The Secret Stuff of Staying Competitive
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships”
— Michael Jordan
Everyday I’m surrounded by a team that’s highly motivated to build their skills and talents. Their careers come first and they continually arrive to work driven to beat out competition.
This team exceeds its targets monthly by pushing each other supportively and is not afraid to call each other out if there is a problem that needs to be addressed. On top of that, everyone is open to feedback and actively works on their mistakes as to avoid them again.
They are able to see the big picture and are compelled by the process of taking a startup to the next level.
Such is the dream environment that I’m in right now as a Team Lead. If you’re looking to build a team like this, I’ll tell you one of my secrets: Play Sports!
The problem with business schools and corporate training programs is that they emphasize teamwork and employee happiness but do little to foster camaraderie.
You can take a team of ten people with one instructor for eight hours and achieve temporary mental stimulation that pays you small dividends months from now.
Alternatively, you can take the same group and stick them on a basketball court for one hour a week over the next eight weeks and see heightened mental and physical gains immediately.
On the court (rink, field, whatever you decide to choose) you’re expected to make fast paced decisions and you live with the results instantly. The game is won or lost and everyone feels like they’ve accomplished something. After the game the team is closer having just left a battle as a singular unit.
The next day, the smart, competitive teammates are asking the others what each of them can do better for the next game. They’re already looking for ways to tweak the game plan and work towards it.
They’re exhibiting communication skills that multimillion dollar companies are drooling over. They’re also more open to criticism because they have an established goal in mind.
These reflect real transferrable skills that are needed in the competitive startup world that we live in. It’s something you can’t teach but can harness as a leader.
“Too bad you can’t practice getting taller, boys.” — Daffy Duck
Gathering interest for your team will be your first challenge. Being one of the veterans in my company I took ownership of setting up the company’s first basketball team and have since witnessed the resulting highs and lows over the last two and a half years.
We started our first season 0–11 and have progressed to heading towards the playoffs every single season hoping for that championship soon.
Here’s a couple of helpful tips on how to get started and maintain:
1. Start small with a “Sports Night”
Choose one weeknight dedicated to playing a new sport every week. During the summer, look for fields or courts that aren’t too busy to really keep it within the company. In the winter, look to rent out a local gym or complex if you’re in an area that snows.
Make sure to invite everyone and keep it lightly competitive so that no one feels alienated. The last thing you need is poor turnout because people are intimidated or worried about being humiliated.
2. Look at You, You’re the Captain Now
Once you’ve had a couple of weeks’ worth of successful sports nights, you’ll notice who the competitive ones are. These are the folks who might approach you about doing a second night a week.
If you can gather 7–8 of these people, it’s up to you to organize by finding the league and get funding for your team. Companies out there are usually eligible to get tax breaks for sponsoring teams so building a business case will be easy.
3. Target and Hire Competitive People
Not every week will be a win and unfortunately some teammates can be discouraged and drop out.
The good news is that if you’ve gotten this off the ground, over the next couple of months you’ll be able to draw and hire more competitive people. This is an advantage that the recruiters in your HR team will love to use against other companies.
4. Corporate Leagues > Rec Leagues
Not everyone is Lebron James or Steph Curry. I’ve signed up for every league in Toronto and found that the best leagues for you to start off and stay competitive in are ones that emphasize a corporate environment.
If you’re in a league where you’re getting routed 80–12 every single week, your team isn’t getting better overnight and you may need to drop your level of competition. Corporate leagues will generally have a favorable level of play for everyone.
Remember that wins are on and off the court. As much as having a sports team will help your company it will help your employees too.
There have been countless times that I’ve been able to have deep and thoughtful conversations with my teammates about their goals and career development over something as simple as a car ride to a game.
It creates a wonderful management opportunity to have an informal discussions that people wouldn’t otherwise be open to having with you during office hours.
Have you ever thought of the word: cross pollinate?
Additionally, it creates a chance for you to cross pollinate with other departments and gain and share new insights that your team and company can benefit from.
Competitive folks work in all departments regardless if you’re in Sales, Product, Marketing or Support. Playing with one another allows you to break down barriers and speak to each other as teammates and not just as coworkers.
If the recent decision by Kevin Durant to join the Golden State Warriors has taught us anything, it’s that people love working in a winning environment.
If your startup is not competitive it’s time you have to ask yourself what you’re doing to keep your employees motivated and happy or risk losing your superstars.
Surely enough, you’ll see that something as small as one weeknight will be more than worth it.
