American football- A lesson for Management

My son is crazy about Football( American football). I keep saying it's a misnomer as they hardly ever use their feet in this game except for punting & kickoffs.He would sit in front of the TV all weekends glued to the game. I had no interest in the game & always felt it was too physical & so much of a "body contact" game. To me everything in the game appeared to be a foul as people ram against each other with their body mass of plus 250 pounds. But as i kept learning the rules of the game from him, slowly it occurred to me that there is a method after all. As days went by, i realized i was also getting hooked on to it.

As i kept watching, it dawned on me that there is a lot of Management learning from this game. As a matter of fact, most team games like soccer,cricket etc.. have something to offer to the Management Gurus.

1) There is a clear shared vision among the players in the team- to Win-. That brings with it the passion & commitment which is there for all to see in their body language.

2) To achieve the goal, there are strategies put in place. The quarter back along with the coach plans out each play & all the players are made aware.

3) Each member of the team knows what is expected of him & hence Role clarity is fully understood by all.

4) Flexibility & interchangeability of positions happens seamlessly without any effort & rancour. This is very important to achieve a common goal & shows teamwork.

5) Rewards & recognition are instantaneous: when a quarter back makes a great pass, or a wide receiver takes a catch or when a touch down is effected, the appreciation & applause from the crowd is spontaneous. So is the joy from all the team members. This is a strong motivation for people when recognition is immediate & it drives them to perform better.