Bold Move Pays Off for Jimmie Johnson

nascar driver extraordinaire jimmie johnson made a daring move two weeks ago. one that paid off hugely as johnson captured his fifth straight racing championship over the weekend. with two races to go, and with his team in the unfamiliar position of trailing a pair of leaders, a difficult strategic move was made. the pit crew was fired. yes, that’s the team of people who handle all of the car’s details and needs all season and in past winning years. they even replaced the crew with a competing team’s staff. it was the kind of decision that few can or would make under pressure. these people are comfortable to us. they know our system. they’ve been there with us in the past. our other options involve hiring a competitor’s people (which is not uncommon in racing, nor is it an ethical hurdle). all of these were true. however — so was the fact that performance was down. they thought they could improve and do so quickly. time was running out on them. they did what was necessary to again be champions. i applaud jimmie johnson and his team for making a tough, complex decision look easy. the results speak for themselves. business leaders — if we’re keeping score, then performance is king and queen. don’t settle for less. sloth and mediocre results are contagious. don’t allow yourself to accept second or third best. rise to the top!