THE BUSINESS OF WINNING: A MANAGER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AT WORK

Robert Evangelista didn’t set out to write a business book when he volunteered to serve as the head coach of the Detroit Rockies, an inner-city youth hockey team. But that’s exactly what happened.

"I committed myself to remain with the team until the boys were too old to play [in that league]," said Robert. "That meant that I would have them from ages fourteen to seventeen. Not exactly the easiest years to handle."

After three years of hard work and perseverance, though, the players eventually started coming together as a team and actually began winning. Robert’s coaching success culminated in a historic, landslide victory when his Detroit Rockies swept teams from across the US and Canada to win the prestigious Can/Am Challenge Tournament in Lake Placid, NY.

"While I was coaching, I couldn’t help but notice that my kids on the team were similar to many employees at work. They asked ‘why?’ They challenged direction if they didn’t understand it." But whereas Robert was "getting through" to his hockey team, he wasn’t with his work teams at General Motors. Which led him to question "How could I become a coach at work?"

By converting the lessons he’d learned as a coach into a team-oriented management style, Robert was able to transform his automotive operation into a model of plant efficiency. In one year alone, he successfully:

• Reduced operating costs by 25 percent
• Increased production by over one-half
• Improved first-time quality by more than 40 percent
• Cut scrap and repair costs in half
• Lowered manpower needs by 33 percent

You can preview a free excerpt of The Business of Winning by clicking here.