Yeah, I know. March Madness and all that. I do love it. Know what else I love? The movie, “Hoosiers.” My favorite scene comes at the end when, with the score tied, Coach Gene Hackman calls for a last-second shot by someone other than the star player because the opponent won’t expect it. The kids hang their heads. Hackman shouts, “What’s the matter with you guys?” And star player Jimmy Chitwood looks at coach and calmly says, “I’ll make it.” Of course he does.

Where does Jimmy Chitwood’s confidence come from? Hours of preparation. Repetitive practice. (Remember that “the neurons that fire together wire together.”) And knowledge of what the obstacles are.

Vistage has its own Jimmy Chitwood. His name is Joe Galvin. He is our chief research officer at Vistage Worldwide, Inc.. Joe was an excellent basketball player, but he is even better at bringing research and knowledge to CEOs as they make their challenging climbs.

One of the newest members of my Vistage group remarked recently that she was surprised at how much information, research and community that Vistage membership provides. Our research team is constantly studying what leaders need to be successful. Here is a great quote from Joe in a recent interview:

“When making any decisions, leaders rely on instinct, judgment, and perspective.

• Instinct is the gut reaction to a situation or stimulus.
• Judgment is about applying data and experience to analyze a situation.
• Perspectives means seeking external expertise that can expand, influence, or change your point of view.
• It is important for leaders to allow constant interplay between different or opposing ideas, opinions, and directions. They’ll be negotiating between their gut and brain, data and opinion, their views and others’ views. Reaching this state requires discipline, self-awareness, vulnerability, and an openness to new ideas.

Your Vistage group provides that perspective you need. Let me know how we can help you.