Page 106 - How to Drive the Bottom Line with People

Built to Serve

auditions for guest contact roles—the process is slow
when compared to the “warm-body” hiring approach.

Even so, the new hires’ contributions to the team are
worth the effort, and the reduction in turnover would
make any accountant happy.

Even players sometimes become disenchanted, less
interested in the team, and more concerned with their
own achievement, which creates a second important
issue. A visible example today comes from some pro-
fessional athletes who engage in somewhat bizarre

antics on and off the field. Such behavior is typically
more about ego than about earnings. Professional
82
= agents schooled in the art of tough negotiating ensure

that their clients are multimillionaires before they play
a game. So, what happens to these talented stars? Why
do players on teams—organizational teams, athletic
or otherwise—get off track?
The answer can be found in an organizational

model originally conceived by Dr. L. Ken Jones, pres-
ident of Lubbock Christian University. Dr. Jones
shared his findings with me in 1993 just as he was

beginning to write his first book, Leadership . . . After
God’s Own Heart. His findings revealed great insights
into the life cycle and leadership demands of organi-
zations, families, and individuals.