When Dayton Moore joined the Kansas City Royals in 2006, the team was on pace to a 62-100 record for the season.
That’s a far cry from last year, when the Royals made their first World Series appearance since 1985.
So just how did Moore and his team achieve one of the best organizational turnarounds in recent memory? According to the general manager, it all goes back to culture.
“Your leaders absolutely shape your culture,” Moore told an audience of small-business owners on Aug. 27 at Kauffman Stadium. He spoke at a networking event that was part of Business Day at The K.
When someone joins the Royals organization, Moore said, that person needs to meet three important standards.
- They have to apply moral principles to their lives, and not just in their work. Habits off the field will invariably leak into the workplace, Moore said.
- They must have a passion for their job. Rebuilding the Royals has been a long-term process involving hard work. To keep going, people have to be passionate about their mission.
- They must have a desire to compete and keep learning. The Royals are always looking to build their competitive edge, and part of that involves being open to input from analytics experts, medical professionals and others.
Being open to other ideas, though, doesn’t mean that people always have to agree, he noted. Rather, the Royals have tried to create an organization where all people can share their perspectives and engage in debate without things getting personal.
“It’s what good families do,” Moore said. “It’s what good organizations do.”
Moore encouraged business owners not to become too attached to outcomes. Rather, try to improve process. Keep trying to do the right things on a daily basis, and do your best to become a little better each day. That consistent effort can eventually lead to big wins—you’ll “wake up one day and be good.”
Moore also took questions from the audience. The last one of the day: If the Royals win the World Series, will Moore let Salvador Perez douse him with Gatorade?
“It’s their show,” Moore said. “If they want to make me a part of it, I’ll be part of it.”
(photo courtesy of Cindy Christopher)
