Bill Parcells, legendary NFL football coach, is a compelling figure. Most people I talk to that know anything about him either love him or hate him. There aren’t many fence sitters out there and I have a hunch that a man like Parcells couldn’t care less.
One thing that most everyone agrees on though is that he is a veritable genius as a head football coach. So what do his coaching abilities have to do with business? Well, last fall I was sitting down to watch a Monday Night Football game and Parcells was one of the studio commentators. The Dallas Cowboys were playing someone (I can’t remember who) and one of the commentators remarked that Parcells was going to reveal a list of success principles he has for quarterbacks.
My ears perked up instantly and I paused the program (you gotta love technology). Hurriedly I grabbed a pencil and paper to make ready to jot his list down. I figured that if the principles were good enough for a quarterback, they would be good enough for business owners everywhere.
I wasn’t disappointed. The 11 keys he presented are not only very applicable to business in general, but could basically serve as a blueprint for life as well. Here is the list reprinted in its entirety…I have listed his principle in bold and then a brief explanation in italics:
1) Ignore others’ opinions. No one knows the intimate details of your business like you do. People’s opinion, although well intentioned, is based on incomplete data and limited perspective.
2) Clowns can’t run a huddle. Leaders have to be respected and the class clown never is…people may think he’s funny, but they won’t follow him.
3) Fat QBs can’t avoid the rush. Businesses that are slow or have too much debt cannot respond to change, or opportunity, as well as businesses that are lean and flexible.
4) Know your job cold. You have to know your job better than anyone else.
5) Know your players and opponents. You have to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your employees and your competitors. Leverage the strengths of your employees and attack the weaknesses of your competitors.
6) Be the same guy everyday. A leader that cannot make a decision or flip-flops on his decisions will not be followed for long.
7) Throwing the ball away is sometimes a good play. You’ve got to know when to cut the losers, abandon ideas that aren’t working, and understanding that taking a small loss is better than taking a big loss.
8) Learn to manage the game: clock, clock, clock. You must use the time allotted in a business day to your greatest advantage.
9) Get your team in the endzone. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter how you scored, but that you scored. Statistics are meaningless if you aren’t putting points on the board.
10) Don’t panic. As a leader, your mood determines the mood of those around you. If you panic, they will panic. If you are confident, they will be confident.
11) Don’t be a celebrity QB (we need battlefield commanders). If you’re going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk. Avoid distractions and stay focused on getting things done.
As I go through the list I can see how each of these 11 principles applies in my own business and life. I hope you can too. Until next time…
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