July 16, 2020

As Published on IndianaChamber.com

 

Full disclosure: I love sports.

Give me college basketball, college football, tennis or soccer, and I am a happy woman. I grew up on sports teams, which absolutely informed how I respond to challenges and opportunities and how I interact with people today.

In my work life, I try not to use sports analogies. However, when I saw an article in The New York Times discussing how playing without an audience impacts soccer teams, I could not help but immediately draw parallels to business. I knew that it was analogous to an organization’s ability to thrive in the new normal.

Incentive means production
Essentially, players were negatively impacted without the incentive to perform in front of fans. Not only did they take less shots, but the shots they took were less likely to be successful. Also, the data revealed that home-field advantage is real. Home teams had a 43% chance of winning in front of a full stadium; that number dropped to 33% when the stadium was empty.

At least one player noted motivation to make that last burst in the final minutes was more elusive in the silence.

In the time of COVID-19, organizations that are innovative and take risks to adapt for their employees and customers will reap greater successes. COVID does not leave any space for “we have always done it this way,” which is why a study on less chances taken when not performing in front of an audience is disturbing.

Read the rest of Brooke’s blog at IndianaChamber.com.