Page 165 - How to Create a Winning Organization

Little Things Make Big Things Happen
to insist that average will be well above average—is one of the ac- 147
curate predictors of how effective you will be as a leader, and how
productive those under your supervision will be as a team.
Once you recognize the connection between sweat socks and
success, you have acquired one of the most valuable assets for ef-
fective leadership, namely, that little things, done well, make big
things happen for you and your organization.

RULES TO LEAD BY

It All Starts with the Socks.
Success begins from the ground up. It never bothered me to be
chided over my commitment to doing the little thing right. Make
sure that you and your team put their “socks” on in the correct
manner.

The Right Rivets Are Essential.
There are no big things, only an accumulation of many little things.
Remove enough rivets and the wing falls off. However, it is up to
you, the leader, to identify the correct rivets and determine how
much attention each will be given. Do this correctly and your orga-
nization will survive flying through even the most turbulent com-
petitive storm.

Nourish Talent in an Environment of Perfected Details.
Only then will your team achieve consistent success. Remember that
talent alone will not suffice. Each year in sports and business we see
talented teams—and individuals—fail because of neglected details.

Sloppiness Breeds Sloppiness.
From the first moment of the first day of UCLA’s season, I insisted we
do things right—not almost right, but completely right. It’s an atti-