Soccer season is over. It was 20 years since I’d played competitively.
We made it all the way to the grand final. Quite an achievement for us all.
Some games during the season we played like women possessed, passing, lots of great fancy moves and phenomenal teamwork – goals scored – games won.
Then during other games and actually during the grand final itself, we just couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net.
We were in their half, working hard the whole time…. yet.
The goals matter.
However what mattered more for us on the day, was the fun, the achievement regardless of the score, the spectators, the challenge, the post-laughter (and quite a few beverages).
Ultimately on the day, we did out best. Yet, we influenced by their game and interestingly whilst we got so much of the ball and were in their half… winning teams score the goals.
What was our learning for next season?
Keep at it.
Keep practising.
Never give up.
Celebrate the milestones.
Have a good laugh no matter what.
In the finals, something the opposition did really well and the one goal we let through happened, because we didn’t mark.
When you’re in a game and someone is watching your every move / stuck to you like glue, it’s really hard to be yourself and play your game.
Even more frustrating when you’re left wing, desperate and ready in waiting for some action.
Do you feel like you’re ready and waiting for something special to happen in your business?
Do you feel like you’re close but just not getting the goals?
Do you feel like you and your business has phenomenal potential… yet for whatever reason, it’s not fully happening yet?
You know, in the way you know it possibly could.
The way you dream of and believe is possible.
Sometimes, we all have tough days on the pitch and in the office.
We all have those matches, moments and months.
However, each practice run and each game is moving us forward to achieving our goals.
Months back, I wrote, “This team has the potential to win this division”.
Yes, really and we went all the way to the Grand Final. We have some outstanding players.
And some who need to keep developing their skills (c’est moi!) to get fitter, stronger and faster.
Overall fitness is a key challenge! Well, we are in the over 35 leagues… 😉
However whether it’s your business or on the playing field, kicking goals takes practice.
It doesn’t happen overnight.
For the majority of businesses, it takes years.
It also takes commitment, dedication, fitness training, teamwork and education.
To learn what is needed to win.
What does winning your business mean for you?
What are your measures and benchmarks for that?
· The profit?
· Cashflow?
· The ROI?
· Is it the turnover?
· Is it the size of your team?
· Staff engagement?
· Number of happy customers?
· Customer retention?
· Staff retention?
· Quality of your culture?
How else do you measure the wins?
Now back to the soccer pitch, after a recent game finished, I raced off both frustrated and energised at the same time. Both of us in the wing positions – the Left and Right wing, had been marked fiercely all game and so we grabbed the coach and asked:
“What could we have done more of?
“What could we have done better?
“What could we have done differently?
These 3 questions are a favourite for using for team feedback and business growth.
They come from a great athlete and businessman – Peter Thurin.
Often, we’re so busy bitching, moaning, justifying our existence or moving onto the next game, project, email, job or customer, that we forget to make and take the time to review our progress.
Whether you do this by yourself, 1-1 with individual team members or as a business, it is a crucial growth mechanism.
I’ll keep harping on about being ripe and rotting, green or growing, a great saying by Ray Kroc, who launched the McDonalds franchise in 1955.
Our business will not grow if we’re not able to give and receive feedback.
Ask the tough questions in order to learn, improve, develop and be better.
This isn’t a one-off / once a year kind of question at an occasional team building event.
This is a regular, perhaps daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly ritual that every team member can be used to grow and improve the overall productivity and performance of the team and business.
Here’s another angle to consider…
Have you asked these questions of your clients and customers?
So for future games – next season, I know to pull the opposition out wide to make room for our faster, quicker and very agile players, we have a couple of GUNS in that department, so that’s part of my plan.
I know I have to get fitter and keep training, keep tackling and keep working on my speed and recovery.
No excuses. No justification.
There is no failure only feedback.
Here’s to some cracking wins for the rest of the season.
Genevieve “Winning Regardless” Matthews
