By Miles Davis, Ph.D.
Germany has won, the crowds have quieted and life for the one billion people around the globe (that’s 15 percent of the planet!) who watched the World Cup has returned to normal. I was one of the 700,000 visitors that swelled the host cities in Brazil to watch the most popular sporting event on Earth. And while most will remember the improbable advance of the U.S. team to the round of 16 — Tim Howard’s heroic saves in the match against Belgium or Brazil’s crushing defeat — I am left pondering the larger implications of what I witnessed.
There are important life lessons each of us can take away from the events that unfolded during the World Cup — lessons that can help us become better business players and more effective team members.
The USA’s improbable advance out of “the group of death” demonstrated that even though the odds are stacked against you (and even if you lose) events can come together to make you a winner.
Tim Howard’s incredible saves make it clear that one man can make a difference. When the opponent has passed the rest of your team, you still must stop the ball, even if they pass your team members 16 times!
Brazil’s 7-1 defeat — five goals in the first 30 minutes — reveals the challenges of great expectations and the overselling of a team. Brazil had not played well against weaker opponents, yet it was assumed that its storied past and home court advantage would more than give it a chance against the efficient scoring machine of the German’s. The past does not matter when you step onto the field. It is only the game being played at that moment that matters. And even those cheering you on — those who have poured their heart and soul into believing in you — can only help so much if your team does not perform.
It is important for us in business to remember these points that transcend the game of soccer:
1) you and your team can overcome the odds; 2) each team member, no matter their role, can be the difference; 3) the past doesn’t determine the present moment; and 4) ultimately performance as a team is the key to success.
I will never forget attending the World Cup 2014 matches or the FanFest on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Even though the crowds have gone, the cheers have quieted and the bright colors of team spirit have been packed away, we all can carry on with the important life lessons learned from this thrilling sport.