1) Super-high goals, from the start. On his first day, to the open-mouthed disbelief of media and fans alike, new Jets coach Rex Ryan talked about how the team would be visiting the White House after winning the Super Bowl. The West 56th St. writers set their goals even higher. As Mel Brooks said, “It wasn’t only a competition to be funnier. I had to get to the ultimate punch line. I was immensely ambitious. It was like I was screaming at the universe, like I had to make God laugh.”
2) Strong shared identity. It’s no coincidence that Coach Ryan and Sid Caesar resemble each other in personality; or that they have created teams in the images of themselves — tough, sharp, provocative, funny as hell. Because they’re not just building a team — they’re creating a story.
3) Early failure is not a verdict, but a navigation point for better work. The Jets went through a tough patch early in the season, much like the Monday-Tuesday doldrums on West 56th. The bad days weren’t the end; they turned out to be stepping stones.
The setting of goals is important. However I really love the #2 and #3. The idea of building a narrative or "shared identity." I know this was also important during my time managing at Franklin Templeton. The shared narrative almost becomes your 'mission statement' since you want to actualize or personify that story.
With point #3, I keep thinking about to the Bill Walsh book that I read recently and how he would retell some of the lowest points of his career and then reply "and here is what I learned from this." It was like Walsh almost seemed grateful for these stomach punches since it gave him an opportunity to learn or grow.
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