With the Australian Open now behind us I cannot help but think about the similarities between the structured game plans required in tennis, well any sport really and the vital need for documented business processes.
My passion for sports highlights many parallels which illustrates why business can enhance performance by embracing a playbook for success through systemisation.
The exercise of recording processes might seem like a mammoth, tedious task, so why is this so important? Well documented processes are the unsung heroes that can drive your business towards sustainable success.
Let's explore why systematisation is not just an advantage but your strategic game playbook to success.
1. Strategic Game Plan
In every sport the objective is to win and this cannot be achieved without a plan or strategy. Just think about American football, one of the most strategic sports where planning is essential as the whole game has only set plays which are practised over and over again. No team can be successful without strategic planning.
In the business world, a compelling reason for documenting processes lies in their role as a strategic game plan for success. These processes outline the plays and strategies necessary to achieve specific objectives.
2. Team Coordination
Most sports require strong teamwork, but one that stands out for its emphasis on teamwork is basketball. Teamwork is an essential component when it comes to basketball as it requires efforts between teammates to pass, defend and ultimately score.
Team coordination is another reason why systemisation is important as similarly to a basketball team, your staff can follow documented processes to guarantee everyone is aligned and collaborating seamlessly towards common goals.
3. Training Camp Onboarding
One of the main reasons why athletes join training camps is to improve their skills. During these organised periods athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training to prepare for upcoming events, and in competitive sports, to focus on developing skills and strategies to defeat their opponents on a professional level.
Welcoming new team members into your business is like recruiting athletes into a training camp. Consider how recorded processes direct and educate new recruits through the strategic plays and tactics that define and align to your business game.
4. Timeouts for Reviews
You will not find a more exciting time in a game than a timeout taken in the last few minutes of a basketball game when the scores are head-to-head. These strategic timeouts can give a team the drive and game plan to surprise their opponents and win the game.
Just as sports teams take timeouts for strategic reviews, businesses are to perform regular reviews of processes. This practice enables modifications, improvements, and strategic planning to enhance overall efficiency.
5. Scoreboard Metrics for Business Goals
Can you imagine a sports game without a scoreboard? If you had to ask me this question, I would say that there is no point whatsoever to a sports game if you cannot see the score – how would you know who is winning?
In business terms the scoreboard is performance monitoring. Recorded processes play a crucial role in performance monitoring, acting as a yardstick for measuring business goals and providing a means to assess and track success.
6. Game-Changing Strategies
Coaches are the greatest strategists as they constantly read the game and predict the game’s outcome. With this mindset, as soon as the netball coach realises that their opponent has the upper hand, they need to change the game plan to shake things up and give their team a chance of changing the game outcome.
In the business world, business owners are challenged to adapt to changing game conditions. Documented processes empower your business to navigate evolving market dynamics and maintain a competitive edge.
7. Focused Leadership Direction
Another compelling reason why to document business processes is highlighted with the synergy between coaches and business leaders during strategy meetings. Much like coaches, business leaders can leverage recorded processes to analyse and improve future strategies, aligning them with current processes and the desired growth course of the business.
8. Morale Booster
There is nothing better than a win in sports. That feeling of achievement boosts confidence and instils an imprint of happiness and excitement that can last for days. Who am I kidding it can last a lifetime.
Celebrating victories in sports is similar to acknowledging successful implementations of documented processes. It contributes to a positive work environment by providing clarity, promoting efficiency, recognising contributions and supporting professional growth.
9. Peak Performance Training
Everyone knows if you want to beat the best you need to learn from the best. When Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic in the semifinal of the most recent Australian Open it was revealed that Novak gave Sinner’s coach some advice on how Sinner can improve his game. Sinner confirmed that he not only took Novak’s advice onboard but also started to learn from other tennis greats. And look today he beat one of the big three tennis players of all time to take his first grand slam in great fashion.
By documenting business processes based on your most successful performers, businesses can consistently train their team members for optimal efficiency.
10. Championing Team Spirit
Team spirit is crucial in sport as it promotes effective communication, trust, support, and resilience which enhance teamwork and overall performance. You can only imagine what team spirit the NRL Penrith Panthers must have if you look at their achievements of late: winning the NRL Premiership 3 years in a row (2021 – 2023) and grand final appearances in the last 4 premiership finals. These achievements are not done without team spirit.
Similarly documented processes promote a sense of unity and shared purpose within your business team, enhancing collaboration and morale which is an environment where business teams excel and exceed performance expectations.
These synergies between sports strategies and well-organized business processes clearly demonstrates why it is important to record these processes. Documented processes form a strategic playbook for lasting success. They help guide a game plan, make sure everyone on the team is working together, help new team members get up to speed, and give a structure for reviews.
Just like athletes train to be at their best, consistently practicing these processes leads to maximum efficiency. Plus, they boost morale, bringing the team together, and providing a common goal.
So go ahead and embrace these tools and see your business become a champion with a winning spirit.
For more information on how NineApple Solutions can guide you through the process of systemisation, feel free to reach out - crunch@nineapple.com.au.