Winning Spirit Magazine September - October 2018 | Page 3

Message from Steve Starks, President, LHM Sport & Entertainment
The Power of Teamwork
Last year during the Jazz’s incredible
playoff run, the team and fans rallied
around the following mantra: the
strength of our team is our team. This
phrase embodied the team’s unity, character,
and depth that led to the success on the
court.
The “strength in team” concept was true
for the Utah Jazz last year and is true for
each of our respective areas of responsibility
within the organization. We are simply
better when we embrace our team members
and work together to accomplish our goals.
Last month, the Tour of Utah featured
riders from all over the world competing
in a grueling seven-day race across the
state. While riders are ultimately judged
individually for their performance, each
rider is part of a team that works together
to promote one another. This team includes
multiple cyclists and support teams that
assist with nutrition, equipment, and
communication. Everyone on the team is
critical to the success of the whole.
In addition to the competitive cycling
teams, the Tour of Utah depends on
incredible teamwork to plan, organize,
and execute the many logistical aspects
of the race. Every day during the event,
hundreds of workers and volunteers set up
staging, barricades, thousands of pounds
of broadcast cabling, wayfaring, and media
operations.
In the Larry H. Miller Group of
Companies, we also work together in teams
with shared goals, and every member of
the team is important. Because of this, it is
imperative that we work to become worldclass
teammates. This means encouraging
one another during difficult times,
embracing our specific role on the team, and
being willing to both learn and teach. The
best teams also have buy-in from the group
rather than multiple opposing agendas that
often lead to dissatisfaction and disunity.
In my experience, the best teams succeed
when they embrace the LHM values of
integrity, hard work, service, and stewardship.
As we embrace these values in our respective
teams, we will find that the strength of our
team is, in fact, the team itself.
In the end, a great deal of our success,
both personally and professionally, can
be attributed to developing and nurturing
strong relationships—with our vendor
partners, customers, and most importantly
with each other. Sometimes it takes a lot of
work and a lot of patience, but the end result
is always worth the effort. As we all continue
to work toward becoming even more
successful with our various daily pursuits,
please remember the power of strong
relationships and all the positive outcomes
that are a result of those efforts. ◆
Steve Starks, president, LHM Sports & Entertainment
“In the Larry H. Miller
Group of Companies,
we also work together in
teams with shared goals,
and every member of the
team is important.”
Steve Starks
The Larry H. Miller Group of Companies
LHM Group’s Value #2—Hard Work:
Events like the Tour of Utah, tent sales, an NBA or SL Bees season, or even
charitable functions and service projects don’t just “happen.” They take the
commitment and hard work of a team of individuals working together for a
collective goal. No matter the task or assignment, good things happen when
we give it our best effort. Giving our best requires focus, commitment, and
tenacity. Gail and Larry Miller built their business on the ideal of hard work.
There were no magic formulas or secrets to their success; they simply went
to work every day and did what needed to be done and then got ready to
do the same the next day, and the day after that. They believed in what they
were building. When you put your heart into a project or goal—it transcends
being “work” and turns into a passion. Sometimes there is applause waiting
for us at the end of an event or a season, but our true reward comes from
reaching our goal as a team, the relationships built along the way, and
knowing we gave our best effort to get there.
Discussion ideas for managers, leaders,
and teams:
1. What do hard work and excellence have
in common? How do you (individually
and as a team) measure hard work and
excellence?
2. How do you stay motivated to give
your best every day without becoming
burned out? What’s the best way to
get/stay excited about the work?
3. What goals do you have (individually
and as a team), and what steps are you
taking to make them a reality?
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