Sister Rose Ann Fleming, an academic adviser for the men’s basketball team at Xavier University, was a guest on Saturday morning’s Today Show. Sister Rose is a remarkable woman.
At 82 years old, she attends every game, hugs each player as they head into the locker room and cheers the team on from the stands or the tunnel. More importantly, Sister Rose encourages each player to consider and plan for his whole life, instead of just focusing on basketball. Over the last 15+ years or so, she has a remarkable 100% graduation rate for the Xavier seniors, well above the 74% national average. Many former students, long after they’ve graduated, still seek her out for guidance and encouragment.
When asked what the secret to her success is, she said:
“You don’t deal with the whole team at once. You deal with each player individually.”
Isn’t that good advice for team leaders in business, too?
Learning about your team members as individuals does take a little more work; you have to ask a few more questions, listen to a few more stories and learn what specifically motivates each person. Knowing that, however, allows you to tailor your approach, feedback and recognitions to what will make the most positive difference for each person.
Caring about your team members’ whole life, not just what they do at work, will also increase their loyalty and commitment to you as the leader and the organization you represent. That loyalty translates into giving extra effort, especially on those busy days when you might need a little bit more from each person.
As you go through each day, remember Sister Rose’s actions and advice. Welcome your team members to work. Cheer them on throughout the day. Care about your whole team but deal with each person individually. That’s a slam dunk for success.
