8 Things Managers Can Learn From 6X SB Champ, Bill Belichick

1. Own the recruiting process

As Bill Parcells once famously said, “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” Bill Belichick has an unusual situation in professional sports in that he has full control of personnel decisions; this is key developing a team both on the field and off. Jim Collins in Good to Great said, “…to build a successful organization and team you must get the right people on the bus.” If we as managers are responsible for mentoring, promoting and disciplining employees, we should have the final word on who joins our team. Don’t let inertia from HR, recruiters or anyone else force a hiring decision. Managers should take input from the interview team and recruiters, but in the end, your team is your responsibility, so own the recruiting process!

2. Be direct and honest with your team

Players past and present say above all, Belichick is brutally honest; they always know where they stand and it’s very important to them. Free agent players do not get an unrealistic recruiting pitch to persuade them to join the team. Build a team that values candor. Netflix’s value statement says, “As a leader, no one in your group should be materially surprised of your views.” Set expectations early and give feedback often, be it good or bad.

3. Make everyone accountable

Belichick expects every player on his team to be prepared from Tom Brady to the undrafted rookie; he has suspended star players because they showed up late to practice. That may be extreme for a team of software engineers, but the sentiment is the same. Each person on a team needs to know their role and be prepared. We’ve all experienced situations in which teammates do not pull their weight, forcing others to pick up the slack, thereby destroying morale and eroding the effectiveness of the rest of the team. Manager must take action to address these people.

4. Don’t tolerate anyone who is not on board with the team goals

Regardless of the physical talent of a player, Belichick does not tolerate ulterior motives, like players who are only interested in their personal statistics. As Netlfix values puts it, they don’t tolerate “brilliant jerks” and you shouldn’t either. You may hear people say, “we can’t get rid of person x because no one knows that process as well as they do.” If you have a strong team, they will pick up the slack lost by the exit of the “brilliant jerk” and morale and productivity will immediately improve. Addressing these issues also reinforces your values more than words ever could. It shows that you truly believe that it is all about the team’s goals and everyone is accountable.

5. Build a farm system

Belichick ensures his teams have depth at all positions. Mentoring and succession planning is critical to the health of any organization. Hopefully people move on to internal opportunities to grow their career rather than leaving the company. Either way, we need to be prepared to fill positions throughout the organization. The healthiest teams have a constant influx of new people, injecting new ideas and enthusiasm. Broadening employees’ exposure and knowledge breathes life into the team. Mentor teammates to stretch goals that push them to the edge of their comfort zones. Mentoring should be part of the culture, from interns to chief architects.

6. Change personnel for the best of the team

Bill Belichick continually evaluates where improvements can be made and has shown he will change personnel at any position if he thinks it will improve the team. When we have an opportunity to upgrade the team, managers should consider the options. As the company grows, we may need new abilities and skills. These needs may be filled by current team members or may need to come from outside the team, but we should not shoehorn someone into that position. If the role is deemed critical, make sure a strong person fills it.

7. Recruit based on aptitude and drive and less on what they can do today

The New England Patriots generally draft the person they deem the best athlete available, not the best player at a position. They want high quality people and they will find a role for them. Individuals with the right foundation of knowledge, strong problem solving skills and drive make the best teammates. Time and again, I have witnessed employees who lack experience, but are driven problem solvers; quickly surpass the output of individuals with much more experience and less “intangibles.”

8. Always look forward

Several years ago, when asked about a past game, Bill Belichick famously said, “We’re on to Cincinnati,” meaning the team was fully focused on the next opponent. The biggest challenge of managers is to get the entire team focused on what will move the needle. From my experience, the average team wastes a huge amount of time on past decisions, complaining and second-guessing. This can be contagious, occupying the entire team. Your goal should be to build a team that learns from past experience, but is decisive and moves forward quickly.