In business as in hockey, there are many challenges. Former star NHL player Martin St‑Louis, now head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, knows all about that. A talented right-winger, he won a Stanley Cup and countless other trophies during his career. But his early days in the professional ranks were far from easy. In fact, in his first attempt to join the NHL, he wasn’t drafted.
He learned an important lesson from that first setback: always believe in yourself, no matter what happens. St-Louis recently shared his thoughts with BMO on perseverance, determination and leadership.
First, lead by example
For the head coach, a good leader must first set an example to earn the respect of their team. “Respect is never given, it has to be earned,” says St‑Louis. Right from the get-go, you have to "lead by example” by proving your work ethic and showing how you treat others. Once you’ve earned the respect of your team, can you influence people with your words, because they trust and respect the person behind those words.
Build your culture, establish your values
A strong culture is the foundation of success, according to St‑Louis. “You can have the best players, but if your team doesn’t have a good culture, you’re only going to get small pockets of success,” he says.
In his view, culture is based on three main things. First, respect. “That’s the starting point. You have to treat everyone equally,” he stresses, “whether it’s the young player earning $7 million or the guy washing the equipment.”
Next comes accountability to the team. “You have a job to do.”
Lastly, enthusiasm. “For me, coming to the arena in the morning after a loss—when you got blasted by reporters the day before—and working hard on the ice, is enthusiasm.”
He believes that if a team has talent and buys into the culture, it will have more consistent success.
Adapt to the next generation
Like many in his generation—he’s 49—St-Louis grew up in an era where authority was rarely questioned.
Now the father of three boys, he sees that things are changing. Young people want to understand why he asks them to do things one way and not another. “So despite my leadership position, I have to convince my players every day. I have to sell them my ideas to get them on board. Unlike in my day, young people are no longer motivated by their fear of the coach. Once they’re convinced, however, they work harder!”
Deal with change by staying focused
Whether in hockey or business, there are inevitably headwinds. For St‑Louis, there’s only one way to deal with them: focus on what you can change without dwelling too much on what’s beyond your control. “If a player is injured during a game, for example, I can’t let the situation get to me. What’s done is done. And the team has to keep playing regardless.”
On a wall in the players’ locker room, the head coach hung a poster that says, “Win the Day.” In other words, yes, you can learn from yesterday and worry about tomorrow, but you have to give it your all today. “For me, it’s about setting short-term goals based on past events, while keeping your focus on whatever the ultimate goal is.”
Solve one problem at a time
True to form, St‑Louis takes a philosophical approach to explain how he continues to grow in life. “Listen not to hear, but to learn. Don’t look to see, but to learn,” he says. “The game speaks to me. I listen to it, I look at it, and I learn what needs to be changed to make it better.”
Once he’s determined what he’s going to act on, he identifies his priorities, because as he says himself, you can’t do everything all at once. “Even though I know there are three or four things to fix, I pick the most important one and tackle it.”
What’s more, watching his team in action speaks to him. All he has to do is observe his players: their morale, and their behaviour in training, on the plane, and at the hotel. “I’m always listening to figure out how to act. Do they need to be whipped into shape or told that they’re great and wonderful? You have to adapt, because I think always interacting with them in the same way isn’t very effective in achieving your goals.”
