Thought for the Day - Questions to Ask Before the Big Day

Big match, big day coming up. These are a few questions to ask.

1) Purpose

 Have we got the team purpose clear? (Win)

2) Common goal 

Is everyone clear about the purpose? (Communicate)

3) Process

Is everyone clear about the process?
Has the focus shifted from outcome to process? (Process orientation)

4) Role clarity

Has everyone been told of their roles (what's expected of them in clear terms as in numbers) and told to prepare accordingly? 

Has everyone been told to give their career best performance today?

(Roles)

5) Strategy

Have you analysed your strengths and weaknesses?

 Have the strongest factors, biggest strengths been put upfront - best team, best combination - to get the maximum advantage? 

Are you playing on your strengths? (Or are you worrying about your weaknesses or the opponents strengths?)

(Competitive advantage)

6) Tactics 

 Have all grey areas (weaknesses) been gone through and addressed - areas which could potentially slip up - and plans made to plug those gaps?

Has all doubt, however small, been clearly addressed?

(Adaptability)

7) Group Intelligence

Is everyone in the leadership group in agreement with the plan? If not, have all possibilities been discussed threadbare and addressed until grey areas are covered?

8) Clarity - Courage

Has hope been taken out of the equation? And replaced by plans and processes to follow?

Are we clear about what to do to gain and maintain and drive home the advantage?

(Playing to win vs hoping or playing not to lose)

9) All Together

Does everyone feel confident about what to do and how to go about? 

(Team work)

...

If so, we are ready to go.

Grey areas are areas that we are not clear about. They often show up like a small doubt, something uncomfortable. The wrong person, the wrong tactics, the wrong choices. Such niggling doubts indicate that we are rushing through without clarity, without information. We are hoping it will work out.

 It won't. That's where we will slip up. Spend time on it. Ask the right questions until all doubt is cleared. 

Then, go.