Shared Purpose———-Values———-Leadership———-Communication———-Results
Most teams or organizations gather around a shared purpose. In sports, it’s often to win a championship. High-level groups do the necessary work to identify their values and use those values, as a guide in the pursuit of the shared purpose. Within the organization are leaders who are the gate keepers of the culture. Their ability to communicate is critical in delivering results.
Today, I wanted to dive further into communication; particularly language. Ideas that reside in our heads are useless if we can’t move people toward action.
The inspiration comes from NFL Films, “Tomlinism’s”, about Pittsburgh Steeler head coach, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin is a master wordsmith. He uses phrases which paint vivid pictures. Instead of typical coaching clichés, he calls upon metaphors which are memorable.
| Common Coaching Phrase | Mike Tomlin Phrase |
| There are two guys competing for one job. | Two dogs one bone. |
| Stay focused. | Don’t blink. Cut your eyelids off. |
| Whoever goes in has a job to do and they must do it well. | The standard is the standard. |
| It’s a fine line between winning and losing. | It’s a fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes. |
| The focus is on us not our opponents. | We are playing nameless, gray faces. |
Final Thought:
As a leader, communication is critical in moving people toward a shared purpose. The language we use can be a key resource in bringing the organizational vision to life. A clear vision leads to extraordinary results.
Can you be more intentional with your language? Is there an opportunity to create better mental images? Could better communication deliver higher results?
We can all learn from Coach Tomlin. “I’m just trying to use words that vividly capture the imaginations of our guys, so they can somehow make it come alive inside the stadium.”
Make your words come alive this week.
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