This blog has been quiet for a time because I’ve been consumed by World Cup mania. I store my love for the sport in a 4-year reservoir, then drain it all in a gloriously intense 4-week spurt!
As we edge closer to the finals tonight, I’ve realized how many similarities there are between the game of football and our daily corporate playing field:
- The CEO – The team’s coach sets the tone on the pitch, in the dressing room and with the media. In this year’s crop, France’s missteps and eventual demise began when their coach catalyzed and didn’t nip in-fighting in the bud. Uruguay’s coach was often described as a ‘schoolteacher’ (which he had been in real life), using his calm and encouraging demeanor to lead the team to the semi-finals for the first time in decades. The Netherlands’ coach was applauded for being able to keep his players’ egos in check and leading them to the finals. And there were times when some South America coaches’ cantankerous behavior was mirrored in their players’ tempers on the pitch. Players take huge lessons from their coach. And whether we know it or not, we respond to our CEO’s cues every day, for better or for worse.
- The competition – From the preliminary Group stages through to the final game, the best-performing teams are those who study and strategize ways to out-perform their opponents. Every continent delivers a certain brand of football, and each country within it adds their unique layer of flavor. Then there’s the element of surprise. For years, for instance, it was fairly easy to tell how Germany would approach the game – they were seen as solid defenders with a formidable if predictable attacking strategy. This time around, however, they combined that solid game foundation with breathtaking flexibility and innovative game play in the moment. That seems to have taken many an opponent by surprise, and I believe it helped get them to 3rd place despite being the second youngest squad in the tournament.
- The teamwork – This probably sounds redundant since football is, well, a team sport. But there have been so many sides that crumble because some players are after individual glory at the expense of the team’s overall success. Lionel Messi, Argentina’s star player, did not manage to score a single goal. And yet, he was noted in some quarters for his commitment to the team’s success. Then there are players like Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal, who can sometimes be seen making physically impossible attempts at goal, presumably to add to his personal goal tally more than his team’s.
- The unsung heroes – We tend to remember the top goal scorers (usually strikers) and the more flamboyant coaches or players that grace the pitch. After all, a team’s fortunes eventually rests on how many goals are scored and/or how entertaining they were in getting there. What sometimes goes unnoticed, however, are the hardworking mid-fielders and defenders who go quietly about their task. Mid-fielders size up the tactical situation and create opportunities for strikers to hit a home run. At the other end of the field, defenders make sure opponents don’t get within striking distance of the goal or their goalkeeper. So…take time to observe and reward the quiet and busy bees working in your corporate hive. If they aren’t tooting their own horns, find ways to uncover and acknowledge their contributions.
- Being creative – No matter how many hours of practice and coaching each team undergoes, and no matter how much you try to anticipate what the opposing team is going to do, the final reckoning takes place on the field. It’s you vs. your opponent, under the glare of floodlights and amidst thousands of screaming fans. Just like soldiers going to battle, you need all your senses about you, and you need to act and react to solve the ever-changing landscape of the unfolding game. If a path opens up amidst the defenders and you have clear line of sight of the goal, will you a) notice it and b) capitalize on it? At work, we sometimes get so caught up in the usual way of doing things that we fail to see opportunities in our industry or marketplace. We stick to tried-and-tested routines because it’s in our standard operating manual, or because that’s the way we’ve always done it. These days, it’s the most flexible and adaptive organizations that survive and thrive. Is your company/team equipped with tools and techniques to be creative when you need it?
- Keeping the bad guys out - It never ceases to amaze me how tightly some teams defend their goal. I have watched games where defenders risk (or sustain) great physical injury in the process. And I have seen many a goalkeeper berate their defenders for not properly doing their job and for leaving the goal vulnerable. Taking this to corporate life…yes, we do now live in a networked world where collaboration or co-opetition holds the key to longlasting success. But don’t forget what your company’s crown jewels are. Do everything in your power to defend them or to prevent hackers and bad hats from unpicking your competitive advantage. Do you have a committed team of defenders in your company (be it an IT 100% uptime team or effective business counsel), ready to stand against your attackers?
- Find and use your strengths – This year, some teams like Spain have an embarrasment of riches with extremely strong players in all positions i.e. strikers, mid-fielders and defenders. Not everyone is so lucky. Other teams have had to play to their strengths and hope their opponents don’t crush them too quickly because of their weaknesses. If you don’t have the immediate good fortune of an all-star corporate team, are you doing everything it takes to uncover and play to your strengths?
- Thanking your fans – One of my favorite moments occurs after the game ends, when some teams walk around the pitch applauding fans for their support. Many companies talk about customer service & appreciation, but few actually walk the talk. Your fans and customers place their faith in your products, services and what your brand stands for. They spend money buying your wares, and time defending your worth to others. Applauding them is the least you can do.
I was going to think of 2 more reasons, to make it an even 10. But I’m getting excited and distracted by tonight’s final. And being 25% Dutch by ancestry, there are no prizes for guessing who I’m rooting for.
Till my next post, have an inventive week!
