The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has provided many opportunities for great business metaphors, none of which I have used…until now. But what kind of a businessman would I be if I didn’t even draw on the world’s largest televised sporting event for some sound business learnings? Because that’s what it’s about…finding lessons in the events that surround you, no matter if they fit into your core business or not.
So here goes. The top 3 (business) lessons I will take away from this great sporting event, now that my Vuvuzela and Makarapa have become historical relics.
1) German precision isn’t everything. If there is one thing the rise and fall of the great German team taught us it’s that you can be technically perfect, flawless even, and yet still be open to failure. Usually when we are at the top of our game we are also most vulnerable to being toppled by our toughest competitors. We need to make sure we always keep vigilant, play with heart and work as a team, even if we are down a key player. For the most part, the German team looked unbeatable but then, when it counted the most, they failed to make good on their potential. Perhaps their game plan relied on the entire team (and they were down a key player), in which case they should have formulated a new game plan based on a new dynamic. That’s business. Perhaps, in their winning streak, they underestimated their next opponent, which is something we do all to often. Either way theirs is a lesson in the fact that you can’t always rely on your great track record to see you through the next test. You have to be on your toes, at all times.
2) Make it your own. We all know that FIFA runs like a well-oiled machine with its own set of rules and regulations. Yes, this world cup has definitely been run like a true FIFA event, but it has also been wrapped in a distinctly African feel too. From the Vuvuzelas and Makarapas to the local “gees” on the streets and at the fan parks, these past 4 weeks will stand apart from the rest and forever be remembered as a uniquely, distinctly African world cup.
3) Don’t underestimate the power of team morale/unity. We saw it with the French team, and in some ways the English team too. Team morale and unity are vital if you want to be a serious contender on the international stage. If your team isn’t operating as one team with one vision, your business will suffer. Believe it. We need to constantly assess that we have the right players with the right attitude or else we are doomed to failure, when it counts the most.
No doubt the months to follow the WC will teach us how to plan and stick to a budget, so that your future earnings don’t get affected. But for now, let’s just bask in the glory of a game well played. Because it was very, very well played. Viva Africa viva!
