Without a Playbook for your business, you're missing out on opportunities to win!
by Mark Mesnick – Owner, M2 Business Coaching Group
In sports, no great team wins without a Playbook. The same goes for business. As a current business owner and NCAA referee, the first quarter of any year makes me think about where my business is, where it's going, and how it's going to get there! Just like on the football field, I follow a Playbook. So when's the last time you reviewed your company's Playbook?
As any good coach – or C-Suite Executive – knows, developing a Playbook involves a precise game plan, involving a delicate balance of evaluation, development, and strategic implementation. These primary objectives revolve around preparing a team for the rigors of the coming season or fiscal year.
Why is a Playbook so necessary? So you and your organization can work smarter going forward and, at the same time, outsmart your opponents.
Below are some of 5 key strategies for making this coming year a success:
Strategy #1: Assessing Talent
Putting the right people in the right roles is important to any successful business or team. When's the last time you evaluated the real strengths of your employees and maximized them?
Assessing performance to determine placement. Successful coaches and business executives carefully evaluate team member performance to determine optimal placement of their best players. This includes analyzing a team member's overall production, assessing their understanding of assignments, and evaluating their ability to adapt to new tasks or roles within the team's framework.
Integrating new team members into the business keeps your team healthy. New members can bring a fresh perspective to evolving procedures. Be sure to collaborate with these new members to evaluate their readiness and help them adjust to performance demands.
Regularly evaluating employee performance to keep everyone focused. While an annual or biannual performance review can help identify any difficulties your employees may be experiencing, it can also serve as a way to find out an employee's hidden talents or passions, which could lead to stronger performance and operational results.
Strategy #2: Planning Systematically
I believe in helping my clients get out of their own way. I do this by identifying recurring mistakes and outdated business practices.
Implementing new techniques and practices and keeping up with trends is vital. Coaches test out new offensive and defensive schemes, assessing their effectiveness and how well players adapt to them in a game setting. The same applies to business. Your team should consistently test out the best practices within your given industry and implement new strategies that work.
Continually refining your Playbook. Your business Playbook is never a "one and done." Just as your business organically changes over the course of the year, so should your game plan. Evaluate your practices and strategic approaches on, ideally, a continual basis. The emphasis should be on the proper execution of core plays and techniques.
Reviewing situational awareness and decision-making should be an integral part of your Playbook. A successful business executive needs to evaluate how their managers and employees respond in various situations, such as managing timelines, executing projects, and adapting to changing industry strategies.
Strategy #3: Leading with Accountability
Whether officiating on the field or leading the team in your company, good coaches and C-suite executives know that the only way to set the foundation for success is to use the two hand-in-hand.
Embracing transparency. Be willing to communicate a clear vision (leadership) and establish clear expectations (accountability) in equal measure. Then no one is left guessing or confused and, as a result, unmotivated and unproductive.
Modeling accountability from the top. Accountability works only when leaders model the discipline, integrity, and responsibility they expect from others – even when the pressure is turned up. Otherwise, leadership is seen as hollow and, therefore, ineffectual.
Establishing trust. Trust is the link that is forged when leadership and accountability work together. Strong leadership – on the field or in the office – builds trust, which makes accountability fair, motivating, and effective, rather than punitive.
Strategy #4: Building a Winning Team
As an NCAA official, I make it a point to become well-acquainted with each head coach and player before a game, and I work closely with them during the competition. Because of this, I can tell right away when a head coach has developed strong team chemistry – not only from their win/loss record, but in the communication between the coach and the players.
Creating a positive environment. Like good coaches, fostering a supportive environment builds team unity. Creating an environment that values communication, respect, and cooperation will not only strengthen your organization, but it can also be a great tool for recruiting.
Clearly defining roles and expectations for each employee will undoubtedly contribute to better outcomes, which, in turn, supports a collaborative environment that will keep your team members working towards the same goals.
Instilling a sense of accountability and holding each other to high standards are crucial for team success in the office and on the field. Performance recognition, for example, is a low-cost and effective way to foster healthy competition, such as an Employee of the Month program.
Strategy #5: The Importance of Proper Coaching
As you can see, it's essential that all good teams start with good leadership and then stay competitive through proper coaching. Bottom line, if you have a solid Playbook, your team will be set up to win. However, a winning attitude starts at the top by:
- Having a unified vision. It's essential to align your staff with overall team goals and expectations.
- Clarifying roles and responsibilities helps ensure that you have the right people in the right positions. What's more, by clearly delineating the expectations of a given role, accountability is easier to manage.
- Taking the time to mentor and develop your staff fosters growth both on and off the field and makes your team and, as a result, your business stronger.
The Playbook is a crucial step for coaches and business executives in laying the groundwork for success by carefully evaluating personnel, refining tactics, and cultivating a strong team culture.
For more information on how to develop a successful and detailed Playbook, please contact Mark Mesnick.
