With Super Bowl LII right around the corner, football is on the minds of fans around the world. However, as the teams get ready for their big game, the rest of us who aren’t members of the Eagles or Patriots continue our daily routines at work. That being said, who’s to say that we don’t have the opportunity to win The Game every day? A chance to take our teams to achieve success behind our wildest dreams? In order to do so, we can take a page from football and be our own quarterback.
1.Use your team (but don’t leave them hanging)
Although a quarterback is only one of eleven players on the field for a team, his importance is made clear from the start: the one with the largest salary, the one with in the biggest spotlight, the one with the most touches on the ball each and every game. However, even with the importance of the position, imagine what would happen if the quarterback tried to do everything himself: the number of sacks, of lost yardage, of fumbles, of sheer losses the team would endure. In contrast, imagine a football team without the quarterback. There would be no one to run point on the operations, no one to rely on for strategy and direction. Although a quarterback will sometimes hang onto the ball and score himself, this happens very sparingly. They use their team to get the job done. A good leader knows to delegate tasks accordingly and realizes that not all can be accomplished by doing everything oneself. However, delegation does not just mean distribution. Giving work to one’s team without a vision or direction can be just as destructive as trying to do everything by oneself. Instead, take the time to lead your team down the field for a touchdown. While there may be times you can pull it off yourself, using your team will be the best option for success in most every situation. Take charge and provide direction, trust your team to deliver, and your personal Super Bowl starts to end up in sight.
2. Different situations call for different plays
If the quarterback runs the same play on a 1st down at their own 20 and on a 4th down at the opposing team’s goal line, you’d probably question the credibility of the person calling the play. Similarly, a good leader knows that the same strategy may not always work in different situations. Take time to review the situation at hand before hopping on the field and making a play that may end with disastrous consequences.
3. Take action
After the huddle breaks, the quarterback must trust the plan and use it to take action. Hold onto the ball for too long, spend too much time reading the options on the field, or freeze in the moment, and you’re going to go down for the count. Not only that, but you’ll take your team down with you. Don’t be afraid to trust yourself and your team to make the right decisions and execute when it matters.
Football jargon aside, the message couldn’t be more clear: while you sometimes can get the job done yourself, your team’s skills and your use of their abilities is what will give you the best overall track record. Don’t be afraid to trust yourself, trust your team, and take the steps necessary to get the job done.
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