So Organized, So Systematic, So Seamless

New Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is on the move during the off-season.  Less with a stopwatch and more with a notebook.  More with listening and learning and less with the evaluation of future talent and players.  Less with X's and O's and more with organizational structure, dynamics, and systems.

David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reported the following on February 25, 2011 in his article entitled For now, system comes first:

Garrett has already picked the brain of former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson on the subject {organizational systems}.  When given the opportunity to do the same with Krzyzewski {aka Coach K - - Duke's basketball coach}, he jumped at the chance.

Garrett gushed that the coach could talk for five days about what he learned in this three-day visit.  He left with a 150-page binder and returned with 147 of those pages filled with notes.

"He has an amazing way of creating an environment that is so organized, so systematic, so seamless," Garrett said.  "The execution and everything they do is off the charts."

"He also has this amazing personal touch with everyone involved in the organization.  He has a personal relationship with everybody.  He cares deeply about everybody.  They care about each other."

"It's a combination of IBM at its finest moments and the greatest mom-and-pop shop you're ever seen, and he puts it together.  It inspired me a great deal."

Regardless of what level you are in your organization, from time to time drop the stopwatch and pickup the pen and notebook.  You probably cannot visit Coach K - - but I am sure there are plenty of Coach Ks in your network.  Listen, learn, and reflect - - especially with those individuals outside your industry and sphere.  All it takes is a willingness to meet others and ask questions - - most people love talking about their ideas, systems, and processes.