On today’s show, we discuss what the steps are to building and retaining a solid team.

Mark Oristano has led a life a lot of sports fans would envy spending 30 years in the NFL broadcasting games for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers. Plus a good portion of that time was spent working several jobs in the front office of one of America’s most famous and successful teams, the original Dallas Cowboys.

Mark worked under legendary Cowboy president and GM Tex Schramm learning his management style – a style that kept employees engaged and working for the team for decades. Tex also created a front office system that was the envy of the pro sports world.

Key Takeaways:

What was the measure of success for your team?

Success on the field was winning the Super Bowl. Success off the field was helping the team win the Super Bowl.

During the season, everything was run by checklists and procedures set in place. During the off-season, all of the checklists and procedures were re-evaluated to see if they should change or improve based on how the season went.

How do we keep great people?

• Hire the best people you can find. They will cost you more up front, but it’s worth it.
• Train them your way. Explain why you do things the way you do them to gain adoption.
• Let them do their jobs. Don’t micro-manage.
• Implement the Golden Rule – treat your employees the way you want to be treated.

How do you find the right talent that is a good fit for your organization? You want people who:

• Understand the basics
• Are eager to learn more
• Have a desire to be a part of the team

How do you set up a new hire for success?

• Give employees permission to not know the answer, but be able to find it and bring it to you.
• Convey to employees that they all have a role to play. If they take care of the little things, the project will work. Everyone’s contribution matters.

3 Top Takeaways:

• Decrease turnover. It costs 1/3 of the departing employee’s salary to replace them.
• Be certain that you are receptive to your employees’ ideas, problems, and thoughts.
• It’s not about you. It’s about the team.

Connect with Mark Oristano:

Website: https://www.leadwithprinciple.com/

Mark’s course: https://www.leadwithprinciple.com/courses/lead-with-principle