The Football Team: A Source of Inspiration for Operational Excellence and Better Collaboration

In the world of companies and organizations, collaboration is invaluable. A well-coordinated team can move mountains and achieve extraordinary results. To understand and improve this collaboration, we can take a look at the football field. Yes, you read that right - a sports team is a source of inspiration for operational excellence and better collaboration in organizations. Let's take a closer look at this analogy.

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The Setup

A football team consists of eleven players, each occupying a specific position. Whether it is the goalkeeper providing the last line of defense or the striker looking for the goal, each player has a clearly defined role and responsibility. Just like in an organization, where each team member fulfills a specific function and contributes to the bigger picture.

The Organization

In a football team, the players must know where to stand and what is expected of them. They must understand how their actions affect the team's performance and carry out their duties: "being in the right place". It is no different in an organization. Each individual must understand his or her roles and responsibilities and how they contribute to overall operational performance, or delivery of the customer and citizen promise. Clear roles and expectations ensure streamlined collaboration and help the team perform better. As an example, we all know the chaotic final minutes, where the goalkeeper advances to the opponent's sixteen in an all-or-nothing campaign. Although spectacular to see, it often no longer looks like football, but more like a casino. And 'chance' you want to give as little space as possible when it comes to excellent organizations and the continuity of the customer experience.

The Trust

It is often thought that trust within a team is created by informal activities outside of work, such as having a drink together in the canteen. But in reality, trust within a team is primarily built by trusting each other's capabilities and the knowledge that everyone is taking on his or her task. Returning to the football field, if a defender is always in the right place, the attacker can rely on his teammate to fulfill his responsibilities. This trust forms the basis for strong collaboration and enables the team to work like a well-oiled machine. This really depends on how someone is positioned in the group. We all know that one player who only comes into his own in the third half. During the match, he or she will be less trusted and will be skipped more often, no matter how nice he or she is. This does not benefit the team as a whole.

The Training

A sports team spends a lot of time on training and preparation. They practice tactics, build their individual skills and learn how to operate as a team. Wasting energy is out of the question. It is no different in an organization. Training and development are essential to achieve operational excellence and foster better collaboration. Through targeted training, team members can improve their skills and learn new skills needed to excel in their roles and contribute to the success of the entire team. The beginning of excellent thinking is made very practical within the LeanSixSigma method, where the GreenBelt already lays a solid foundation for better team performance.

The Victory

On the football field, everything revolves around victory. The team strives to work together, support each other and score goals. If each individual takes responsibility and trusts his teammates, a harmonious interplay is created that increases the chance of success. This also applies to an organization. By striving for operational excellence and better collaboration, the team as a whole can achieve its goals and celebrate successes. It really does make it more fun in the end.

Conclusion

The sports team offers us valuable lessons when it comes to operational excellence and better collaboration in organizations. By understanding the analogy between a football team and an organization, we can learn how to define clear roles and responsibilities, build trust and improve our skills. Let's strive for a team that works like a well-oiled machine, where each individual makes their unique contribution and where success is celebrated as a shared victory.