I am sure both the Giants and the Cowboys spent many days, even weeks, preparing for the game. They may not have known the playoff implications that would be involved, but being the last game of the regular season, they knew it would be an important game.

Preparation
What do you think went into preparing for the game? I would imagine, both teams watched a lot of film of the opposing team to try to gather some intelligence about their offensive and defensive plays and line-ups. Both teams practiced plays over and over and over until they neared perfection. They prepared for all kinds of positive and negative scenarios that could arise during the game. In short, I am sure we can all agree that both the Giants and Cowboys started the game with an in-depth strategy for how to win.

Be Adaptable
What happens when Eli Manning, quarterback for the Giants, gets the play call from the offensive coach, relays the play to the team in the huddle, comes up to the line to hike the ball and sees that the Cowboys are set, defending the play perfectly? Does he go ahead and run the play because that is the strategy and the play that was called in? Sometimes he will, but many times he calls an audible. For those who don’t know, an audible is when the quarterback changes the play just before hiking the ball. You will see Eli Manning many times pointing to the defense and screaming numbers and words to his team mates. In many cases, these numbers and words are keys to a new play. He does this because the defense is prepared to stop the play that was called. He knows that now is the time to call an audible.

The Take Away
In executing a business or personal strategy, sometimes it is necessary to be like Eli, identifying when it’s time to be flexible and adaptable and call an audible. We can never be 100% sure of the obstacles, challenges, and opportunities that will come our way, but you cannot discount the importance of the preparation. Just like the Giants and Cowboys spent time preparing for the game looking at different scenarios the opposing team may throw at them, we can look at scenarios that may occur as we are on our journey of winning our own game. The more we can define those scenarios and be willing to call an audible when they occur, the better chance we’ll have of succeeding.

The Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch conducted its annual “Wacky Warning Label Contest” and this year’s winning label, Avoid Death, was found on a small tractor. It was implying that if you simply operate this tractor, there is a chance of death. Second place was on an iron-on T shirt transfer warning, “Do not iron while wearing t-shirt.” The honorable mention went to a label on a letter opener stating “Caution, safety goggles recommended.” I began to wonder if the world had lost its common sense, or become lawsuit greedy.

What person in their right mind would try to iron a shirt while wearing it? Well, the manufacturer of these t-shirt transfers seemed to think someone might or has. While I am appalled to think that the management of this company has to protect the company from lawsuits when a foolish individual burns his/her chest, I realize that even the odd and ridiculous can lead to change that is innovative, creative, and possibly necessary.

You would think that this of type threat (consumer response) would hamper creativity and innovation, but on the other hand, (not giving stupidity credit) it may actually be a catalyst. Dr. Stowell and Stephanie Mead explain in their book, Ahead of the Curve, that by paying attention to the head winds (things that may hamper success) and the tail winds (things that will aid success), a person or company can more effectively strategize and then streamline processes to address or capitalize on the future events.

As team members, we must continually look for those things on the horizon that will change our current thinking, no matter how insignificant. Dr. Stowell and Ms. Mead calls this “gathering intelligence and analyzing forces.”^TM

Who knows . . .perhaps, that one person who just might iron themselves, will bring about an innovative or creative product that will resist wrinkles, burns, or images that stick to a T- Shirts without heat.