Viking Hats & Baseball Bats: The Turnaround Mindset

Yes, leaders of turnarounds have grit and many other strengths of skill and character. But pulling off a true come-from-behind turnaround requires something more than just good skills and strategy.

Turnarounds and comebacks require what I coined in 1990 as the “turnaround mindset.” After interviewing dozens of turnaround CEOs, I noticed a pattern. They all agreed that creating a mindset of hope and potential was foundational to the turnaround.

This year, we are witnessing a rare mojo in baseball. It’s different from the domination of the Big Red Machine of the 1970s or other great teams.

This year, many of the games are close. Many times, the Cincinnati Reds are at the precipice of a loss, but then, something happens. This is a group of much greener, young guys. But this team has what its members are literally referring to as a distinct “mindset.”

As Reds’ catcher Curt Casali recently said, “…when a team whups you, you want to give it back to them. That’s pretty much our only mindset right now.”

Switching baseball caps for viking hats and capes, the team is boosting morale. For example, when the Reds hit a home run, the player gets to don a viking hat and cape.

In the past 50 years, there have only been two other teams with more come-from-behind wins than the Reds have had with their 31st comeback win in their 87th game. Only the 2004 Yankees and 1999 Indians had more with 34.

Here are the components of the turnaround mindset, and how you can use them in your work and life.

• Hope: Foster a culture of never giving up and always having hope of success—no matter how far behind you may be. You must truly believe there is always the possibility of success.

• Strategy and Tactics: have an innovative set of tactics and strategy that leverages your strengths and exploits the competition’s weaknesses.

• Energy In Execution: the leadership must set fire to the soul of the team with a powerful faith in the possibilities expressed with an energy both contagious and encouraging.

• Culture: leverage both practices and symbols that depict what is powerful and unique about your culture. How could you symbolically and enthusiastically celebrate your team’s successes?

I wonder if the boys in red on the ball diamond got some inspiration from another local ruddy leader with a powerful turnaround mindset, Joe Burrow. Whether it’s the Reds, the Bengals’ Joe Burrow or any team once the turnaround mindset takes hold, nothing can stop that team, family or even a city.