They say that sports have a lot of life lessons to offer. There is a lot of truth to that. This is particularly true for team sports like football. Football is the biggest of the team sports as far as the number of players that are needed to form a team.
With so many components to manage in a football team, football coaches are a lot like office managers. They have to find a way to mesh many individuals together to form a cohesive team that gets things done. With that in mind, here are five lessons football can teach you about running an office.
The Value of Teamwork
One of the most important lessons that football teaches is the value of teamwork. A football team has to succeed in all three components of the game, including defense, offense and special teams. A team that falls apart in one of these areas will usually lose the game. The value of teamwork in the office is immeasurable. A business whose employees do not work together in a spirit of cooperation will never succeed. It is a good idea to practice team-building exercises in your office to help promote teamwork.
Practice Makes Perfect
Football teams practice tirelessly to become successful. You can always tell a team that will succeed by how hard they practice. If you want your business to become a success, then you need to make sure that your employees practice in the office to succeed. Run regular role-playing scenarios and sales drills for your team to ensure they are equipped with the tools they need to achieve results.
The Power of Positivity
The greatest football coaches know that they can motivate their players much better with positivity than with negativity. When their players mess up during a game, the great coaches give them a pat on the back rather than shouting at them. Building a positive environment in your office can similarly encourage your employees to succeed. Take the time to congratulate them when they triumph and to encourage them when they fail. A relentlessly positive approach is one of the most important attributes that defines a winner whether on the football field or in the office.
Demand Accountability
While it is important to always remain positive as a leader, it is also crucial to demand accountability from every member of your organization. The best coaches demand excellence from every member of their staff. It doesn’t matter whether it is the star quarterback or a towel manager. Every member of the organization needs to do their best if the team is to win. It is important to take a similar approach to managing an office. When something is not working right, it is crucial to sit down with the involved parties and discuss with them how to implement changes to improve the way the business is run.
Never Give Up
The great football teams always face moments during their seasons where things look grim. The difference between losing and winning teams is that winners always find a way to persevere through adversity. No matter what the scoreboard shows, they always give their best in an effort to win. It is a great idea to run an office with a similar mindset. Never let any setback keep your office down for long. Make sure to let everyone in the office know after a negative event that the company will keep moving forward and become better than ever.
Running an office is a lot like being a football coach. You have to manage many individuals, forming them into a cohesive team. You have to be a great motivator and role model. You also have to have a never-say-die attitude that inspires success. Following these lessons will give you the tools you need to get your office to thrive.
Photo: Johann Schwarz / CC 2.0