On Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Washington
Redskins, giving legitimacy to a rather unorthodox year. Which got me thinking:
What organizational lessons can we learn from this team?
1.
Don’t be
afraid to make the right decision, especially if it’s unpopular. In the
off-season, the Hawks signed Matt Flynn, a semi-experienced back-up QB, to a
sizable contract. They also drafted an undersized QB, named Russell Wilson, in
the third round. Against all odds, the rookie got the job.
2.
Develop
systems to discover talent. The Seahawks could have just named Flynn the
starter and be done with it. They could have assumed that his “job title”
brought with him the requisite skills to succeed. But by giving them both the
same assignment, it allowed the coaching staff to evaluate them fairly and
without bias.
3.
Just
because a client has the money, doesn’t mean they know how to do your job. There
must have been tremendous pressure within the organization to start Flynn, but
the coaching staff was given the all-important final say.
4.
Sometimes
bad things have a way of working themselves out. At the end of the game
against Green Bay, the officials botched the call. Should the Seahawks have
intentionally missed the extra point to resolve the game in overtime? Yes. But
they didn’t. What’s my point? Both teams moved on from the incident, took care
of the games they needed to and are now in the playoffs with a chance to play
again.
5.
Defense
is just as important as offense. While the star QBs tend to get the
headlines, it’s important to remember they can’t do it alone. A strong support
staff—accountants, lawyers, proofreaders, linebackers—are just as valuable to a
team’s success, both on and off the field.
6.
Don’t
count on Washington to get it done. Cheap shot at our current government?
You betcha. But it’s a healthy reminder to always have a strong backup (plan) in
case the worst-case scenario happens.
7.
When all
else fails … run. As fast as you can! Ideally with blockers.
