“You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game!” – Herman Edwards
You’ve won all your games, clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and technically have no benefit to gain from winning any additional games. We all know by now that this is the predicament faced by the Indianapolis Colts, and likely soon the New Orleans Saints. Both are 13-0. Both could spend the next month in Cabo, and still show up in week 2 of the playoffs at home. With ESPN Uno through Ocho covering the sports analysis, I won’t add another talking head on the football decision, but how does this story translate into our day to day?
Every week we run up against competition where we have to make the decision of what level of game we’re going to play. We have our Peyton Manning’s and Drew Brees’s within our staff or processes that we have to choose to utilize or sit. It may be how quickly we follow up with a customer’s question, the attitude we take into a client meeting, or a thousand other touchpoints. Does your team focus on perfection or just winning?
There are many teams that go to the playoffs every year. There are a few that make it all the way to the Super Bowl, and have been 43 winners of the championship. But in all the years, only the 1972 Miami Dolphins have been perfect.
In your business, where do you see yourself? Do you have the ability, desire, and focus to go after perfection? No answers here on what’s right. As the Saints and the Colts have proven, it has to be right to the individual. As for me and my business, I’m with Herm Edwards.