, Dunkin’ Brands

Acknowledgments

There are so many people to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude not only for this book, but for all the opportunities I’ve been given in life.

I’d like to start by thanking my wonderful parents: my mother, who toted me all over the greater Boston area for hockey practice and games while I was growing up, and my father, who was the backbone of our family after Mom died and my biggest fan. They have been the two greatest parents anyone could have, and my siblings and I are the luckiest kids on earth to have been born to into the crazy Craig clan.

My wife Sharlene (“Charlie”) and our two amazing children are the proudest part of my life. The love and laughter that they give me every day overwhelm me when I think about what an incredible family I’ve been given.

Of course, I have to offer a huge thank-you to Ross Muscato, my longtime friend, business partner, and all-around great guy. Ross is truly someone without whom this book could not have happened. He is an incredible writer and his efforts to help me craft and refine my speeches over the years are really what laid the groundwork for this project. I am truly humbled that such a talented man would be willing to work alongside me, and I am grateful beyond words for his invaluable insight, ability, and friendship.

To Don Yaeger, whose knowledge of the book business and unending energy helped pull it all together, thank you.

Thank you, too, to the people at John Wiley & Sons for their belief in this book and the potential it has to inspire and excite all kinds of teams.

And, finally, I want to thank all of my teammates and coaches from the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team. You are the most amazing group of men I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Each of you has left an indelible mark on my life, and I am better for it. And to our head coach, Herb Brooks: You are sincerely missed every day. I hope this book makes you proud; you’re the reason I was able to write it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Introduction