Axios C-Suite: Be like Pat Murphy
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Pat Murphy, manager of the WORLD CHAMPION Milwaukee Brewers, is the leader all of us should be.
Why it matters: Too many loud-mouth, self-centered leaders light up our screens and the internet. Murphy shows you can be the very best at what you do on the planet — and still be a good person, with a big heart and great values.
- And for those of us on the back nine, he shows it's never too late: He didn't get his first full-time, big-league managing job until 65.
The big picture: Murphy didn't win with stars or sluggers. In fact, he broke many of the "conventional" rules. The Brewers won 103 games, then went 11-2 in the postseason, mostly without the long ball.
- He built a culture — and the culture won a championship.
⚾️ Murphy's playbook is made up of four principles any of us can steal:
- Love first, then discipline. "I believe in love and discipline — in that order," he said the day he was introduced. He pulled star catcher William Contreras from a game for not running hard, and the next day, they laughed about it together when Contreras slid into first and smiled at the boss. Countless times, he just looked a player in the eyes and said, "I believe in you." Even high-achieving adults need to hear that.
- Gamers beat Hall of Famers. After sweeping the Dodgers: "They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we've got a bunch of gamers." What he means here: Hire for talent and character. A team of grinders who trust each other beats a collection of self-obsessed stars.
- Get the small things right. We tend to think and talk about nailing the big things, but it's the small things that make big things possible. Elite organizations do the unglamorous work right every day. The Brewers are obsessed with finding and grooming overlooked talent, mastering little edges like stealing bases or simply putting the ball in play over pure power.
- "Worry is a waste of time." Murphy brings his kids to press conferences and says they pray each night they — and he — don't worry. His point is to focus on the now, the controllable. Don't get stuck in the negative headspace of what could theoretically go wrong later.
The bottom line: Go Brewers.
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