So America is once again past the Superbowl, allowing us to get back to life and look forward to baseball! It was a good game and thrilling at the end. Both teams played like they should be there and, regardless of how you feel about the controversies and your preference of team, it was entertaining, to say the least. A few things stand out as great lessons we leaders can learn from the events of last Sunday. First, little things matter. In any enterprise there will be a long list of big things you must do in order to achieve the results you desire. Certainly both teams did all of those, because they made it to the big game, and when things really mattered, each made big plays. However, in the end, the final score came down to just a yard, one catch, one tackle. Had the Seahawks been able to stop the Patriots on the drive with only two minutes to go, the game would’ve been theirs, or worse, had they been able to get that one yard at the end…well, you saw what happened. Success comes when you do a whole bunch of little things over and over, consistently, methodically, and strategically. We all want the big glorious plays every once in a while, but most football coaches will tell you that the game is won as the result of a whole lot of small gains and individual tackles.
The lesson is that to win, you must be prepared. Both teams did that, and it was evident that either of the teams could have won the game. Neither should lower their head because both were well prepared. In leadership we must do the same. We might not win every game we play, but we should always know that we did everything in our power to be in the position to win. The hard work of preparation is what will make the difference for us and our teams. Success is never an accident. Lasting achievement always goes to the ones who have put in the time and effort to be ready for whatever happens in the big game of life and leadership.
Lastly, and I hesitate to bring this up, play calling matters. I’m not suggesting that a different play should’ve been called at the end of the game, because I know that the Seahawks coaches know more than I about what to do in those situations. I must trust their judgment. However, the play called did affect the outcome. Had it been a different play, maybe the game would’ve ended differently, maybe not, but the point is, the plays we call for our teams do make a difference. We have to be engaged in the on-going game and be paying attention to all of the factors around us, plus, while preparing our teams to perform well, we must be even more prepared. I am of the opinion that winning teams, on the field or off, have leaders who are more prepared than anyone else. They are more involved, engaged, aware, and visible than every other person on the team. Don’t expect a team to win if the leader isn’t there.
One final note. Both of the teams last Sunday are winners. The rules say one must be crowned champion, but it could’ve gone either way. The Seahawks will rebound, just as any champion does when faced with a defeat. We must do the same. Just because we don’t achieve everything we set out to do, doesn’t mean we aren’t still on the brink of greatness. After a loss, take a breath, evaluate what didn’t happen, and get ready for the next season.
Now, about that last play…
Lead well.