They say that hindsight is always 20/20, and football is no exception. It’s always easy to call out the ref or talk about how you would have made a better play. Like football, business offers many opportunities for us to say, “I could have done that, but I would have done it this way….”
Remember that old joke about how many project managers it takes to change a light bulb? All of them—one to change it and the rest to stand around and plan out how they could have done it better.
Take your plays beyond Monday morning quarterback syndrome, and make your game solid by using a few tools to really keep your head out of the playbook and on the field.
- Avoid the Audible
- Use a Shotgun Formation
- Lay Out your Gridiron
- Know When to Bull Rush
In football the audible works because the QB audibly changes the play or disguises the call to confuse the defense. In business, you need to give your team clear concise direction, and avoid double speak or directions that can be confusing. Each task should have an outlined objective and directions that are easy to follow for all parties. It will save you from having to throw a hail mary in the final moments before a big deadline.
In a shotgun formation, the quarterback steps back behind the line of scrimmage in anticipation of the snap. This causes receivers to spray all around the field. In business, you can let your team know what you are planning ahead of time, and allow them to anticipate your move, and get into position. Giving instruction, and using tools to convey that instruction in an easy to follow manner can ensure everyone is ready to take the ball.
Using Insightly CRM with Project Management keeps your team and your customers on the same page of the playbook. Integrating features like Google Apps, Gmail, Evernote and DropBox, offering reminders and file uploads, and taking advantage of various contact options can really help keep track of things. Because in life, people might wear different hats – your lineman might also be your running back.
A football field is organized in straight lines, with clear markers indicating the yardage. In business, your field should be laid out in a methodical pattern as well. Setting up milestones, tracking points, and having a routine schedule can help keep you moving on the field and save you from going into overtime. That’s what effective project management is all about.
If things get discombobulated, don’t be afraid to call a timeout, huddle the team, and check where everyone is on the project. A good coach always knows where his team is, and what the standings are. He also knows how much time is left in the game, the best play to get to the end zone, and when to rely on your safety to stop a pass. Keep the other team (your competition) out of the red zone by making sure that your field is clear and you’re in position to score.
There are times when deadlines call for some fancy footwork and for everyone on your team to saddle up and plow through an obstacle instead of trying an end run. When these moments arise, make sure you rally your troops by keeping up morale, and making sure everyone knows how key and appreciated they are. Keeping a team spirit in your office environment will make sure that even when you are facing the end of a season or a Super Bowl game, you can rely on everyone to be ready.
Make notes and track your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Be aware if one player is a stronger defensive linebacker and another player is a born quarterback. If someone is a stronger salesman, don’t put him in as your numbers guy, and don’t waste your organizational genius by putting her on the phones to tackle client problems.
By strategizing your players and keeping them in key positions, you can make sure that this is your best season and your team will come out on the winning end, whether it’s throwing around the pigskin or fulfilling a contract.
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