George Steinbrenner Showed Us Another Way To Successfully Manage.

Photographed by: Walter Iooss Jr.

George Steinbrenner was the definitive tyrant. He had few friends in his organization. Few loved him, but most respected him. Most importantly, he created huge success and demonstrated that there are many ways to successfully manage. He found his way and it worked for him.

He developed the New York Yankees into a winning juggernaut. He paid his players and managers very, very well, offering the highest salaries in the league and thus he attracted the best talent. He also demanded that the talent produce—nothing short of World Series victory was adequate. That was his demand. If you could not produce then you were out the door, no matter the cost. And he got his way, as his teams have won more World Series rings than any other franchise in history, by a long shot. In fact, many have said he created the most successful sports franchise in sports history. That is quite an accomplishment and he did it his way. He built an empire around this style, alienating many with his brash, emotional tirades (often quite public) against his managers and players. However, in the end they all understood it was either “produce” or “go”.

Thirty-seven years ago, when Steinbrenner bought the Yankees for less than ten million, they were, at best, mediocre. Now the franchise is worth over $1.5 billion, the most valuable franchise in the sports world and he did it his way, with belligerence and  arrogance, publicly humiliating his players and managers  if they did not live up to his expectations, delivering the success he demanded.

Not the typical success story, but it yielded an incredible result.

The point, there are many successful styles, and managing is a personal matter that pulls from your personality and character.

This worked for George. Will it work for you? Maybe. Do it your way, it is the only way that will work, whatever that may look like.