The Big Fella and me - getting it done

Back in early April 2017, I applied for a sales director level position, a big jump that I knew I was ready to tackle.  In my cover letter, I made parallels to Patrick Ewing and his long winding road to a head coaching position.  Since my promotion, I've made mistakes and taken a few bumps and bruises.  I've also forged key relationships, closed deals, and been a part of some key wins for two great organizations.  

Patrick Ewing and his Georgetown Hoyas went on an incredible run the last few days to cut down the nets at Madison Square Garden (Pat's house).  Ewing is now the first player to win the Big East as both player and head coach.  His legacy is etched in stone, and he has proven himself as a tremendous head coach.  It's gratifying to know I was onto something back in 2017 when I typed and submitted these words to my VP of Sales.  The Big Fella and me - we're getting it done! 

Dear **** ******, 

Greetings! Over the past couple of years, we have gotten to know each other very well. You are aware of my love of sports and how I can relate “real life” events and opportunities to those that take place on the court or field of play. Patrick Ewing is easily my favorite basketball player of all-time. Ewing, a NCAA champion, two-time gold medalist and top 50 NBA player of all-time, has a basketball resume that is up there with the greats of the game.  After retiring in 2002, Ewing went straight into coaching and has been a NBA assistant for the Wizards, Rockets and Magic. Currently, Ewing serves as the associate head coach for the Charlotte Hornets. He is widely regarded as the top assistant coach in the NBA. 

Ewing has played and coached under some coaching legends: John Thompson Jr., Rick Pitino, Pat Riley, Doug Collins, Jeff Van Gundy, Stan Van Gundy and currently under Steve Clifford. Ewing has made no secret of his desire to ascend to a head coaching position, and he has interviewed for multiple such positions, most recently with the Sacramento Kings last offseason. Now he is being considered for the vacant Georgetown Hoyas opening. Ewing, the best player in Georgetown history, should be a slam dunk for that job. Ewing’s body of work as a student, player, assistant coach and associate head coach makes him a strong candidate. He is overdue to get his opportunity. I truly believe that if given a chance, the big fella would be hungry to win a championship and be wildly successful. He just needs an organization to have faith in his ability to fulfill the role. 

I am certainly not on Patrick Ewing’s level in regards to professional success and visibility. That said, my resume is filled with educational excellence and a robust job history. These jobs all revolve around sales and customer service.  Over the past nine plus years at *****, I have cultivated a variety of skills through work experiences and educational endeavors. I feel I am ready to perform at a peak level in a director level position. Just like Patrick Ewing, I have spent the last couple of years serving as one of the top assistants in my technical sales role. I truly enjoy working in this role and have learned so much under ******** and his leadership. I have worked as a part of the sales team to manage and grow accounts such as ****** *******, *****, ****, ******* ****** and ******** ********. I feel if given the opportunity, I would excel in the sales director role. I have a strong base of knowledge and skills, and there is a vibrant internal team for me to learn from along the journey. I look forward to discussing this opportunity with you.

Sincerely,

Eric Taylor

D-Day Leadership Lessons

I recently visited the World War II Museum in New Orleans, and it immediately ascended to the top of my museum rankings for most impactful, education, and emotionally moving.  I could spend three full days soaking up the exhibits featuring videos, artifacts, audio, and text spanning the full breadth of the global conflict.  

I only had four hours so I had to pick and choose my spots and spent a good amount of time in "The D-Day Invasion of Normandy" exhibit.  Here are some learnings, reflections, and applications below.

Operation Overlord required an immense scope of secrecy/misdirection, planning, courage, and execution.  Beyond the somewhat controllable factors that could be influenced, the Allied forces faced Hitler's vaunted Atlantic wall, and they faced tough weather decisions regarding when to launch the attack.  Visibility concerns, avoiding choppy seas, and tide predictions were critical for success.  

Winston Churchill called Overlord "the most difficult and complicated operation that has ever taken place."  Just imagine trying to coordinate 11,000 aircraft, 6,000 naval vessels, and 2 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen from 15 countries.  That was the task thrust upon General Dwight D. Eisenhower.  

Here's a quote from Eisenhower (showcased in the exhibit):

"When pressure mounts and strain increases everyone begins to show the weaknesses in his makeup.  It is up to the Commander to conceal his: above all to conceal doubt, fear, and distrust."

A few minutes later in the exhibit, I ran across the following quote from Sgt. John Ellery, 16th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 1st Division:

"When you talk about combat leadership under fire on the beach at Normandy, I don't see how the credit can go to anyone other than the company-grade officers and senior NCOs who led the way.  It's good to be reminded that there are such men, that there always have been, and always will be.  We sometimes forget, I think, that you can manufacture weapons, and you can purchase ammunition, but you can't buy valor and you can't pull heroes off an assembly line."

When put together, the two quotes smacked me in the face with a leadership lesson.  General Eisenhower exhibited calm under extreme duress.  He worked with his subordinates to assemble, organize, and execute an unfathomable attack.  He led the way and modeled proper leadership behaviors for his team and sub-teams.  Those leaders under his umbrella, in turn, modeled the behaviors, and down the chain of command it went.

99.99999% of us will never have to lead something as complex and historically impactful as Operation Overlord, and almost all of us will never be called upon to exhibit the bravery of those that stepped off Higgins boats onto the shore of Omaha Beach to face near certain death.  That said, we all have a sphere of leadership influence: family/children, colleagues, youth sports teams, non-profits, political organizations, churches, social justice causes, and other such noble pursuits.  If we model positive mental attitudes, belief in the mission, and trusting our teammates, we invariably launch towards good outcomes.  True self-belief and authentic belief in overall organizational and team objectives is a must in today's competitive landscape.  If you can't find that in your current situation, earnestly seek it out within and seek resources to get there mentally, spiritually, and physically.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  Last, we can't be afraid of change and taking bold steps towards healthier and better suited organizational settings for ourselves and those we influence and lead.

We can all learn a thing or two from General Eisenhower and the senior NCOs who led the way in Normandy.  If you haven't visited the World War II Museum, put it on your bucket list!  I'd like to thank my leadership team that made my visit a reality.