SALT LAKE CITY — Gordon Chiesa is a natural-born motivator. When he speaks, his voice fills a room and grabs the attention of anyone in earshot. His 30-plus years of basketball coaching experience has made him a de facto professor of strategy and leadership.
It was because of that pedigree that he was chosen to give the morning keynote address Friday at the annual Association of Corporate Growth Utah 2010 Growth Conference at the Grand America Hotel. Chiesa, who is currently the director of professional scouting for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies following 15 years as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz under Jerry Sloan, told the audience of about 200 businesspeople that the fundamentals that apply to sports are applicable to "any business in the world."
"(Employers) want to see that (employees) want to work together … so that you can be the best that you can be, and it will help grow the business in the meantime, too," he said.
He said that once corporate management understands the importance and value of their "human capital," then the opportunities for growth and prosperity will increase greatly.
"It's far better to understand than to be understood," he told the audience. Taking the time to listen to workers in the business environment and getting their opinions and feedback will pay huge dividends in the long run for any company, he added.
Chiesa also implored leaders to use more praise when addressing employees, noting that doing so can create a more highly motivated workforce.
"In any business, it is the human capital that will grow the business," he said.
"Investing time and money with the workers (will) increase productivity."
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