Developing Talent

The wrestling business knows how to develop talent.

Growing up I watched World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for mindless pleasure in the back and forth battles between good and evil wrestlers. Now my interest is with the backstage news and politics that developed talent that transformed a local promotion into a global business.

As reported from Ewrestling News the experienced wrestlers (Edge, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio) are working really hard with the newbies in the business (John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Mike Knox). These newbies are being viewed as potential Superstars a change “to the veteran mentality in the past where the opinion of newer talent was that they haven't paid their dues or are missing something important to become a star.”

The relationship between the two groups is grounded in the common goal to provide the customers with a quality product. The mentoring relationship is critical to this success and that of each individual and of the organization. What drives the Superstar to mentor is the recognition of being a locker room leader and is rewarded with television airtime and pay per view opportunities. What is unique in WWE is that worth ethic is evaluated by how well you make your opponent look good during a performance. Can you imagine if our educators were evaluated with the same criteria? This connection will have me looking for similar relationships with our classroom teachers. Just what is the veteran mentality? What will inspire competent and qualified teachers to mentor? Are new educators viewed as potential superstars? Does the success of the team outweigh the success of the individual?

Coaching: Nice or Helpful?

It is unfortunate that Randy Pausch’s death on last Friday led me to write this post, and I am fortunate that Randy Pausch’s life has led me to write this post.

While rummaging through the endless videos and blogs honoring Randy I found an article on mentoring by Professor Kirk Martini who shared his experience when he had Randy as a college mentor. The title of his paper reflects a belief that I have about mentoring and the relationship you have with your client, “Usually Nice, Always Helpful: A Mentor’s Approach”.

Kirk begins immediately with a belief statement that I know will rub some experienced coaches the wrong way. He starts, “Being a mentor is not about being nice, it’s about being helpful.” Now this does not mean that a coach must approach the client by providing cruel and unusual punishment, when providing support effective coaching behaviors such as building trust and effective communication skills must not be overlooked. Yet at the time of support a coach must be the one who should push the hardest, demand more, and irritate you the most. A Coach should know that as hard as he/she can push, reality will always deal a stronger blow. Kirk explains that while he felt relieved when his time with Coach Randy came to a close, he knew that “Randy understood my long-term future was more important than my short-term comfort.”

Would you rather have your coach as someone who is always nice, usually helpful or usually nice, always helpful?

It is all about Scrubs

Now that summer is over and the routine of my job seeps back into my life there is one daily pleasure that I noticed missing…my hour of Scrubs. I will admit that for practically every day Monday through Friday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Comedy Central I sat, watched and reflected along with John “JD” Dorian as he struggled with making sense of understanding friends, work, and the big picture of life.

Watching Scrubs was not always a staple in my TV viewing habit, heck I have not watched NBC’s “Much Watch TV” night since Sam and Diane has their thirteenth break-up. Yet on one of the first Sunday’s of the summer, the staff at Sacred Heart Hospital was featured in a 22-episode marathon. I would not be exaggerating if I confessed to watching all 22 episodes, but since the show has a strong connection to coaching and mentoring I’ll just chalk this up as my professional learning time.

If you are unfamiliar with the show, each episode chronicles the lives of a close-set group of doctors and nurses as they find their niche in each other lives and in a profession they hold dear. I was amazed on how each episode touched a day in my life, as if the writers were secretly watching my every boring move. Perhaps I sympathized with JD as he grew from a newbie intern into a confident resident or maybe it was the callous big-hearted Dr. Cox whose favorite coaching tool was his own sharp-witted tongue. What I do know is that the episode called, “My Fifteen Minutes” had me a believer that the writers in the show knew much more about professional development than they did medicine.

After his first year as an intern, Dr. Cox asks JD to evaluate himself. Unfortunately JD was more concerned in the motivation behind this demand than in actually fulfilling his coach’s request. The storyline leads up to a pivotal point in understanding Dr. Cox’s role as a mentor and the true nature of accountability and evaluation.

How come Hollywood writers understand that the value of accountability and evaluation does not stem from a paper form but from the SELF? When looking back at your experiences as a coach or being coached do you find yourself acting like Dr. Cox or JD?

Below is the best version of the script from the conclusion of “My Fifteen Minutes” or now know as “Evaluation Drama.”

Dr. Cox: (emerging from the shadows) It's time. Sit down.
[J.D. sits]
Now what do you want me to say? That you're great? That you're raising the bar for interns everywhere?
J.D.: I'm cool with that.
Dr. Cox: Well I'm not gonna say that. You're okay. You might be better than that someday, but right now all I see is a guy who's so worried about what everybody else thinks of him that he has no real belief in himself. I mean, did you even wonder why I told you to do your own evaluation?
J.D.: I can't think of a safe answer, I just figured...
Dr. Cox: CLAM UP! I wanted you to think about yourself, and I mean really think. What are you good at? What do you suck at? And then I want you to put it down on paper. And not so I could see it, and not so somebody else could see it, but so you could see it. Because ultimately, you don't have to answer to me, and you don't have to answer to Kelso...you don't even have to answer to your patients, for God's sake! You only have to answer to one guy, newbie, and that's you! There. You are...evaluated. (tosses evaluation to J.D.) Now get out of my sight. You get me so angry I'm afraid I just might hurt myself.

Is Cam Preparing a Replacement?

It’s far easier to make a decision that yields guaranteed quick results than to opt for a plan with mediocre results yet with long-term gains. With Miami Dolphin’s new head coach looking towards the future, Cam Cameron brought in an old friend that has experience on the field. Instead of tossing his top draft pick (fresh out of college) against an angry NFL defensive line, Cam opted for experience over hype and fought to bring in Trent Green (see pic). Most of the Dolphin fans already know that Cameron served as Trent’s coach back in the 1995-96 season at Washington. At the time who would have known that his was the start of their relationship.

Trent Green was acquired by Cam as the Dolphins starter and this year’s second-round pick John Beck was placed as the third-stringer. The Dolphins are hoping that Green serves as a mentor to Beck, who is projected as the Dolphins' long-term starter. Trent too is hoping that he will meet the team’s expectations and mentor this NFL future hall of fame superstar.

The idea of the Dolphins bringing in an experienced quarterback to hold things down and mentor until John Beck is ready to take over isn't too far-fetched. If an organization is producing positive results, then maintain status quo and focus on continuous improvement. If an organization is not producing results, then it time for change. When it comes to the quarterback position in Miami a change is necessary. With Trent, Cam knows what he is getting on the field. Cameron walked in to his new job thinking, "It's not going to be about any individual. We're going to build a team here. You're going to see a football team.''

Only time will tell if Cam’s beliefs, actions, and commitment support a system of preparing a replacement quarterback. I wonder whom Cam is mentoring.

Up, Up, and Away...

Although quite similar in the role of support, the selection process for mentoring is different from coaching. In terms of selection, Coaches are usually assigned to the less experienced and Mentees select their Mentors. Recommendations, influence, knowledge, skills and even personality all take part in the selection process.

A friend shared this hero personality test. It is quite fun and can be used to begin the process of finding the right support. Now I need to rescue Mary Jane!

Click here to take a "superhero personality quiz"

Cheesecake Factory Cooks Up a Rigorous Employee Training Program

How do we compare to Cheesecake? Something to think about while waiting in line for your table.

Each candidate must go through a rigorous two-week certification process before becoming a full-fledged server. Candidates are assigned a mentor for on-the-job training. They observe how experienced servers interact with customers and navigate diverse situations in the restaurant.

At the end of the two weeks, candidates are given examinations and are required to attain a letter grade of A. They are given two attempts to qualify, and if they can’t get that A, they’re not hired.

Thirty days after becoming servers, employees receive follow-up classes. To maintain strict quality control, servers go through a recertification process once a year.

Because many of the company’s workers do not hold predictable 9-to-5 schedules, creating deep, long-lasting company ties can be a tricky undertaking. With this in mind, the Cheesecake Factory gathers employees every day for a formal meeting—a ritual long practiced by Ritz-Carlton. The sessions serve as a platform for talking about a variety of issues—from the best ways to keep the stores clean to safety tips to celebrating special events.

One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turnover rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent.

How rigorous is your Orientation compare to Cheesecake?

Click here for the complete article : )

A Wrestling Coach

Professional wrestling, or better known today as Sports Entertainment has been entertaining my dad and I (and now my nephew too) for the past 30 years. What I did not know was that the Induction concept of “preparing your replacement” was embedded in the wrestling culture.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon, current chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is not only a billionaire wrestling promoter and an onscreen wrestling personality, he is the coordinator of a highly visible coaching program. Vince didn’t invent the program, but his actions demonstrate a commitment to professional development.

Throughout the week and between live performances WWE Superstars practice wrestling moves, memorize lines, and stick to an intense exercise program. On the other side of the ropes, Vince and his staff is constantly recruiting younger talent and seeking the assistance of wrestling coaches in the form of “older” talent. When Vince develops the wrestling storylines it is common practice to put a newbie in a program with one of the experienced wrestlers. Once the bell rings, a wrestler is only as good as his opponent; in the wrestling culture it is expected that the WWE Superstars “put over” the younger talent. This is a great example of coaching on the job.

Just as I still cheer for Rick Flair and Hulk Hogan, my nephew cheers for their replacements, WWE Superstars Ken Kennedy and Paul London.

Instructional Coach Jedi Master

I was only nine when I first learned the way of the Jedi, and almost thirty years later there seems to be a lot more to learn. As I discovered the Jedi mentoring principles (see below), I wondered if George Lucas participated in HRD’s Induction Site-based Professional Development event.

1) Though some small Force abilities may be instinctive or learned from experience, to become a powerful Jedi you must train. For a student to learn skills at a more advanced level, he/she must be trained by a mentor. Training with a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master is the fastest way to learn and a Jedi trainee may also have multiple mentors in their lives.

2) A Jedi Master is extremely experienced in the ways of the Force. A Jedi Master can function as a teacher or a mentor. A Jedi Knight, although he knows the Force, still has much to learn.

3) When training with a teacher, the student gains the benefits of the experience and insight, which that teacher has to offer. The teacher knows what works and what doesn’t. He/she knows a proven method of learning because he has already been a student. Without a teacher, a Jedi student is at a severe disadvantage.

If you missed Star Wars on the big screen, from September 12 to December 31, the original Star Wars trilogy is available on DVD.