September 2015 Big Grower, Management

THINK BUSINESS — Playing and Winning the Game By Mark Richardson

If you’re like me, you are willing to spend a Sunday afternoon watching a football game, but not a rugby match. Similar games, but I enjoy watching one and not the other. Why is that?

Personal interests aside, I believe the answer may be tied to how well you understand the game. We grew up around football. Even if we didn’t play or only watched occasionally, we know the rules and we understand how the scoring system works. We know what the quarterback’s role is, and we know what an off-side penalty is. Because we understand the game, even in a rudimentary way, we are more likely to enjoy watching it.

THE GREATEST GAME

Hall of Fame golfer Tom Watson once said, “Busi- ness is the greatest game ever played.” Whether you agree or not, thinking about business as a great game might give you some insight into how to improve your knowledge of business and maybe even enjoy it more.

There are some interesting parallels between business and games. Games are played within a prescribed area, just or sales territory.

In both games and business there are competitors, and there are winners and losers. In both games and business, there are rules you need to understand just to be able to participate, and there are advanced skills you need to master to succeed.

For example, whenever I play golf with a skilled player, they always remember the score on each hole, both their own and mine; I don’t. They also know which club to use to achieve the best results in a given situation; I usually grab a club that is within a 2- or 3-club range of the ideal.

I find a similar dynamic in business. When I ask a great business leader about sales figures or cost per lead, they generally know the number off the top of their head. A weaker business leader needs to retrieve the number from a co-worker or report; in some cases, they may not even track the number.

If I ask a great business leader to name three keys to success, they have no trouble finding the answer because they make these principles part of their daily routine.

Most important, when I ask great leaders if they are having fun, the answer is an enthusiastic “Yes,” often accompanied by a statement of appreciation for the op- portunities the game of business has given them.

RULES OF PLAY

Here are five “rules” to make the game of business more enjoyable:
1. Know the basics. Master the fundamentals — the “blocking and tackling”Ñ before you get in too deep. Learn everything you can about the three most important elements of your business. Try to achieve not only good results, but predictable results.
2. Know the numbers. Great coaches don’t change strategy every time they fall behind in the score. They know how much time is on the clock, the number of timeouts they and their opponent have remaining and other critical factors that can influence the outcome.

Similarly, a great business leader doesn’t change strategy prematurely. For example, they may not ad- just for low first quarter sales numbers because they know that most of their company’s sales come in the second quarter.

Understanding your company’s numbers enables you to make better decisions.
3. Know your plan.Most professional sports teams spend much more time planning and practicing than they do actually playing the game.

Preparation is equally important in business.

If you are succeeding without a plan, it doesn’t mean you have a special skill; it just means you are lucky.

4. Know your talent. It is hard to win with- out talented players. I see some well-intentioned business leaders who want to achieve top-line sales growth, but they don’t have the right personnel in place to do it. I also see great sales talent in businesses that lack the sales management skills needed to grow that talent effectively. Take inventory of your team, then decide which positions are lacking the talent you need to achieve your goals.

5. Know yourself. This should have been listed first, even before you chose to play in this game called business. A baseball player may be a great hitter, but be prone to fielding errors; a great football player may be a great runner, but a poor blocker.

Similarly, some business leaders thrive doing smaller short-term projects while others hit their stride on larger, longer-term projects. Some may earn strong profits remodeling kitchens but lose money building decks. Match your business model to your disposition and you will find your sweet spot.

Business is not “just a game”Ñ it’s your liveli- hood. You owe it to yourself and your team to learn to be a better player.