I had the pleasure of watching a condensed replay of this year’s Super Bowl on the NFL Channel this weekend. Skipping the huddles and the constant TV chatter was awesome. Injected into the mix were the “wired” players and post-game interviews and several instant replay looks of the big game. Quite cool. I may wait to watch future Super Bowls this way.
What caught my attention the most during this replay was the reminder of the importance of a focused, committed, and prepared team. This Super Bowl, like several in recent years, featured the star and his guys vs. the other team. In 2008 it was “Tom Brady and the Patriots vs. The New York Giants“, in 2002 it was “Kurt Warner and the Greatest Show on Turf vs. The New England Patriots” and this year it was “Peyton and the Colts against The New Orleans Saints.” Funny how the “star and his guys” always lost to the “other” team. It is as if in the hype, everyone forgets that there are actually 22 starters, a multitude of key role players, and a coaching staff involved in the game, too.
One guy will not win the game by himself. One component of a team cannot win a game without the fully-committed, support of the rest. In all three of these Super Bowl cases, it was obvious to everyone who the winner was going to be. Funny, the other team didn’t know they were supposed to lose. And didn’t play like they were expected to lose.
Business is the same way. There is far too much emphasis on the separation of powers in most organizations. Too many businesses allow their internal teams to operate independently with each other. Functionally and operationally, most businesses are divided into the sales team, the marketing department, the finance group and there is the executive team. The greater the separation and distinctions of the respective roles, the less the organizational team functions. The closer the lines of communication, interaction, and strategic collaboration, the more likely the business will be on a winning track. When these self-important, separated departments face a crises, they are not organizationally equipped or structured to weather the storm.
When I replayed that Super Bowl game the one thing that struck me more than anything–the New Orleans Saints as a team was more prepared to win than the Indianapolis Colts. Their leader was engaged, prepared, calm, emotional, and focused. So were the players.
Businesses can and do struggle with external challenges everyday–clients, competitors, economics, etc. The businesses that are structured as a well-led, well-prepared, cohesive, cross-functional organizational unit are much more prepared and positioned to win than any organization that allows any of its superstars to become the center of attention. Build a strong team in your business — great teams always win!