Businesses can take lessons from Final Four teams

This article originally appeared in The Tennessean.

Communicating, focusing, pivoting, keeping your head up and never giving up.

It takes a lot of skills to be successful in business, and for most of us the learning curve is steep and constant.

But this time of year, specifically March, all of us business types get a chance to learn from the best—an opportunity I look forward to every year.

It’s March Madness time!

I know. Spending hours glued to the television watching the NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Tournament may not sound like the ultimate way to improve your business skills.

But if you’re tired of reading the latest self-help and business books, burned out on podcasts and webinars, or even bored reading business columns in the paper—a dose of March Madness is just what you need.

The NCAA college basketball tournament is unique in sports because just like business, it’s totally unpredictable.

Unexpected upsets, smaller teams defeating bigger teams, lucky and unlucky bounces—come March, you never know what’s going to happen.

In basketball as in business, success usually comes down to doing whatever you can to put the odds in your favor. This is easier said than done and even then, winning is not a guarantee.

But the best coaches and the best business leaders stay focused game after game, determining what levers they can pull to give their teams and companies the best chance of success.

I look forward to my annual March Madness obsession to remind me of the things I need to do to help our company be the best it can be. And this year’s tournament, just like in years past, hasn’t disappointed.

Here are just a few of the business lessons I have been reminded of these past few weeks:

Team chemistry can be more important than raw talent. With underdogs like Florida Atlantic University and San Diego State making it all the way to the Final Four—whether in basketball or business, teams that love playing together can outmatch teams with superior size and talent.
Staying calm under pressure is a skill that can be the difference between winning and losing. With many games this year coming down to last second shots and pressure free throws, just like in business, it’s important to have players that don’t get rattled in stressful situations.
When there’s conflict, it’s better to take the high road. Getting called for a “flagrant foul” gives your opponent two free throws and possession of the ball. In a close game, this can be disastrous. Whether it’s on the court or in the office, keeping your cool gives your team a better chance of coming out on top.
Use your timeouts wisely. If things are falling apart, calling a timeout to regroup and change your strategy is the smart thing to do. Coaches and CEOs who understand when their team needs a break and when they need to make some adjustments will usually get the win.
Role players are just as valuable super stars. The best players can’t win a championship by themselves. In most NCAA tournament games that are close, role players make key plays for the winning team. It’s the same in business: unsung heroes can make the difference between a profit and a loss.
Defense is more important than offense. Rarely does a poor defensive team make it to the Final Four. Defense is not as glamorous as offense but doing it well can keep you in games when shots aren’t falling. In business, keeping your current clients happy and defending your market share takes the pressure off the unpredictability of sales.

So, for anyone who’s missed it, it’s worth watching March Madness every year. For me and our company, March Madness is a slam dunk.

JJ Rosen is the founder of Atiba, a Nashville custom software development firm an dIT support company. Visit Atiba.com for more info.