A Sports Model For Teamwork

If you are a manager, consider the following: Old-line hierarchical companies follow a football model of organization. Everyone lines up in a specific place under the direction of the quarterback. The quarterback is the only person responsible for seeing the whole field and determining strategy.

Action stops in between plays, so the company has time to plan and look ahead. A better model for today’s modern corporate environment is basketball. Here, people flow around the floor, instantly adapting to changing circumstances. There’s virtually no pausing of play. People form and reform in various offensive and defensive alignments.

Modern corporations need flexibility and teamwork, which provides the ability to handle changing circumstances.

 


Source: Bernard Avishai of Monitor Consultants in Cambridge, MA

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