Last week, the San Antonio Spurs won their 50th game of
the season. It marked the 16th straight
season in which they've won at least 50 games.
In those 16 years, no other team has won 50 games in more than 11
seasons, and three teams haven't won 50
games at all. There are 29 other teams in the NBA, and none of them have
come close to achieving the consistent, predictable success of the Spurs.
As Securus Final Expense grows, we are beginning to exhibit
the patterns of success that have been exemplified by the San Antonio
Spurs. What is it that sets the Spurs
apart from the rest of the teams? What
is it that separates Securus from all other Final Expense organizations?
THERE IS A WELL
DESIGNED SYSTEM BASED ON TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION, PRECISION, PREPARATION AND VALUES. The offensive and defensive systems of the Spurs require
selflessness, patience, and consistency in order to work. "You don’t get it until you experience
it for quite some time. It really took
me two seasons before I really understood and acknowledged what I needed to do
to play a part in this team," said point guard Patty Mills.
The Securus sales system and lead system have evolved and
are now light years ahead of anything in the hands of its Final Expense
competitors. Many of the features of our
system require the same selfless, patience and consistency. There is a tremendous amount of teamwork
built into the Securus Road Warrior
Program.
YOU HAVE TO BE A
CERTAIN TYPE OF PLAYER TO BE ON THE TEAM. Coach Gregg
Popovich says that in order for the system to work, the players have to take
ownership of it. "A lot depends on
the character of the player. Often
times, I'll appeal to that. Like, I
can't make every decision for you. You
guys got to get together and talk… You guys need to communicate constantly. Talk,
talk, talk to each other about what's going on” during the game.
Both the Spurs and Securus Final Expense have systems in
place that only work when the right players are put into the right roles. Our leaders are empowered to build their own
teams within the system to give them the greatest probability of success. Our producers are well coached in the
fundamentals, as Securus provides the
best training on the best sales system in the Final Expense industry bar
none.
IF YOU DON'T BUY
INTO THE SYSTEM, YOU DON'T PLAY ON THE TEAM. The Spurs signed Danny Green to a ten-day contract
in November of 2010 and then waived him after the ten days, because Coach
Popovich had doubts about his ability to play within the Spurs' team-oriented
system. Several weeks later, Green
requested a meeting with Popovich, and pleaded for an opportunity to be a part
of the Spurs team, system and culture.
He committed to do whatever it took to be a San Antonio Spur. He has been an integral component to their
success ever since, shining in particular during clutch situations in the
playoffs. If somebody doesn't buy into
the system, they can't play on the Securus team either. But for those that do,
like Danny Green we will invest the time to make them integral to our success.
THEY ARE
WELL-COACHED. As
Coach Popovich says, "it's a players' game and they've got to
perform. The better you can get that
across, the more they take over and the more smoothly it runs." Even a legendary coach like Popovich only has
so much control over what happens on the court.
His philosophy, therefore, is to empower his players. He lets them know that they are the ones who
are responsible for the outcome of the game. At Securus we have the same
philosophy of coaching our team and relying on our “players” to execute.
THEY HAVE
ESTABLISHED LEADERSHIP. For the Spurs, first David
Robinson, then Tim Duncan set the standard for the culture of the team of hard
work, dedication to fundamentals and a burning desire to win. At Securus Final Expense, the culture is set
at the top by our President and CEO Matt Goldberg, by the President of Securus
Select, Nick Burns, by members of our executive management team and by the team
leaders in the field. New team members
must adapt to the culture when joining the Spurs or when joining Securus.
THEY ARE WELL
PREPARED, SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND KNOWS
THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT. The Spurs coaching staff lays
out clear direction in practice of the fundamentals of the game. These fundamentals become second nature and
never change, yet they are still practiced over and over again. Securus conducts regional boot camp training
sessions and maintains a complete library of on-demand training materials
available that spell out everything that is needed for success.
THE EXECUTIVE
MANAGEMENT TEAM UNDERSTANDS THE GAME AND CONSISTENTLY MAKES THE NECESSARY MOVES
TO MAKE THE TEAM BETTER. In 2011, under the direction
of R.C. Buford, team president, the Spurs acquired Kawhi Leonard and two other
players in a 3-for-1 trade with the Indiana Pacers for George Hill. Leonard went on to earn the MVP award in the
NBA finals last year, and has developed into one of the top defensive players
in the league.
In order to find a Kawhi Leonard or a Danny Green, there
has to be a level of intelligence and research that is a step ahead of the 29
other teams. Securus uses Business
Intelligence to its advantage in the same way.
We’ve developed better lead
systems, better technology and better sales systems to make each member of
the team more productive in his or her role within the organization and to give
us an advantage over other Final Expense organizations.
The question often arises: in a copycat world, why can't
every team do what the Spurs have done?
For one thing, their offensive and defensive systems require a high
level of trust and selflessness in order for them to work properly. That goes back to culture and leadership;
this provides the Spurs with intangibles that keep them separated from the pack
and at a high level of excellence and achievement that has been unmatched by
other teams.
Securus enjoys that same competitive advantage in Final
Expense sales. Members of the Securus team trust each other, and work within a system
of servant leadership where the focus is on placing producers and team builders
in position to grab the power of leadership if they aspire to it. The Securus leadership is highly competitive
and works tirelessly to provide the very best resources and systems to its
team. In the Final Expense industry,
Securus’ culture, values and work ethic are unique, and provide the Securus
team with the same separation that the Spurs have enjoyed over the past 16
years of outstanding team performance.
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