Lessons Learned From the N.E. Patriots

Great managers surround themselves with exceptional talent – star performers. These are the folks who have good skills, who believe in what they are doing and who will do whatever it takes to achieve their organization’s goals. Great managers focus on attracting the best talent and get the most value from them. They understand the goals of their organization, effectively communicating them to their people, defining the roles workers must take and then providing them with the necessary resources and tools to guarantee success. Great managers understand that they are "talent managers" first. Their focus must always be on attracting new talent, engaging, developing and challenging and retaining the stars they employ.

One organization that has mastered the philosophy of talent management is the New England Patriots. This organization has won three Super Bowl titles and nearly won two others. How did they do it? Their secret is based on their philosophy of always building a team that competes for a championship. This is not a short-term philosophy of win this year and worry about next year later, but a philosophy of winning now, while always keeping an eye on the future. A big part of this philosophy is talent acquisition.

The talent they go after is special. It is the talent that fits with the Patriot’s belief system. Once assembled, the coach must then build a culture in the locker room that is in line with the philosophy of the organization. The culture of the locker room is key and everyone must buy into their overriding philosophy.

Coach Belichick believes that the best players are going to play now, but that the team is always developing their players to be ready to play whenever they are needed. In a highly physical sport like football, players must always be ready to play.

Each player understands his job and his role. The team looks for competitive players who are mentally tough and who embrace the team’s philosophy. Players who do not share this philosophy go. The Patriot’s goal is simple: build a cohesive team because teams win championships.

So what can we learn from the Patriots that can be applied to public power? Four key points:

1. Organizations must have an overriding philosophy and belief system to guide them in how they operate their business.

2. All employees need to buy into this philosophy and hiring decisions must be based in part on whether the candidate can adhere to this philosophy. Any employee, new or current, who does not embrace the philosophy, must go.

3. All employees know their jobs and the roles they play in the organization.

4. The manager’s job is to put together the best available team for today, while simultaneously preparing for the future.

While the Patriots may have a seemingly endless supply of talent who want to play pro football, most employers do not. This is not the case with public power. There is a critical shortage of engineers, line workers and managers and it is getting worse as a significant percentage of our workforce is beginning to prepare for retirement.

So what’s the solution? Focus your efforts on developing your existing talent through work experiences and development programs. Put in place both a strategic and succession plan to position your organizations for the future.Create a strong bench. If you don’t have the talent, begin plans to find the talent on the outside. And lastly, take care of your high-potential star employees to ensure that they remain with you.

Remember, the Patriot’s philosophy of developing a team that can win today, while always preparing for the future, has proven to be quite successful. It works.

Rick Dacri is a workforce expert, management consultant and author of the book "Uncomplicating Management: Focus On Your Stars & Your Company Will Soar." Since 1995 his firm, Dacri & Associates, has helped organizations improve individual and organizational performance. He can be reached at 207-967-0837, 207-229-5954 (cell) or rick@dacri.com and www.dacri.com.