Sports and business have a lot of similarities with great analogies and stories (that make a point). Last week I was discussing the recent football playoffs with my marketing person Lori. We got to the point where we agreed that while it often comes down to one play.
In business you need to have a strategy, implement it and execute it correctly. The same holds true in sports. Lori and I discussed what happened in the 49ers-Packers game. With about three minutes to go it was the 49ers ball, third and 11 at around mid-field.
The Packers scheme was great; they called for an all out blitz. The implemented it well, rushers coming from everywhere. They executed it poorly, or at least one player did. A defensive back rushed from the (offensive) left and didn’t hold his outside lane. He got sucked into the middle (he probably got greedy and went for the sack), the running back blocked him and the quarterback ran around the left end for a first down. If he had held his lane he would have boxed-in the quarterback and the odds are it would have been a sack or incomplete pass, resulting in a punt and not a game winning drive.
Look at your business. The chances are you have the idea, vision and strategy. You’re probably slow on implementing given the challenges of the day-to-day. Then ask, are your people and you executing it correctly? Just like sports, you want a game winning drive with all of these things coming together so you make more sales, grow your company and achieve more success.
“Defense needs to be more physical, reports man slumped on couch for past 5 hours.” The Onion.com