What do 2018 World Cup teams and your business have in common? You both need goals to survive and advance. Achieving goals isn’t easy either on the soccer field or in the corporate world, but there are lessons we can learn from elite World Cup teams that can be applied to managing companies.
Start with a Clear Goal in Mind
Any successful team begins with aspirations of winning a championship. Successful Cleveland businesses also begin with clearly defined objectives. Developing a mission statement before undertaking a venture is an effective way to establish and clarify your vision. Furthermore, publicly displaying or communicating this mission statement will encourage accountability and reflection as your organization works toward achieving the goal.
Determine How to Best Work Toward the Goal
Winning teams develop strategies for success and frequently practice to seamlessly execute their plans. The same holds true for thriving organizations. Executives and managers should develop and plainly communicate a strategy for attaining company goals. Making and implementing plans regarding routine work activities, budgeting, projects, personnel, data management, and oversight are all necessary to help advance an enterprise towards its strategic goals. Be sure to keep the lines of communication as open as possible between all groups involved to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings that could jeopardize the mission; this includes being receptive to feedback offered by all parties.
Carefully Construct Your Team
Effective roster management is essential to any sports team. Having the right people with the appropriate skill sets for their positions is a must, and developing cohesive chemistry among athletes with disparate talents and skills is a key responsibility of great coaches. This is equally true in any industry. As mentioned in the previous section, managing personnel well is an essential task, and it may be the difference between prosperity and failure. Of course, this process starts with the hiring process. Screen candidates carefully to be sure you are employing the types of people who can really help your company. Bad hires often lead to an enormous waste of time, energy, and resources.
Consider using a pre-employment screening test to increase your odds of identifying quality employees who will become assets rather than liabilities. Once you have capable people onboard, match your associates with jobs suited to their strengths, skills, and experience. Finally, don’t be afraid to make changes or tweak responsibilities as circumstances dictate, for the welfare of the team may necessitate superseding individual ambitions and egos if organizational goals are to be realized.
Work to Completion
Great teams know how to finish. This quality is what separates champions from also-rans and runners-up. However, to become a fantastic finisher, you must first understand how to put yourself in position to win, so simply relying on drive and determination isn’t enough. Before your organization even begins moving towards its goal, establish milestones and create benchmarks to monitor progress. Doing so will provide valuable opportunities for examining the effectiveness of your efforts and making adjustments accordingly.
Honestly assess the information you gather; otherwise, your attempts to reevaluate will likely go for naught. Additionally, bringing in fresh sets of eyes from the outside can be helpful in providing a more objective assessment of your corporation’s progress.
As you enjoy the conclusion of the World Cup tournament over the coming weeks, reflect on what the world’s best soccer teams can teach us about winning in our commercial or nonprofit enterprises. Championship teams begin with a mission, determine how to best meet the challenges of achieving their vision, put the best people in place to accomplish their goals, and relentlessly work to obtain victory. We can all follow this blueprint for success both in our private and professional lives.
Of course, all of this is easier said than done. If triumphing were simple, everyone would do it. Sometimes seeking advice from experts or coaches can provide the extra edge we need to succeed. Northeast Ohio employers who are struggling to attain satisfactory levels of achievement may want to consider utilizing the services of Cleveland business consultants to help them meet their goals. As a top business consultant and management coach with many years of experience, Greg Thomas, the president of Leadership Excellence, is ready to help. Contact us today to schedule a free fifteen-minute, no-hassle consultation!
