Expectations for Discovering Your Mad Skills

Over the past two decades, coaching case-solving teams has revealed certain expectations that I have as a coach and mentor, which I also expect from my teams. In this video, I want to discuss some of these expectations that can help you discover your own "Mad Skills" and effectively use the "Discover Your Mad Skills" toolkit. So, how do we build those world-class Mad Skills?

The first key aspect is being coachable. This means coming in prepared to be wrong and being open to feedback. You need to be willing to react to and act on the feedback you receive and allow others to evaluate your performance. Essentially, it’s about entering the situation with a high degree of candour and transforming yourself into a top learner. This involves going through a cycle of practising, receiving feedback, implementing that feedback, and reflecting on your performance.

Another important factor is the traits I observe in successful team members within these case-solving teams. These traits include humility, a willingness to surrender control, and faith in the process. Each of these soft skills is exceptionally valuable, and none is more important than the others. When you enter a room, bring humility, be ready to let go of control, and trust the process.

Additionally, it’s essential to avoid going on autopilot. When you make a mistake, remember that you can start over. Keep the feedback you’ve received at the forefront of your mind in your next attempt. Implement that feedback and reflect on it. It’s important to recognise that struggle is often the foundation of success; a lot of failure occurs, and you need to feel free to fail. It’s from these failures and the learning that follows that successful teams have thrived.

I also summarise this into what I call the "four Ps." First, you have to be prepared. If the whole team doesn’t read the case and resolve the problem, the process becomes meaningless. Once preparation is complete, participation is crucial. Everyone needs to be engaged; if a team of four has only three members actively working, you’re running on one cylinder and not fully utilising your team’s potential. Everyone's unique insights are vital, and having all those perspectives together is important.

Finally, promptness is essential, especially in case competitions where deadlines are strict. If you don’t meet deadlines or disrupt the process, the entire effort is undermined. So, as you start to discover and work on those Mad Skills, remember the four Ps: preparation, participation, presence, and problem-solving.