A few years ago, I wrote an article about the early success of the Vegas Golden Knights. As I watched them hoist the Stanley Cup last night, a few quick thoughts came to mind about what we could learn from them as businesspeople.
1. Setting a Vision: Bill fully set a vision of making the playoffs in the first three years and winning the Stanley Cup in six years. Well, mission accomplished. A clear and concise vision, armed with core values, helps an organization take every step forward together, it gives clear direction to team members and executives.
2. Acquiring (and Retaining Top Talent): The Knights have been aggressive since day one. They’ve made multiple trades and free-agent acquisitions of top-end hockey players. They always focused on the highest quality player they could acquire and spent the budget on the best facilities for the players and their families. The Knights have acquired in trades: Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Alec Martinez, Jack Eichel and starting goalie Adin Hill.
3. Character: As the players skated around the ice celebrating yesterday, it struck me how well-liked this group of players was. The Knights did not ignore character and personality when they acquired skilled players. As a business, you can incorporate questions about character and personality relating to your core values in your interviews.