13 Things Leaders Do To Help Their Teams Improve Performance

One non-negotiable skill all leaders must possess is the ability to help those they influence get better.  You must be able to take people from “here” to “there”.  And this requires improving their skill.
You may have missed it this past week but major league baseball had its opening day.  Unlike pro football and pro basketball, the MLB quietly launches its season.  Therefore, I am going to do my part to help them out.
In the March 29th edition of Sports Illustrated, writer Albert Chen profiled Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage, known to the team as Uncle Ray.  After reading Chen’s article profiling Searage, I gleaned the following 13 Things Leaders Do To Help Their Teams Improve Performance:

1. You Improve Performance By Getting Quality Rest – The Pirates employ a sleep consultant and take the players’ favorite mattresses and pillows on their road trips.
2. You Improve Performance Be Having A Quality Diet – Pitcher Jared Hughes says, “We have a couple of nutritionists who are on top of what’s going to get you to perform at the highest level  A big thing now is beets.”
3. You Improve Performance By Being Available – Since 2014, the Pirates pitching staff have spent the least amount of time of any National League team on the disabled list.
4. You Improve Performance By Caring About The Minutest Details – Searage spends countless hours in the film room breaking down the tendencies of his players. Pitcher Jon Niese says, “What jumps out at you here is the detail in how they talk about and do everything.  It’s all on a different level.”
5. You Improve Performance By Focusing On Getting Better In A Single Area – The Pirates pitching staff focuses on their motion and direction more than anything else.  Searage often says, “Stay in your lane.”
6. You Improve Performance By Finding Solutions To Problems – Pirates manager Clint Hurdle (one of my favorite leaders. Click Here for why) says, “Ray is the guy in your neighborhood who, when your car has problems, you go ask if he can take a look.”
7. You Improve Performance By Having Long-Term Stability – Hurdle and Searage have been together since 2011.
8. You Improve Performance By Having A Good Start – Baseball has traditionally focused on the first pitch to a hitter as the barometer of quality pitching.  Searage focuses on the first three pitches because the third pitch will either have the pitcher ahead (1-2) or behind (2-1).  In 2015, when the Pirate pitchers had a 1-2 count, the opposing batters had only a .147 on-base percentage.
9. You Improve Performance By Utilizing Data – Facts are your friends.  In 2013, the Pirates began positioning infielders based upon opposing hitters’ statistical trends.
10. You Improve Performance By Having Leadership Alignment – The Pirates analytics department works seamlessly with its coaching staff.
11. You Improve Performance By Being Willing To Change – Searage says, “I was resistant initially because it (analytics) was something different.  It was a process to realize how valuable it can be.  Now it’s just part of what we do.”
12. You Improve Performance By Being Willing To Innovate – The Pirates use modern technologies like analytics, virtual reality and compression shirts to help their players.
13. You Improve Performance By Having A Coach Who Has Been Where You Are At – Hurdle says, “He (Searage) understands what his guys are going through.  He knows what it feels like to give up a solo shot to lose a game, to not be able to find home plate.  He knows what it is like to be lower than low.  The biggest thing is the pure compassion he has for these guys.  And he’s the first one to say, It’s not his way.  It’s never one person’s way.  It’s the Pirate Way.  That’s the mentality here, and it works.”

What mentality do you have at your organization?

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