5 Tips to Minimize Job Distractions: Lessons Learned from Super Bowl 2012
Researched and Edited by Jeff Meyers
By now we know that the New York Giants defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. No matter which team you were rooting for, there’s no denying that Super Bowl opponents face incredible pressure to perform under an intense spotlight. When the big game’s on the line, the extent to which you can minimize job distractions can mean the difference between victory and failure. How can you keep your employees on track, on target, and motivated to finish big? Are strong team leadership and managerial effectiveness enough?
Rewind back to mid-January. Once the two teams that would compete in the Super Bowl had been determined, the players had two full weeks before the big game. When you normally play each week, the extra 7 days is just one of many breaks in rhythm and routine. Combined with the weight of what’s at stake, how well teams can cope with these changes and challenges could prove to be the deciding factor.
Whether you’re trying to complete a project, drive towards sales goals, organize a large event, or get a new product to market, any team on a mission can learn from how Super Bowl teams minimize job distractions when the pressure’s on:
1. Keep your edge. While some players enjoy the down time to rest and recover from injuries, others might lose their edge and get soft. The Patriots had a few injured players that certainly contributed to the outcome.
You can also lose your edge if you feel hopelessly behind (bear in mind that no one expected the Giants to make the playoffs with a 7-7 record late in the season), or overconfident and smug. All of the players and coaches have learned to deliver the standard “We only focus on the next game and doing what we have to do” lines they feed to the media, but how many of them truly believe it?
When you’re working on a deadline for days or weeks on end, distractions can sap your energy and limit your performance. Lack of sleep, being away from family and friends, making time to eat, or just getting to the bank or dry cleaner’s can each be enough of a distraction to thwart your progress. And at work, colleagues not under the same pressure can be distracting as well as demands from concurrent projects.
Some employers help their staff cope through stressful periods by bringing in meals for lunch or dinner, being flexible with schedules to allow more time at home or for errands, and some have on-site dry cleaning services and other amenities that help employees take care of personal business without having to go out of their way.
2. Beware blinding flashbulbs. Journalists from around the world descend upon the venue for most of the week leading up to the Super Bowl. In addition to the actual football game, there’s the halftime show featuring Madonna and multi-million dollar commercials competing for the attention of diehard and casual fans alike. (Most agree that this year’s commercials flopped in comparison to previous years.)
Many players are used to the spotlight, but the immature or unfocused ones will allow themselves to get swept up in the hype. That’s certainly understandable, but how well players can cope amid the frenzy leading up to the game can be a difference maker.
When people are expecting big things from you, whether top management or financial analysts and investors, do you have the discipline to stay focused amid the pressure? Not counting your chickens before they’re hatched can be just as important as not caving before achieving the goal.
Some will want to see you succeed, some look forward to your utter failure, and some are indifferent. In addition to your bosses and peers at work, you’ll also face pressure from customers, analysts, and the media; family and friends; former coaches, teachers, and mentors; and from yourself. Keeping a level head will help you endure.
3. Effective management. Almost every pre-game story (except those in the New York market) praised the wisdom and genius of Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. The coaches and coaching staff are sometimes as much of the story as the players. They’re the ones who devise the game plan and plays that their on-field talent will hopefully execute as expected. The manager who can outsmart or outwit his opponent might have the upper hand.
When the stakes are high, a good boss will coach his team to victory. With a keen eye on the end result, he’ll maintain the right balance of encouragement, issuing directives when necessary, and pacesetting. A composed manager will instill confidence in his team and provide the necessary leadership to get the job done.
4. Strong team leadership. The coaches are on the sidelines, but the players are on the field. It’s ultimately up to the players to do the job. Coaches’ words are important, but sometimes a rallying cry from a teammate carries more weight to inspire players to up their game when it matters most.
Interestingly, although the Patriots held the lead for most of the game, the Giants’ players seemed to be more animated on the field and on the sidelines. Of course, perhaps the cameras failed to show other moments. Did Tom Brady do all that he could have done to rally his teammates in an attempt to win the game in the last 58 seconds? We’ll never know.
In these situations, is there a team leader who will step up to motivate her peers? If everyone looks at each other with blank stares and a clear lack of accountability, the enterprise could collapse. Effective peer leaders often lead by example and help provide extra motivation and guidance beyond what they receive from their managers. If your team lacks a leader, look for someone who can step up to fill the void when your game is on the line.
5. Experience matters, but attitude prevails. Imagine you just found out you’re going to play in the Super Bowl. How do you maintain control, calm your nerves, and try not to get too excited? This could be the biggest moment in your career, so it’s natural to be swept up in emotions. Players should be allowed to enjoy themselves – for a moment. It’s entertainment for everyone else watching the game, but for players and coaches, it’s their job to stay focused and ready to perform at their best.
Having been to the Super Bowl before (and especially being a Super Bowl Champion) can give a team an advantage. Knowing what to expect, how to act, and how to stay focused can be invaluable. But they can also get cocky and too self-assured. There’s no such thing as a sure win – that’s why you play the game.
If your team is working towards a new goal, you must have a clear vision of the outcome and the necessary steps to achieve it. Minimizing job distractions while staying on task is crucial for success.
But perhaps more challenging is going through an annual exercise of readying for the yearly client conference or updated product release. How do you keep your team fresh and excited? Are they motivated to do their very best, or going through the motions following last year’s playbook?
Help your managers minimize distractions and get aligned with the your organization's top strategic priorities. Test drive our Checkpoint 360 assessment today - 100% risk free!
Image credit: http://bit.ly/yPcUpT