What the oval ball can teach us about running a great business…

What the oval ball can teach us about running a great business…

This weekend also marks the halfway point of the Rugby World Cup currently being hosted in France. All of the teams have at least two or three games under their belts and we’ve had the opportunity to make adjustments to our pre-tournament predictions as to who would come out on top. In case you haven’t been following all that closely, let me summarize: the top teams are still tops, some middle-of-the-pack teams have overperformed (Fiji, England and Wales), while others (particularly the Aussies) have been dismal. The Tier Two teams have been particularly interesting to watch – Portugal, Chile, Uruguay and the like. These teams haven’t won many games (in fact, they’ve gotten smashed more often than not), but it has been surprising to see how competitive and organised they are. Some have punched WAY above their weight. As an avid rugby supporter, who primarily watches Tier One teams play, these teams have been one of the highlights of the tournament.

This got me thinking – what are the better-performing teams getting right within their environments that set them apart from the teams that have been underperforming? And how can we relate this back to the world of organisational health and employee experience? There isn’t all that much difference between a rugby team and a business: you have a group of people contributing their unique skills and abilities towards the achievement of a common goal. Teamwork, essentially.

Here is a list of what I have noticed the best teams do thus far:

1. They do the basics really well: Most teams can be competitive for the first quarter of the game. But then reality sets in and the wheels start coming off bit by bit. They start to scrum poorly, lineouts become an issue, fitness starts to lag, discipline becomes an issue – everything just becomes more difficult than it needs to be. In life, business and rugby we often look for the silver bullet solution that will solve all our problems. That supernatural outcome to make up for all the areas we haven’t put in the work. Competence, diligence, discipline, consistency – keeping the promises you make to your customers, being reliable in the way you deliver your product or service and being a business people can rely on – doesn’t happen as a result of pulling off a once-off trick play. You need to do the unglamorous, dirty work!
2. They know what they are about: The best teams know their strengths and they play to them. They’ve got their own, unique style. They don’t try to copy the opposition, they don’t get caught up in what looks sexy at the moment and they don’t fall for the voices of outside influences. They know their strategy and they do their best to execute it flawlessly. The worst-performing teams get caught in two (or more) minds as to how they should be playing and that just leads to confusion. The same applies in business – when people know what the aim, methods and ideal outcomes look like, they can prioritize and execute – in a way that fits the style, personality and unique strengths of the organisation.
3. They trust their leaders: From an outsider’s perspective, this is almost invisible when it is working well. But when the coach loses the trust of the players everything becomes a shambles. The default setting in most organisations is one of the employees distrusting the leadership (this is the case internationally, according to Gallup’s results), with staff feeling that the leaders are only there to benefit themselves. But in the rare cases where leaders truly behave to the benefit of their people, it results in a level of loyalty and commitment to the cause that cannot be bought.
4. They play for more than just themselves: The World Cup is an opportunity for many unknown players to change their lives forever. Being noticed by a French or Japanese club will make you a millionaire overnight. So the temptation for many of these players could be to make it about themselves. And no doubt many do. But you absolutely get the sense that the best-performing teams (as a collective) are playing for more than just themselves. When you look at the support of some teams, you see that they are playing for their families and fans. They are playing to prove to the world that they belong on the biggest stage. They are playing to inspire their countries, for generations to come. The best businesses are not in it for themselves, only. They are trying to make a positive impact that is felt much wider. They know that “we” all win together.
5. They are more than just colleagues: Following on from the previous point, you get the notion that there is a deep sense of trust, camaraderie and even friendship among the players on the best teams. A group of superstars doesn’t necessarily make a great team, but when there is a sense of shared identity, cohesion and commitment towards the group, even average players can do the extraordinary. The same applies in business – when you work with people you trust, like and care about, you are more willing to go the extra mile as you know this will be to your collective benefit. Working with people you don’t trust or enjoy spending time with is hell and will never bring forth the best you have to offer. Any leader worth their salt knows that it is worth the effort to create a culture where staff are encouraged to connect on a deeper, human level.

It is truly inspiring to see what normal, everyday people can accomplish when they put these fundamental ingredients in place. If you work in an environment that could benefit from getting these aspects in place, get in touch – we would love to help you along the way.

You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.

At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.