Author Ross Bernstein explains how the principles of sports champions can apply to the trucking industry
One of Ross Bernstein’s failures was the source of one of his greatest successes.
The lifelong sports fan and author of nearly 50 sportsbooks decided to try out for the Minnesota Gophers, but it didn’t go as planned.
As in his situation, Bernstein encouraged trucking executives to find the silver linings. It was #11 on Bernstein’s list of 13 ideas for how to think about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and build momentum that he spoke about at the conference and American Trucking Associations Management Expo in San Diego on Sunday.
“I made lemonade with lemons,” Bernstein said.
Bernstein has used different sports figures throughout history – coaches and players – to relate business principles to the trucking industry, beginning with Minnesota Twins professional baseball player Kirby Puckett acknowledging his passion.
Puckett had an entertainer’s mentality and checked his ego at the door, hanging out with ticket takers and dealers on his days off, Bernstein said.
“It all starts with passion (#1), and you can’t fake it.” said Bernstein. “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life; it was Kirby Puckett. If you’re not really, really genuinely passionate… about what you do, then you might have to think about what you’re doing because people choose to do business with, to be led by, to be influenced by people who really really love what they do. do… You have to be passionate about knowing you’re helping run companies that literally move America.
One of Bernstein’s friends and mentors was Minnesota Olympic and Team USA hockey coach Herb Brooks, who had a passion for getting kids from all walks of life into hockey. Since his death, Bernstein established the Herb Brooks Foundation to carry on his legacy.
One of his tips on how to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is to reflect on your legacy as a leader (#13) and to be compassionate (No. 4).
“The name on the front of the shirt is always more important than the name on the back of the shirt,” Bernstein said, reciting a quote from Brooks that was used in the Disney movie. Miracle made in honor of Brooks and chronicles the U.S. Olympic team’s improbable victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics dubbed The Miracle on Ice. “Do you make a difference? Will there be a guy on stage talking about you when you’re gone? »
It starts with culture, he said, which starts at the leadership level, and a good leader thinks about the supporting members of their team.
“To Herb, they were the most important people,” and in this case, Bernstein is referring to truck drivers and support staff.
“If you want to connect with young people today, it’s not about shouting and yelling; it is about speaking their language; it’s about understanding the power of praise…and understanding that for young people, it’s not about money; it’s a matter of culture,” he said. “It’s about being part of an organization where they feel valued and respected, and there’s a path to success; and (be part of a) company that does good and does well in the community and hires people from all walks of life.”
Being generous (#2) and being principled (#8) were also on his list because the most important thing in business is relationships, he said, and people want to do business. with those who give and those who defend their interests. beliefs. It’s also important to build trust (No. 3), he said, and that was demonstrated by the late Pat Summitt, the former coach of the Lady Vols basketball team. University of Tennessee which had the most wins in college basketball history at the time. of his retirement.
Bernstein said it’s so hard to hire and keep people now, and trucking companies could take a page out of Summitt’s playbook: pick the right players, not better players.
He said Summitt looked at body language, kids who paid attention in class, who were team players, their work ethic and even family and friends when considering someone for his team. She found the potential in them and developed it, creating trust between her and her team, which encouraged them to play harder.
He said it’s a leader’s job to inspire greatness – No. 7 on his list – by finding the potential in emerging leaders.
Tony Dungy, who served as an NFL head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, was looking for players who had been benched and bringing them back to life. He also inspired greatness through understanding. Bernstein said Dungy understands work-life balance and encourages his players to go home with their wives and kids or take a golf break. This understanding garnered respect, and these players would come on days off because they wanted to play for Dungy.
Bernstein said it’s the job of trucking leaders to see the potential in their team members and make them leaders as well.
“You have to start thinking differently about these young people… We have to take our game to the next level, but it’s your job as leaders to see their potential, to draw it out of them and to coach them.
“We’re having a hard time hiring people these days because we can’t find any. You have to think differently about how you recruit because today’s young people want to work from home. You cannot create a culture on Zoom. It’s a challenge,” Bernstein said. “Start hiring in the categories you want. I have clients who will only hire children of farmers, but children of dairy farms. Why? Because cows don’t take days off. The Ritz Carlton hires people with amazing smiles. I can teach you how to make a drink, hold a cash register, make a bed, but I can’t teach you an amazing smile.”
He said if you can’t find anyone to hire, you’re looking in the wrong place.
Bernstein recently attended a HVAC conference in Texas and learned what they were doing differently to attract and retain young recruits.
“They try to recruit women and people of color,” he said.
He spoke with the manager of a precision parts manufacturer in Chicago that was losing all of its older employees to retirement. The company’s solution was to buy a community college that was up for sale due to competition with online education, install old machines, and bring back some of its retirees to teach. They deliberately recruited kids they thought would be good in the industry: kids whose parents were already in the industry, high school kids, farm kids, racetrack gearheads, and so on.
They also introduced fun attractions like video games, music, snacks and beer for people of drinking age, and this attracted a new talent pool but also attracted their retired employees.
So don’t be afraid to be the first (#10) to branch out and try something new.
“The spirit of DEI is to be brave and willing to go first to hopefully inspire the next generation as Jackie Robinson did. In 1947 he became the first African American to play in the Major League Baseball,” Bernstein said.
He said it inspired the next generation, like Serena Williams and Tiger Woods, creating a domino effect. And when you hire diverse people, he said fight for equality (#9) like American tennis player Billie Jean King, who won the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match against Bobby Riggs. She also won the battle for fairness when she lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the US Open.
“There’s so much we can learn from sports that really applies to business,” Bernstein said.
To complete his list, take risks (n°12) even if it means failing; lead with integrity (#5) and create a culture where when you see something, you say something; and keep setting and resetting your goals (#6), always raising the bar like pro skier Lindsey Vonn, who went from winning more than any American to winning more than any woman in the world.
Amid a severe shortage of drivers in the trucking industry, Bernstein said this list can help companies gain momentum and encourage and develop DEI, which will help when finding recruits among younger generations. Use this list to tell your company’s story, he said.
“What silver linings have you found recently? How to make lemonade with lemons? How do you give back? Bernstein asked.
And don’t forget to have fun (bonus #14) because people like to be led by fun people.
