It’s the most wonderful time of the year, at least in my opinion. Basketballs fill the air and airwaves as the NCAA tournament takes center stage in the sports world this month. As always, some unexpected team will make a Cinderella run and fans across the nation will climb aboard its bandwagon, like they did with obscure George Mason in 2006. A coach you’ve never heard of will rise to prominence, then leave for a better paying job at a bigger school. In the end, one team will experience the thrill of cutting down the nets as college basketball’s
new champion.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship is so popular that CBS pays $545 million in rights fees each year for the privilege of broadcasting it into your living room. Consider the size of that number when you write the next check for your biggest lease payment.

Coach Mystique

One of the unique things about college basketball is that coaches—who stick around for decades—typically are better known than players, who arrive and depart within a few years. That’s why Bob Knight in his red sweater, Mike Krzyzewski kneeling courtside, and Roy Williams clinching his fists are images we see every year. In fact, a lasting memory of my youth is watching UCLA coach John Wooden, winner of 10 championships in 12 seasons, sit calmly on the bench with a rolled-up paper in his hand.

“A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player,” said Wooden.

That’s a lesson every quick printing business owner needs to learn. Your role, as the coach of your employees, is to mold them into a great team. One that executes with the same precision as the UCLA players who ran Wooden’s legendary high-post offense. From your outside salesperson, to your graphic designer, to your press operator and others you depend on for success, it’s essential everyone work together as a cohesive unit.

Basketball coaches learn strategies and techniques from mentors during stops on the way up the ladder and blend them together to develop their own philosophy.

Similarly, as a professional business coach, I utilize knowledge gained during my business career and in coaching training to let clients discover a higher level of performance. By combining three of these coaching skills with the wisdom you’ve gained over the years as a business owner, you’ll create an environment that moves forward a lot faster.

Skill One: Familiarize

When team members approach you to discuss things they consider important, do you block out all the thoughts swirling inside your head and focus on their words? Often, owners of quick printing businesses are balancing so many things that employees’ needs become distractions rather than opportunities for improvement.