Generally speaking, people who are successful in life, have some common characteristics. They never quit working towards the goals they have set for themselves. Self discipline is also very important, along with the ability to focus on a single or multiple tasks simultaneously, without getting distracted by other issues which can be dealt with at another time. In other words, they are well organized.
One other trait which is a key ingredient, is people skills, in terms of the ability to get others to want to work with you, and for you. These same individuals, are usually good listeners, and understand the basics of leadership.
On Wednesday, I received a message from Doug Marrone, the head football coach at Syracuse University, and a Bronx, New York native, who also played college football with the Orange, from 1983-1985. I had recently left him a message that I would be visiting the school in the last week of January. Even in the middle of the very busy recruiting period, which is the case for all college football coaches right now, he still found the time to return the call, and explain that he would still be away on recruiting duties the week I am visiting the campus. He was also thoughtful enough to enquire about my work activities, and to offer any assistance he could if I needed it.
I have known Doug since he was the offensive coordinator for head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints, which was the job he had before becoming the head coach at Syracuse on December 11 of 2008. Marrone also coached the offensive line with the New York Jets from 2002-2005, prior to joining the Saints staff. He briefly played in the NFL,as an offensive lineman with the Miami Dolphins in 1987, and the Saints in 1989, as detailed in Wikipedia. Aside from having the right background to be a head coach, Marrone also received a top notch recommendation from a league wide, highly respected NFL general manger, from whom anyone would have thought, is about the highest endorsement that one could receive in professional football, and from a team he had not worked for previously. I would mention the name, but Doug Marrone wanted it kept confidential.
So why is this a big deal ? As you get further along in your career, you realize that not everyone returns phone calls promptly. There are some people who are genuinely swamped with issues at work and home, who might need more time than others to respond to messages, and we all understand that. We can’t make assumptions or generalizations on this topic, because everyone in the world has unique circumstances. All of this makes Marrone even more impressive, because he has every reason to be too busy, to not call back right away.
When you factor in that, with his football team having improved from a 4-8 record in his first year, to 8-5 in his second season, and the team’s first bowl game since 2004, as well as first Syracuse bowl win since 2001, it is clear to see that he knows how to do all the little things properly.
Marrone is highly detail oriented. When he took over at Syracuse, he insisted that all the team members wear a shirt and tie when they are travelling as representatives of the school. He is no pushover either. When necessary, players who break the rules have been disciplined.
Like almost anything else that operates successfully, it is usually because all the elements of a positive outcome, are pre-determined by the careful attention to detail, of everything that is part of the bigger picture.
I don’t have big revenue streams that allow me to make major donations to my alma mater, but you can bet that if Doug Marrone ever needed anything from me, I would react promptly, because I will always remember that when it would have been easy for him to forget about me, and legitimately find valid reasons of being very busy, he chose to make me feel important.
People oriented individuals like Doug Marrone, always manage to rise above the crowd, because they know how to make everyone feel special. Leaders like him, are the ones you want to have as role models in society, and sometimes, it is the seemingly smaller things that are done properly, that highlights the very best leaders in sports, and the world in general