Years ago I lived in Texas. One of the things I enjoyed most about the Lone Star State was being close enough to Arlington to go and see the Texas Rangers play baseball, from time to time.
On more than one occasion, my wife and I had the opportunity to watch Nolan Ryan pitch, near the end of his career. My favorite memory of Nolan, aka The Ryan Express was being in the ballpark on August 22, 1989, the night he recorded his 5000th strikeout by blowing away Hall-of-Famer Ricky Henderson of the Oakland A’s. To this day no one has ever equaled the feat.
One baseball season during our Texas years, I remember watching a sportscast on opening night, after the Rangers had won their first game. The reporter made a comment I will never forget. He said, “You can’t win them all if you don’t win the first one.”
Admittedly, it is silly to think a baseball team could end up undefeated through a 162 game schedule, but that’s not the point. The point is that in order to end up in a great place, you better get off to a good start.
There is a four-hundred year old Shakespearean play, “All’s Well that Ends Well.” The play is where we get the old saying by the same name.
While I love happy endings as much as the next guy, perhaps just the opposite is true. What if, as leaders, we all understood the power of the foundation? What if “All’s Well that Begins Well” became our mantra?
Whether you are considering a startup or a restart, I suggest you pay attention to your beginning. And if for some reason you are stuck in your current reality, maybe its time to retake a look at your foundation. Can you say, “House of cards?”
You won’t win them all. But I guarantee you that you will win a lot more if your team is built on the right foundation.
Remember, “All’s Well that Begins Well.”
i2i,
Randy
What happens when a team or company is built on a flawed foundation?
Comments?
Ask any educator and they will tell you the same thing. A great start leads to a great school year. A poor start leads to a challenging year. I’ve made it a priority to begin our preplanning for each school year by praying with my staff and asking God to lead the way for our school. A strong foundation is a must for a great beginning. In order to establish a solid foundation, you have to build it on the “Rock”.
That, little bro, is why you are the best educator in the state!
In the Navy we had weekly inspections in our spaces. We highly concentrated on the entry way and the floor just past the door. Stepping in the door we looked to see what the first thing the inspector would look at. In my exeperiences if the doorway, floor, and the first things in sight looked really good the rest of the inspection normally went well. We would get good marks. However, if the floor and area weren’t perfect they picked a little harder at the rest of the spaces despite how clean and shiny they were.
You only get one first impression. The same would go for starting up. You only get one first time or startup… I think you it the nail on the head in today’s message. You only get one first time. That will set the stage for the rest…
Thanks Randy…
Ja
Great insight with the barracks Jason. I will remember that one!
I know this lesson well!!
Without a doubt coach!