No 1 Golden Rule of Success
October 24, 2011
Yesterday, like millions around the world, I sat and watched the Rugby World Cup from New Zealand.
A good boys BBQ of steak, sausages,some good friends and plenty of cold beer set us up for a fine afternoon
France turned up, against all the odds to make a real match of it and gave New Zealand, who were pre match super favourites, a real scare.
It was a gripping event and hung on a knife-edge for what seemed like an age with just 1 point between the sides. France battled and for one stage in the second half held possession for, I think over 15 minutes, an amazing sustained attack which the Kiwis soaked up, sometimes in complete disarray. Eventually New Zealand gained possession with just 4.5 minutes to go and just 1 point in the lead.
They then did the most amazing thing, and bear with me those who don't understand rugby, they stayed in one spot and held the ball on the ground with a succession of pickups and going to ground moves that frustrated the French who could do nothing about it. Play seemed suspended in a patch of the pitch about 2 yards square.
This was the longest 4.5 minutes of play I’ve ever seen. Nothing was happening and the clock was ticking with every second seemingly 5 times as along as they should be.
But what was so amazing about new Zealand's play?
What NZ did was simply “not lose the ball”. To win the world cup, by just 1 point, all they had to do was not lose the ball and play the time out.
It was not pretty rugby, it was not glorious, it was not heroic, and for 4.5 minutes they had the boo's of the French supporters ringing in their ears.
But this morning they have the trophy for the next 4 years and here's my point.
Sometimes in business we forget that we just have to do the simple and boring things. Not the glamorous and exotic and enjoyable things. Sometimes it’s the mundane that simply gets the results.
Its the everyday, repetitive, boring things we do that lay the groundwork for all our success and often this is the difference between the winners and the losers.
Who is prepared to just keep the ball when it counts?
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