That example of radical commitment popped into my head as I
listened to the postgame interview with Kirby Smart, the winning coach of the Number
3 Georgia Bulldogs who had just knocked off the Number 1 Alabama Crimson Tide for
the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship! Coach Smart stated “There were people saying
we weren’t conditioned enough and it pissed a lot of people off on our sideline
and they went to work. And before we
came to work today, we burned the boats and we came to fight and I’m
proud of these men.” The ships were not
in the harbor and nothing was left on the field at the closing whistle.
I suspect many people are familiar with the concept of
burning the ships when it comes to a discussion of total focused commitment. The legendary Alexander the Great led a fleet
of ships into Asia Minor to conquer the Persian Empire in 334 BC. He ordered his men to burn the ships when
they reached shore and told them “We will either return home in Persian ships
or we will die here.” Centuries later in
1519, Hernando Cortez ordered his 600 men to burn the ships when they landed in
Mexico to plunder Aztec gold even though they were outnumbered in a strange
land with superior weapons.
Burning the boats is a great way to give the troops a
radical vision of the commitment necessary for success, but I believe the Dawgs
had the right mindset. They didn’t just
hit the field without first having a total commitment for preparation. I’m certain they missed a lot of their
favorite television shows and good times with friends. When I think back on all the tests that I
took in school which prepared me for life in the business world, I was only anxious
about those where I was aware that I was not properly prepared. I had a predictable calmness when I was
tested on those occasions where I knew that I had done everything possible and
sacrificed my free time to be prepared.
A leader should also review possible alternatives and safety
valves before the process is underway to change the game plan once the battle
is engaged. If possible, implementing
the plan on a smaller scale first is a great way to work out the kinks. To
quote Ed Harris from the movie Apollo 13, “Failure is not an option.” Goals should be challenging but
attainable. And being prepared for life’s
challenges when we leave the security of the shoreline will always serve us
well as we witness the burning ships of competitors in our rearview mirror.
No comments:
Post a Comment