What Businesses Can Learn from Basketball Camps
No secret: today’s business climate is different and, continues to change...rapidly. Like never before, corporate cultures have to adapt to ever-present challenges of not only staying current with technology but also managing the dynamic realities of today’s workforce demographics (Gen X, Y, Z, etc.)
This state of shifting change is causing a host of significant challenges that have to be faced head-on: According to XYZ University’s compilation of scary workforce stats:
- On average, 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day
- 70% of college gads leave their first job after graduation within 2 years
- The average worker wastes 2+ hours per 8-hour workday, not counting breaks or lunch
- 75% of employed Americans are currently looking for different jobs
- Nearly 85% of associations report that getting people involved with advocacy efforts is a major challenge
This glimpse into societal and corporate culture not only points to a corporate knowledge drain but, is also having significant impacts on a corporation’s ability to sustain value, loyalty and engagement.
And more change is coming…
Generation Z is entering (has entered) the scene. Generally defined with birth years ranging from the mid to late 1990’s through the 2010’s, this cohort of new corporate culture has already been affixed with categorical casts of: easily bored, independent, digitally proficient yet, desiring challenge.
What can be done?
Granted, businesses are investing and HR departments are being tasked with spearheading this conundrum but thanks to a recent basketball camp study, we can begin to see a clear path forward:
Dr. Marty Durden – an Athletic Director from Houston, TX – conducted research at a recent basketball camp (300+ athletes, equal number of males / females) assessing the impact power of “servant-leader coaching” as a causal link to player motivation. The results not only give great insights but also serve as a simple checklist for today’s leaders to assess current cultures (and perhaps where change may be needed).
Seven leadership traits were assessed to uncover what best impacted motivation: (listed alphabetically)
Altruism, Empowering Others, Humility, Love, Service, Trust and Vision
The results of the study indicate the character traits that provide the greatest motivational value; two tiers of impact resulted. From the first tier:
- Trust - Demonstrating confidence in others to succeed; keeping promises
- Love - Placing unconditional value upon the individual as a person and not what that person offers
- Empowering Others - Developing/mentoring others/teaching
- Vision - for the Followers - Helping team members to imagine their potential to succeed; helping others to establish goals
From the second tier:
- Service - Willing to assist others; helpfulness
- Altruism - Giving to others with no motive to gain something in return; kindness
- Humility - Focusing on other people rather than oneself; meekness
Durden draws a great conclusion:
“People are motivated by people who they trust, who demonstrate love toward them, and who see their worth and seek to develop them. It comes as no surprise that trust and love remain timeless virtues in the modern world. It is an affirmation of servant-leadership to discover how research confirms that authentic core values are cross-generational constructs that remain relevant motivators…”
Let’s say it again: today’s hyper-connected digital society wants human relationship factors above all else.
Thanks Dr. Durden for passing us the ball. We now know the rules and have to play the game.
References:
(http://xyzuniversity.com/scary-workforce-stats/)
(http://volleyball.coachesdirectory.com/article/motivating-the-modern-athlete-article.html)