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Vince Lombardi and the Purpose of Preparation
Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, was similar to other NFL coaches in the countless hours he spent preparing for each game. But the results of his preparation were unique. Other coaches used their time to design a play for every conceivable situation. It was not unusual for one of Lombardi’s contemporaries to carry 100 pre-designed plays on the sidelines. Lombardi, in contrast, never had more than 20 offensive plays for one game. He used his preparation time to identify the minimum number of plays needed to respond to his next opponent. Each play had slight variations that the quarterback could call and the rest of the players could execute. The smaller number of well-selected plays improved the Packers’ ability to execute their strategy on the field.
Performance Principle: The purpose of preparation is to create a simple set of strategies that are easy to understand and that work in a wide range of situations. Don’t try to create a solution for every problem your business faces. Instead, use your preparation time to identify the root issues that cause these problems. Then, work with your people to design a strategy that overcomes the root issue. This strategy becomes one of your organization’s fundamental plays. People can then execute it in different forms and flavors to fit their particular situation.
Here are two questions in designing your own playbook. Are you trying to create a play for every possible situation? Or, are you creating strategies that people understand and can apply in ways they judge best?
For more on the life of Vince Lombardi, see When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss. Published by Simon & Schuster, New York, 1999.
