Moving the Needle: Empower, Delegate, Organize, Work Ahead

Going back to Mason County setup, primary work space will be at the HS

Today is the day, June 28, 2023...I am finally "caught up", since taking the job at Anderson County HS. Squeezing 6 months of work into 3 can be a little overwhelming.  But, over the past 31 years, there are some things that really stand out in making the quality of work the best it can be, and hopefully, exceptional. 

Wes Young made this solution possible. Much better set up in the equipment room

When choosing between two tasks that you are currently facing, if one task will empower another staff member to start working and take tasks off your plate, that is the one you need to complete. Then, while you are working on one task, those staff members can get more done. I don't want to leave anyone out or forget a task that one of our assistants has taken over, but one reason we have been able to get so much done is the quantity and quality of the work performed by our assistant coaches.  

We took our time in hiring a staff. It took some patience. And, in the first few weeks, it was tougher to get things done... including having enough coaches to run spring football. But it really paid off. And, to help us early while we were understaffed and still learning, some guys that had been with me in the past came and helped us in the short term. Every time you have somebody working that can do it better than you can do it, you are getting things done and making progress. 

What we have been able to accomplish as a staff the past three months has been impressive.  

Two things that don't cost a dime and require zero talent that can really move the needle:

1) Working ahead

2) Being organized

Both of those are going to dramatically increase productivity, efficiency, the quantity, and quality of work. Bill Walsh said that everything we can do before the game, every decision we can make before kick off, we should do it. He believed our decision-making is much better in the calm than it is in the storm.  From a practicality standpoint, some tasks, like game planning, I can't get it all done unless I do work ahead.  

Gameplanning : Stealing Ideas from the Greats and Building a System that Works

Heaven's to Betsy: one of several cool places in downtown Lawrenceburg

Also critical, my bosses that interviewed me in early April have been super in following through on those initial conversations. None of this would be possible if that were not the case. 

Every minute invested up front, working ahead or getting organized, is going to pay a dividend in both time and quality. There is no substitute for surrounding yourself with good people. Put that all together, and you have a chance to do something special.