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Games reflect life. And this time of year we certainly have ample athletic contests to learn from. Well, except for the NBA — and that's a lesson all its own.
Successful athletic teams have a well-defined goal, skilled position players, a game plan that utilizes the players' skills, a knowledgeable engaged coach, a culture of caring and working together, sufficient resources to support the work, and a loyal fan base.
Sometimes a team may have exceptional players — stars. A star or a group of stars does not guarantee a championship team, however. The legendary football coach at the University of Alabama, Bear Bryant, said: "Give me players who play their best for the six seconds of every play and we will win."
A baseball team that relies on home run production for its offense must have power hitters who can hit the long ball regularly and reliably. On the other hand, a team that generates runs on the bases must have players who can get on base and who have the speed to steal bases and upset the rhythm and concentration of the defense. Either system without the reliable talent cannot score enough runs to win.
Coaches come in all sizes and styles. The ones who become legends know how to win —fair…with character.
The fabric of winning is the culture of the team — people who care about each other and who want to work together to achieve the team's goal. The cliché is right: "There is no I in team." An engaged fan base supports this culture.
An athletic team does not need to be rich to win. It does need adequate resources to support the necessary activity and personnel. Those resources allocated appropriately can produce results. Opulence and abundance are obstacles to urgency and need.
Businesses are like athletic teams. They need a knowledgeable engaged leader, well-defined goals, talented position players, a culture of caring and working together, productive work processes, and loyal and raving fans.
You can have a championship business. If your business is not performing as you want, don't let another season of disappointment and frustration go by. Now is the time to be working on success.
Winning feels better than losing.
Arnelle Adcock is a partner and president of Brentwood-based Clover Management Group — a team of seasoned professionals who help business owners. You can reach her at 615-900-0777, aadcock@clovermg.com, or www.clovermg.com.
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