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World Series for Entrepreneurs
Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2001
I’m not a big one for sports analogies. First of all, I don’t know sports well enough to make too many observations. Maybe just enough to keep a conversation going. But even I couldn’t ignore the lessons to be learned as the 5-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks beat the mighty New York Yankees in the World Series. Bear with me as I share a few observations that I think apply to all of us entrepreneurs.
You can go up against the big guys and win.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you ought to. I continually counsel entrepreneurs to be careful about picking their fights. Choosing a niche instead of going head to head with the big guys is often the better (and more profitable) part of valor. That said, the Diamondbacks proved that it is possible to beat the big guys at their own game. The Yankees had the money, the talent, the history, and the momentum. But Arizona displayed two characteristics that tipped the scales their way.
They’ve got attitude. They went into the playoffs with a “can-do” attitude and they carried it right through the Series. Passion and desire have carried many entrepreneurs where there was a lack of funding, talent and a strong track record.
CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE. How badly do you really want to win? Do your everyday actions and words match your desire? Do you display a positive attitude both to your employees as well as to your customers and the competition?
They’ve got persistence. Attitude is easy to maintain when you’re winning. After the rosy blush of the first two games, things got tougher. In spite of outscoring New York 2-1 in the first five games, Arizona still fell behind in the series. The Yankees won three in a row, but the Diamondbacks persisted. They hung in there and got the job done.
CHECK YOUR PERSISTENCE. Do you have a long-term view? Do you have the mental resources to face Goliath when you’re bruised and bleeding? Are you easily discouraged when things don’t go well? How well do you rally your employees when things look grim?
Only your best people will get the job done.
It always makes me tired to realize how important it is for the entrepreneur to stay on the mound. A new, small business just doesn’t have the depth of talent to allow much rest for the owner. The Series was won by just two pitchers, Johnson and Schilling. The other guys just couldn’t get it done. When you go up against the big guys, expect it to take a toll. Long hours, hard work, little relief.
Doing it yourself is a risky plan. Use this strategy only for the big push. In the long run, it’s a recipe for disaster. If you, the owner/entrepreneur are too busy working in the business, then no one is working on the business. No one is doing the long range planning. No one is paying attention to developing the talent on the bench. If the lesson is that only your best people will get the job done, then the flip side is that you’d better make sure that all your people are the best. As the business gets more mature, you need more than attitude and persistence to survive for the long haul.
There’s a little bit of luck in every big win.
It didn’t escape my notice that all four of Arizona’s wins were at home and all three losses were in New York. The schedule favored the Diamondbacks. While part of that is undeniably the luck of the draw, we can still learn a lesson. Whenever possible, wage war on your own turf. Arrange it so that you play in front of your biggest supporters. Recognize your blessings and capitalize on whatever good comes your way. What elements do you leave up to chance? How can you plan to eliminate “luck” as an advantage for your competition?
And now, to recap the Series…
The World Series has come and gone. We play every day, all year long, in an arena that defines our future and that of countless employees and family members. Look everywhere you can for lessons to help you grow and improve. Reach out to other winners in other areas and draw what you can from their experiences. Whether you like sports analogies or not, you are in the World Series for Entrepreneurs.