Hall of Famer Joe Torre was a major league manager for 30 seasons. From 1996 to 2007, Torre was the manager of the New York Yankees and guided the team to four World Series championships. He is one of only five managers in history to win four or more World Series titles and one of only two in history to win three titles in a row.
Torre was a great motivator and a master communicator with his players and his boss George Steinbrenner. In today's environment, emails, texting, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are valuable communication tools but they should not replace Torre's most valuable motivational tool: face to face one on one time. In his book Ground Rules for Winners, Torre expands on the idea:
"To know your team as individuals, you need to look them in the eye. And you absolutely must make time for them. Sounds like a simple rule, but too many managers in too many walks of life only pay lip service to it.
Firstly, making time for team players enables you to appreciate them as individuals, which can definitely help you to get the most of their abilities. Secondly, it gives you opportunities to (1) let players know what you expect of them; (2) bolster their confidence; (3) answer their questions; and (4) offer support.
I'm not big on team meetings—I prefer one-on-one sessions. I will hold hundreds of private discussions over the course of a single season, and these efforts are the basis of my motivational strategy. It doesn't matter where the meeting occurs or how long it lasts. What matters is the quality of the exchange. Private chats with your players should not feel like an obligatory routine. I suggest that you initiate them only "as needed," and only in circumstances where the door is open, so to speak. Managers can use one-on-one meetings almost the way doctors use office visits —for both diagnosis and treatment."
Torre also described why he felt it was critical for unhappy team members to be comfortable to air their dissatisfaction with their boss face to face one on one:
"When team members feel they've been put in the wrong positions, they may complain, harbor resentment, and put in less-than-optimal effort. In such cases, as a team player, it may help to communicate your concerns to the manager, if only to open up a dialogue. It never helps to let resentments fester; I've always favored getting conflicts and issues out on the table. The point should be to clear the air, not manipulate the manager into giving you what you want. Once you've had your say, there's a good chance your relationship with your manager will improve, even if the manager doesn't change his or her mind."
Is there somebody you need more face to face one on one time with?
Torre was a great motivator and a master communicator with his players and his boss George Steinbrenner. In today's environment, emails, texting, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are valuable communication tools but they should not replace Torre's most valuable motivational tool: face to face one on one time. In his book Ground Rules for Winners, Torre expands on the idea:
"To know your team as individuals, you need to look them in the eye. And you absolutely must make time for them. Sounds like a simple rule, but too many managers in too many walks of life only pay lip service to it.
Firstly, making time for team players enables you to appreciate them as individuals, which can definitely help you to get the most of their abilities. Secondly, it gives you opportunities to (1) let players know what you expect of them; (2) bolster their confidence; (3) answer their questions; and (4) offer support.
I'm not big on team meetings—I prefer one-on-one sessions. I will hold hundreds of private discussions over the course of a single season, and these efforts are the basis of my motivational strategy. It doesn't matter where the meeting occurs or how long it lasts. What matters is the quality of the exchange. Private chats with your players should not feel like an obligatory routine. I suggest that you initiate them only "as needed," and only in circumstances where the door is open, so to speak. Managers can use one-on-one meetings almost the way doctors use office visits —for both diagnosis and treatment."
Torre also described why he felt it was critical for unhappy team members to be comfortable to air their dissatisfaction with their boss face to face one on one:
"When team members feel they've been put in the wrong positions, they may complain, harbor resentment, and put in less-than-optimal effort. In such cases, as a team player, it may help to communicate your concerns to the manager, if only to open up a dialogue. It never helps to let resentments fester; I've always favored getting conflicts and issues out on the table. The point should be to clear the air, not manipulate the manager into giving you what you want. Once you've had your say, there's a good chance your relationship with your manager will improve, even if the manager doesn't change his or her mind."
Is there somebody you need more face to face one on one time with?
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