Fast Company October Life in the Fast Lane Nathan Johnson

Don't we all feel like a good portion of our lives is spent in the fast lane? If I have heard it from one person, I have heard it from a hundred that we are too busy. We have too many commitments and not enough time to be home with our families. But that isn't the kind of fast lane that is being discussed in this particular article. This story is about Nascar racings top crew chief Ray Evernham and some of the decisions he has made to make his team the best in racing.

Ray's approach to building a winning team or in this case a pit crew, is unique. He decided to hire people that weren't "known commodities" in the racing world. He wanted something different. People that excelled in their skill areas but still had the ability to focus on things with a team approach were what he was looking for. He wanted those who could realize that no one part was better than the sum total of the whole. I am sure that this had to be a challenge for Ray since most of society today is emphasizing being the best without regard to those that may have helped you get there or are helping you to maintain being the best.

Ray is very focussed on the fact that you win as a team. He bases rewards on team performance as well. He believes that his success is built on the support and hard work of his crew, and without them, his successful track record would be different. In order to show this support for the team he shares his honorariums from speaking engagements and autograph sessions with his crew, the ones who helped him achieve these goals.

Keep pushing to improve is another rule of life followed closely by Ray. Competition is keen, so we are never to rest on our victories. Although many champions give lip service to this idea I think in reality it is hard for most to carry through on it. If you look at the world of sports, why is repeating as champions so difficult? Is it because once you are on top, the motive is gone to be the best? That is what makes some teams consistent champions. They have people with the attitude that they can always improve, do just a little better each time and mean it.

Be willing to take risks but don't gamble it all away. As the crew chief of one of the most successful racing teams in Nascar, Ray is constantly being scrutinized for every decision he makes. But in the article he stresses that what may look like a daring move to others is for him just another well thought out decision to be implemented. He plans out all strategies before the race starts with the idea

that adjustments will need to be made but those adjustments are made based on a number of scenarios thought out before hand. This sounds easy to do but I think most people find it hard to implement this idea. An example would be in the area of how to handle finances for most people. Why are credit card problems so common today? I think it is because people haven't thought through how they are going to pay for the debt. They don't develop a financial plan, detailing how to spend and save their money wisely. The prevailing attitude is to buy it now and worry about paying for it later. The problem arises if they are not prepared to meet other financial problems after the first debt is incurred.

Success for Ray in racing has come with teamwork, dedicated planning, risk taking, and a dare to be different attitude. The same characteristics need to be applied if success is to be achieved elsewhere.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 1999

Answers

Thanks for your comments. Please remember to relate the articles to your work with Extension. Also include comments from your discussion about the articles with your colleagues.

-- Anonymous, May 23, 1999