Business Lessons from a Volleyball Championship

If you told me a few years back that I'd be finding business insights at a Girls' National Volleyball Championship, I would have told myself to get out more. Yet, here we are. This summer, I spent a grueling 4-day weekend cheering on my teenage daughter's volleyball team. The experience was nothing short of a crash course in entrepreneurship, and I’d love to share my insights with you. 

Dealing with Unexpected Setbacks

In business as in volleyball, you sometimes get hit in the face. Not always literally, but the message is clear: unexpected setbacks are part of the game. Just ask the girl I saw who was hunched over a trash can, throwing up, her mother holding her hair back, dealing with a nasty concussion. In such moments, it's about support and understanding – just like how a compassionate business leader should act when a team member is going through a rough patch, or how the whole team should act when the business is going through a rough patch. 

Facing Tough Competition

The thrill of the game lies in the unpredictability. The teams were so evenly matched, and matches often spiraled into nerve-wracking overtime. The parallels to the world of business are uncanny. There's always a competitor ready to outdo you, and uncertainty is a bitter pill that we all must swallow. But it's in these moments that resilience becomes our best ally. We dig into what sets us apart as a team, and as a business, and spot the other team’s weaknesses to come out on top.

Enduring a Tiring Marathon, Not a Sprint

You'd think watching volleyball would be relaxing, right? Try sitting through multiple games going into extra sets and tie-breakers, and you’ll feel like you've run a marathon yourself. The business world can feel much the same – projects dragging on, negotiations stretching into the night. Waiting for the overnight success and quick wins you expected when you started your business. But that’s not how sports or business works. It takes time and effort. Stamina, my friends, is not just for athletes.

Handling Disappointment and Frustration

There's nothing quite like watching your kid and her team play their hearts out, only to see their disappointment when they end up on the losing side. In the corporate world too, despite the caffeine-fueled nights and brilliant presentations, the coveted contract might still slip away, and the campaign we thought would change our business fizzled out. But as the girls taught me, it's all about turning these moments of defeat into fuel for the next big game, or in our case, business venture. Let go of the disappointment but keep what you learned and figure out what you can improve next time.

The Power of Teamwork

Nothing unravels a team faster than the blame game. Some of the teams fell into this trap, crumbling under the weight of their frustration. Sound familiar? In business, finger-pointing gets us nowhere. If we are overcome by frustration and feel stuck, we must come together as a team to figure out the best move forward.

The Leader's Struggle

As a parent, seeing the girls play better than ever but not win was heart-wrenching. Now, consider the perspective of a coach, a team leader, or a business manager who witnesses their team's best performance yet, but they still fall short of the targets. Keeping morale high in these scenarios is a challenge – one that demands patience, empathy, and a knack for inspirational pep talks.

Maintaining Focus and Ignoring Distractions

Picture this: 200 courts of bouncing balls, cheering parents, and referees with piercing whistles, all in one room for four days straight. Now, replace this with a bustling office environment, employees juggling 100s of different tasks that are all ‘high priority’, competitors gaining momentum by launching new services, world events impacting your business, and new technology advancements that need to be researched and incorporated into your operations. Distractions? Check. Need for laser-sharp focus? Double-check. In business as in volleyball, tuning out the noise and distractions is a vital skill. Keep your eye on the ball and don’t let it drop. 

The Hidden Costs

Here's a fun fact: parking, food, and drinks at a 4-day tournament can cost a small fortune. Just like those 'minor' business expenses that somehow add up to a significant chunk of your budget. The lesson here? Keep an eye on the small stuff - it adds up.

In a nutshell, the world of volleyball and the world of business is not so different after all. Both require resilience, teamwork, leadership, focus, and a keen eye on costs. Plus, both can give you quite a headache. But in the end, aren't the lessons we learn, the bonds we form, and the growth we experience, worth it? And most importantly, keep doing what you love. Keep your love of the game always.

Have you drawn business insights from unexpected places? I’d love to hear about it! Let's discuss these lessons and more during a free 45-minute consultation. Let's ace this game called business, together.