Success lies in the big picture.

• Author: Wiesner, Pat

WANT TO SEE MORE SUCCESS? Then see more of what's around you!

You hear it all the time when you're watching football on TV.

Just a couple of weeks ago a pair of sportscasters -- who always sound the same no matter who they are or what game they're covering -- were discussing why Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was not only the best player on the Oakland team but also the rightful winner of the Most Valuable Player award this season in the NFL.

The two were saying that even though Gannon has some of the best quarterbacking skills (but not the best), his true genius is in the way he can see the entire field of play.

Most quarterbacks, they said, make millions simply because they can execute well-practiced routes and plays. Gannon can do all that, too.

But he can also innovate because he has the rare knack of instinctively knowing not only where everyone on his team is and where they will be, but also just what the defense will do about it.

He is much more valuable than most because he sees his job, the team goal, the individual goals of each of his teammates and how they all interconnect.

People who can see the big picture in business are also worth their weight in gold.

Too many people think they are moving toward the next rung on the ladder when they don't even know what they would do if they were standing on it.

What kind of people is your management looking to promote? People who, among other things, are great at their own jobs but who at the same time understand the team goal and even the company goal? And people who do something to help everyone accomplish each one's individual part?

If you are a dynamite salesperson, you can continue to make a great living doing what you are good at for as long as you wish. If you want to someday be a sales manager, however, you should do things a little differently.

You should become sensitive to the goals and...