Part of being able to sustain success is to create a Game Plan for enduring success based on 5 pillars –
1) Vision and overarching strategy –
When I started with the Australian team I told them we are going on a journey to ‘Everest’ together. I did not know what this exactly looked like, or how long it would take, but by the time that we had disbanded as a group we would have created an imprint on cricket and sporting history by the way we played the game, the benchmarks we would set and the results we achieved. I believed this imprint would be labelled in a similar way to that created by the 1948 Australian team to England, named “The Invincibles”. Steve Waugh’s mantra was always to take the ‘road less travelled’, and this was carried on by Ricky Ponting once he took over. As each series came or period of international commitments or major event loomed on the horizon, ‘Everest’ was re-defined into targets or milestones such as the Australian team being the first team to score 400 in and ODI.
2) Establish a leadership culture –
The leadership culture was based on three components –
- The leaders captain & coach leading by example, walking the walk, talking the talk
- Everyone leading whereby all players were expected to make good decisions onfield and off-field
- Leading edge systems and processes which would support the team changing the way was played
The culture was effectively owned by everyone and so it helped drive new challenges.
3) Create a learning environment –
The learning environment was designed to constantly take everyone outside their comfort zones as people and as players. Challenging the athlete to be the best they could be; and the person, to be a better human being
4) The right talent –
If we were going to chase our ‘Everest’, then we needed the personnel onfield and off-field to do so. This strategy meant that we were looking for people with very good skills, players or support staff who were game changers, personnel who brought differences of personality and character to the group. There was a healthy competitiveness between all members of the group which served to keep most everyone on their toes, most of the time.
5) Success Measures –
By this time, sport analytics had become common place for most teams around the world, so we needed to be even more specific with how we used the data we were collecting.
It must be said as the game continued to be increasingly monetised, especially in playing contracts, it was more difficult to have all those involved in and around the team players, administrators, sport scientists, coaches and selectors to think process over results and a short term view. The measures were always used to support challenges reached, or serve up new benchmarks for which to strive.
To hear how I can assist you in creating your own game plan for sustained success in 2017 Contact me now with your New Year resolve
