Gold Medal Strategies

Business lessons from one of the greatest Olympic teams of all time

It's been called the greatest upset of all time, the most memorable Olympic moment ever, the "Miracle on Ice." No matter which superlative is used, no one can deny that the U.S. men's hockey team's defeat of the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Lake Placid Olympic Games was a defining moment for Cold War America.

The U.S. team's goalie was a Boston University student named Jim Craig, who is now a leadership expert and keynote speaker to business audiences. Gold Medal Strategies gives you Craig's unique lessons from the "Miracle" team on team dynamics, leadership, motivation, and other important management topics. With his unparalleled perspective, Craig dissects and analyzes the elements of a successful team, how to assemble one, and what philosophies will keep the team's shared goal a reality. This book outlines the necessary skills and details the specific techniques you need to maximize your business readiness, hone competitive cooperation, gather your strategies, and attack your challengers.

Foreword Jon “Jack” Luther xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction xix

Chapter 1 Great Teams Think of Themselves as Winning Underdogs 1

Chapter 2 Great Teams Have a Shared Dream 27

Chapter 3 Great Teams Make Personal Sacrifices 53

Chapter 4 Great Teams Hold Themselves and Others Accountable 75

Chapter 5 Great Teams Are the Product of Picking the Right Players 97

Chapter 6 Great Teams Have a Real or Invented Enemy 123

Chapter 7 Great Teams Stay Young in Spirit and Outlook 145

Chapter 8 Great Teams Manage Through Ego and Conflict 167

Chapter 9 Victory—The One and Only End Game 193

Index 209

Going into the 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, the U.S. men’s hockey team was seeded seventh among the twelve teams competing. Winning a medal of any type was a long shot. Yet the U.S. squad, whose average player age was twenty-two, displayed stunning teamwork, eventually earning a place in the medal round against the Soviet Union, the world’s most dominant hockey team.

Nearly everyone thought that Team USA didn’t stand a chance against the Russians. But the scrappy Americans, under the direction of legendary coach Herb Brooks, pulled off the greatest sports upset of all time. The “Miracle on Ice,” as the victory became known, was a defining moment for an American public that saw the game as symbolic of the ongoing Cold War struggle. Two days later, the U.S. beat Finland to clinch the Olympic gold medal. Without a doubt, what the U.S. team did was one of the most thrilling episodes in sports. But a miracle? Hardly.

The U.S. team’s goalie, and the backbone of the team, was a Boston University student named Jim Craig—today, an internationally renowned motivational speaker and sales and marketing strategist. In Gold Medal Strategies, Craig draws lessons from those dedicated twenty-two-year-olds and their demanding coach and describes the qualities of championship teams, whether in athletics or business. He delivers sage advice on building a winning team and achieving greatness in business and in life. You’ll learn how to:

• Recruit people with the right values and character, and then get them to buy into your vision
• Recognize and deal with enemies of success in your own house
• Pull potential out of every member of your team—you recruited them, so it’s your responsibility to make them great!
• Establish a two-way street of accountability
• Define victory for your team, and have a vision for your legacy

Great teams dare to dream big. They put in the hard work required and commit to proving the doubters wrong. The 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team rose to its challenge. Your team can too.