Every four years World Cup football fever changes the work habits of fans around the world. With the 2014 World Cup matches being played in Brazil, an 8-hour time difference with the UAE, business managers have to deal with productivity loss and exhausted employees. This affects both sports fans and non-fans alike. Football fans become tired employees as they get little sleep watching late night matches shown locally at 8pm, 11pm and 2am. Non-sports fans are affected as there are “World Cup Widows,” whose husbands are consumed by the football frenzy and have to work extra hard at home as well as at work to take up the slack.
Here are six World Cup business lessons:
Embrace a Global Approach
With 32 countries involved in the World Cup, almost everyone in the UAE has a team to support. Taking a global outlook means opening business to opportunities without being limited by borders and barriers. Social media a great way to expand your contacts and get instant access to the latest news and trends in sports as well as business. How do you build contacts to help your company build relationships around the globe?
Get Organized
Every team needs a structure and different people bring different skill sets. No team works with all defenders or all strikers. Your team won’t be effective if you don’t have business developers as well as managers. Who is your striker or business developer? Who is your defender who manages the back office?
Target your Training
Players undergo a rigorous training regimen to ensure they perform at their best in the World Cup. Teams have to go through a series of qualifying matches in different regions of the world just to enter the tournament. For managers, the training process is an important reminder of the value of preparing for goals whether you are launching a new product or delivering a new service. The World Cup is an example of how targeted preparation can be a key to tackling challenges. Walk into a new business presentation or penalty shoot out unprepared and you will likely not walk away with a win. How do you target the training of your team?
Inspire Teamwork
The World Cup has shown the value of sportsmanship and the power of putting individual interests aside to work as a team. Every tournament there are examples of teams winning matches that did not have the best individuals, but had great teamwork. It is not just 11 players on the field, but the coaches, trainers and others involved. For business managers, building a team-oriented culture is essential to a productive workplace. Investing in a range of resources helps you to maximize the chance of success. Do you actively encourage and foster teamwork?
Understand the Opposition
To succeed you need to be ahead of the game and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competition. Do you know your market and competitors? What research have you performed? Do you know how the top players have positioned themselves?
Make Fun and Passion part of your Business Strategy
Football players take their sport seriously but also show sportsmanship, camaraderie and fun by smiling and joking with teammates. Instead of crumbling under pressure, empower your team to take pleasure in the process. Ask any successful person and they will say that while there are ups and downs, what makes them successful is that they love what they do and are passionate about it. As the saying goes, if you are having fun, you will never have to work a day in your life.
Written by: Theresa F. Weber
