Sometimes business lessons are learnt from the common everyday things we do or enjoy. Sometimes events that play themselves around us can teach us some lessons that are applicable in our businesses. So today we shall see what business lesson we can learn from football teams. We can do well if we adopt these characteristics of football teams in our businesses.
- Football teams train hard and consistently: footballers train in order to become the best they can be in their game. They practice daily and work hard to develop themselves and their skills. They make a lot of sacrifices in order to achieve the result they set out for. They figured out all it takes to be the best and they put in all effort to be the best. As a pharmacy business owner, you can increase your success by developing yourself consistently. You must work hard to make yourself better every day at your business. Reading, attending workshops and seminars, and joining mastermind groups are some of the ways you can improve your skills in business.
- They have coaches: Every football team has a coach. The coach points the players in the right direction to go in order to achieve success. The coach observes each player and points out their strengths and weaknesses, guides them in improving in their areas of weakness and helps them utilize their strengths better. As a business owner, you need a business coach. In fact we all need coaches in every area of our lives. Coaches give us a second opinion of our businesses and provide us with the necessary steps to take in making our business a success.
- They work as a team: A football match is not an individual game. No one player can play the match successfully. Each player has a role to play and together they synergize to win the match. When a goal is scored the whole team celebrates together because the result is counted for the team first and foremost. In pharmacy business, it is the same as teamwork is required to make a successful business. As the team leader, you should direct the team to work together as one and channel their energy for the overall success of your business.
- The goal is more important that the risk: Football is a physical game and players sometimes suffer injuries. Some players have even died during matches. This implies that the sport has a lot of risks attached. When a team goes out to play they do not think of the risks involved they think of the goal they can score in the match. Business is generally a risk taking venture and your pharmacy business is not an exception. In your business you should understand the risks but you must be focused on the gain of your business. If you are risk-averse and decide not to take the necessary steps in your business then your business will not grow. The risks you take today will determine the level of success you can achieve tomorrow.
- They are not stopped by a defeat: In football matches there are three probable outcomes: win, draw or loss (in some matches however it is either win or loss). The outcome of the match today does not stop them from playing another tomorrow. Even if they lose today’s match they are hopeful of winning tomorrow’s. When they lose any match they sit down to analyze what went wrong and design a new strategy to win the other matches. You should practice same in your pharmacy business. You may make loses today it does not mean you will make loses tomorrow. You must charge on in your business. When you experience any challenges in your business, the way to resolve it is to sit down and analyze the issue at hand then design a strategy to forestall future occurrence.
- They play to please their fans: Each football team has a flood of fans. The fans identify with them and support them morally and otherwise. When a team goes to play one of their goals is to win the match so that they can make their fans happy. Your fans in your business are your customers. Your aim should be to please them at all times. The ways to please them include offering them good service, stocking high quality products, being friendly with them and treating generally as the king that they are.
- Football teams create strategic relationships: Almost all football teams are endorsed to advertise some other businesses. These relationships are mutually beneficial to both parties. Your pharmacy business needs to make strategic alliances with other businesses. Your partners could be in the healthcare industry or in any industry for that matter. You should be proactive in this regard. You can offer extra services apart from supplying your products to them and you get their patronage in return.
When next you watch your favourite football team play, look out for more lessons you can pick and apply in your business.