I have been a fan of the Liverpool soccer club since I was a kid. I can’t really even explain why. I think the blue-collar mentality of the town and its fans appealed to me. Plus, Liverpool was a winner. 18 English championships. Five European championships. But all of those titles except one – the 2005 Champions League title – came before I started watching their games.
It’s been tough to be a Liverpool fan in recent years. The team has come close to winning the English Premier League on numerous occasions only to fall short as the season ended. The club has searched in vain for the manager who would take them back to the promised land. Honestly, the prognosis looked bleak compared to the big spending clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea. Then Liverpool hired Jurgen Klopp.
Jurgen Klopp brings hope to a struggling franchise
Immediately, hope was restored. Klopp, who had previously guided Borussia Dortmund to two German Bundesliga titles and the final of the 2013 Champions League, was exactly who the fans wanted. His teams play an exciting brand of football. The man simply exudes energy and enthusiasm on and off the field.
One team and one family
Within days of arriving at Liverpool, Klopp had a meeting with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The Belgian goal stopper was the unofficial social chair of the team. Mignolet organized the occasional team event or get-together. Klopp immediately told him that there would be many more of these events. “We are one team and one family,” the manager told Mignolet.
Those words – one team and one family – meant something to Liverpool’s new boss. He took it upon himself to learn the names of all 80 employees at Melwood, Liverpool’s training facility. Then he lined all 80 of them up one day in the dining hall and brought all his players in. He introduced every single player to every single employee.
He explained to his players and to the staff that they all had a role to play in Liverpool’s success. Both the squad and the staff had a responsibility to help each other achieve their best.
Is your organization one team and one family?
When you walk in to your office, do you know the names of everyone there? I don’t mean just the couple of coworkers at the desks near you. Do you know the people in the mailroom and the cafeteria? Do you know the managers in other departments? Do you know the name of the receptionist and whether she has kids or where she grew up?
More than just knowing their names, you need to understand that you can help them and that they can help you. For the success of your team, your practice and your company, you must understand how you can help each other succeed.
If you help each other succeed, your organization will skyrocket.
No matter your role, you can help your coworkers. Even if you are the CEO or the head of your division, you can give a small gift to the custodian on his birthday. You can offer to call a friend who runs a large company to make a connection for one of your sales reps. You can smile and thank the receptionist screening your calls so that you can prepare a big presentation for the executive team.
Every office, medical practice, and corporation is made up of individuals. Everyone must do their job for the organization to survive. Take the time to get to know everyone, and make a point to truly understand where they are coming from. If you show them repeatedly that you appreciate them and make an effort to help them do their job, you’ll be amazed at how they step up to make your job easier. Then the organization won’t just survive. It will thrive.
Ready to win in every aspect of your life?
I’ve created a checklist of 12 qualities of the world’s best athletes and coaches that will help you win in your work and life. If you adopt these traits, you will succeed in every aspect of your life, every single day.
Source: Bring the Noise by Raphael Honigstein
Recommended Products and Resources
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