Earn the Right to Win: How Success in Any Field Starts with Superior Preparation by Tom Coughlin & David Fisher

Author:Tom Coughlin & David Fisher [Coughlin, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-03-04T14:00:00+00:00

MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS

We have always tried to bring that same level of attention to detail to every aspect of our organization. Creating a first-class organization requires doing everything at a first-class level. We insist on excellence. If you allow people to get lazy or sloppy about the small things, eventually they will begin taking the big things for granted, and that attitude will pervade the entire system. Focusing on the small things allows you to prevent them from becoming big problems. I insist that our players wear ties when traveling, for example, to remind them that we are on a serious business trip. We represent the New York Giants and we must give significance to game day. Our appearance is representative of our pride and professionalism.

When we were building the organization in Jacksonville, the initial impression anyone was going to get about our level of professionalism was going to be the way we operated our first training camp. If it was chaotic, if people didn’t seem to know what they were doing, if we lacked equipment, the obvious impression would be that we weren’t prepared. Jeff Lageman was a six-year NFL veteran when he signed with us as a free agent, and when he showed up at that first camp, he didn’t know what to expect. As he recalls two decades later, “I think everyone was wondering what we were getting into. There’s no question we were all very curious, and probably a little anxious. My first morning in camp I went down to the training table for breakfast. The quality of the food is always a good way to judge an organization. When I ran into Tom, he asked me what I thought about it. I told him it was outstanding; in fact, it was so good that if I wasn’t careful I’d end up gaining ten pounds. But then I added that the coffee wasn’t very good, because it wasn’t.

“The next morning, the very next morning, the entire coffee system had been changed and the coffee was top-notch. What was impressive was that they would take care of such a little thing so quickly. But it definitely made the point. Any doubt I might have had about the way the organization was going to be run ended right there. It was obvious they were well prepared and intended to run a first-class operation.”

Obviously, little things like the quality of the coffee can be used to convey or reinforce a message. We were making it clear by focusing on small details that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to run a first-class operation. I’ve always emphasized how important it is to create a professional environment, a place where players and coaches want to come, a place where the only thing they have to worry about is doing their job. I have this rule: When players return for the start of the season, something will have been changed, replaced, or upgraded. We might have installed new

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