Overall, it is a great time for sports in Los Angeles. (Yep, that’s were I live and normally I wouldn’t trade it for any other town.) Last night the Dodgers pulled out a game in the 8th inning, coming back with 4 runs to win the game with a score of 6-5. The Lakers have once again made it into the NBA Finals after getting a win in Denver after a tough first 5 games.
I for one have always enjoyed the adversity that comes with competitive sports; the tough fought games that a team pulls out by rising to the occasion. I enjoy the one or two players that rise to the occasion and have a tremendous game that helps their team to win.
I’ve played competitive sports all my life but currently only play basket ball on the weekend with some friends. Sure there is nothing at stake in these games except pride but we play to win and we play aggressively. Sometimes there are disagreements but we always congratulate each other after the game no matter how hard fought it was. I mean after all, it’s a game.
So when a high priced athlete refuses to shake hands with another team after a hard fought game/series, first thing that comes to mind is “but it’s a game!”
Of course nothing is ever as simple as that. For these guys, this game is a business. They go to work each day of the season and prepare themselves for the “game” they will be playing. Some make more or less depending on how far the team advances or how well they played the game that season. So for them, it is not a game, it is a business, it is work, it is their livelihood.
Who in business shakes hands with a competitor after they “steal away” a customer? Who in business gives the other side a hug when they pass up the company in terms of sales or size? Do we knuckle up with the competition when they get a product to market before our company does? The answer is too obvious.
BUT IT’S A GAME!!!! Many of us have said it. Many believe it.
So maybe it is time we look at our business model. Huh? That right, maybe we should start looking at our business the same way we expect professional sports athletes to act. Maybe we should start sending our competitors a fruit basket when they launch a new product a week before we launch ours. Perhaps Avis should be sending flowers to Hertz. Or maybe, the American Airlines executives should be flying over to Southwest Air headquarters and giving them a big high five.
What would be the result? Would we all be happier? Would we all get along better? Would we be any better a business for doing so? Would American business become the model for all business around the world?
Well maybe not.
When you play the game for nothing, it’s a game. When you play it for money it’s a business. Then it no longer becomes a matter of win or lose, it’s all in how you play the game.
Tired of losing time due to slow PCs suffering from fragmentation? Tired of losing money due to having to buy new PCs suffering from fragmentation? Suffer no more. Go to Diskeeper for more on what you can do. http://www.diskeeper.com/diskeeper/home/professional.aspx
I for one have always enjoyed the adversity that comes with competitive sports; the tough fought games that a team pulls out by rising to the occasion. I enjoy the one or two players that rise to the occasion and have a tremendous game that helps their team to win.
I’ve played competitive sports all my life but currently only play basket ball on the weekend with some friends. Sure there is nothing at stake in these games except pride but we play to win and we play aggressively. Sometimes there are disagreements but we always congratulate each other after the game no matter how hard fought it was. I mean after all, it’s a game.
So when a high priced athlete refuses to shake hands with another team after a hard fought game/series, first thing that comes to mind is “but it’s a game!”
Of course nothing is ever as simple as that. For these guys, this game is a business. They go to work each day of the season and prepare themselves for the “game” they will be playing. Some make more or less depending on how far the team advances or how well they played the game that season. So for them, it is not a game, it is a business, it is work, it is their livelihood.
Who in business shakes hands with a competitor after they “steal away” a customer? Who in business gives the other side a hug when they pass up the company in terms of sales or size? Do we knuckle up with the competition when they get a product to market before our company does? The answer is too obvious.
BUT IT’S A GAME!!!! Many of us have said it. Many believe it.
So maybe it is time we look at our business model. Huh? That right, maybe we should start looking at our business the same way we expect professional sports athletes to act. Maybe we should start sending our competitors a fruit basket when they launch a new product a week before we launch ours. Perhaps Avis should be sending flowers to Hertz. Or maybe, the American Airlines executives should be flying over to Southwest Air headquarters and giving them a big high five.
What would be the result? Would we all be happier? Would we all get along better? Would we be any better a business for doing so? Would American business become the model for all business around the world?
Well maybe not.
When you play the game for nothing, it’s a game. When you play it for money it’s a business. Then it no longer becomes a matter of win or lose, it’s all in how you play the game.
Tired of losing time due to slow PCs suffering from fragmentation? Tired of losing money due to having to buy new PCs suffering from fragmentation? Suffer no more. Go to Diskeeper for more on what you can do. http://www.diskeeper.com/diskeeper/home/professional.aspx
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