Shameless Plugging

Morf Ventures

What Startups and Entreprenuers can learn from the Brazil World Cup 2014

If you’ve been following the recent FIFA World Cup in Brazil, you, like myself, would have been surprised at the many shocking results. Besides that, the world cup tournament has taught us one valuable lesson: Team, Team, Team.

Team over individual.

France & Colombia – Everyone dismissed these two teams when their “Star” players, Ribery and Falcao respectively, were ruled out of the world cup due to injuries. Naysayers wrote them off even before they got into Brazil. But these two teams reached the quarter finals, ahead of “pedigree” nations such as Italy, England and Spain. Why?

Costa Rica, Chile, Algeria, USA, Greece & Nigeria – These teams were expected to come to Brazil to make up the numbers. Heck, Costa Rica was supposed to be the whipping boys in the “group of Death”. Turned out they delivered the deadly blows to Italy and England. Greece and Algeria were odds-on to exit in the group stages. Yet all of them made it at least to the 2nd round or even quarters. Why?

Power of team, unity, working for each other. Thats why.

None of the above teams had a so-called “star” player amongst them. None of their coaches were relying on one individual to pull off the rabbit from their hat. There was no sulking faces; everyone pulled their weight in the games. Algeria and USA worked their socks off to qualify out of their groups. There was a focus and understanding that it will take a concerted effort to achieve their goals.

All of them had a team. Not 11 but a team of 23. This applies to the eventual champions, Germany as well. There are countless reports about how the entire German squad was united; the reserves were wholeheartedly cheering on their team mates on the pitch.

As entrepreneurs, we should all remember this lesson. Both in building our teams and in managing our team members. We need to make sure we do not single out one individual for special treatment as if our business depends on him/her. Early on, stress upon every member the significance of his/her contributions. People need to know that, while their job may seem immaterial on the surface, without them the team (business) would crumble.

Next, we need to gather our team to cheer on one another while each is pushing to do his level best. This is where I have seen 90% of organizations come unstuck. For example, how many of you know of organizations where the marketing and sales folks are never in sync? Each side resents their other. How about the finance and operations folks? Now imagine if the marketing folks gave a pat on the back whenever the sales guys brought in sales? Or what if the finance folks supported the operation team’s request for a (justified) bigger budget?

Team ~ thats what I will remember the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil for.