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September 19, 2006
I wish B-schools taught football, not just because I am a huge fan, but because you can learn invaluable lessons in management from the sport.
Football has the perfect blend of creativity, individual brilliance and teamwork that managers need to emulate - there's so much the winning teams of Latin America and Europe can teach us.
Football teaches you the importance of having a well-laid out plan at the beginning of your goal period. The execution of this plan on the field involves thwarting the opposition's moves, thinking up of spontaneous tactics, inspiring and mobilising the entire team, and so on.
Football is all about legwork - using your brilliance to steer your ball (read: project) through complex fields peppered with opposition, or walking away from situations that will lead to a penalty. Whether it's business or football, your learning process is helped immeasurably by a coach who's not insecure of your potential and success.
Football teaches you not to be aggressive, or you'll fall foul of the referees - people whose opinions matter. Don't shoot at the opposite side's goal from any angle - you'll be branded "hasty". Give your teammates space to prove themselves but don't be too chivalrous - passing the ball shouldn't degenerate into passing the buck.
Remember to pay attention to your training schedules. Don't let outside or inside interferences distract you into scoring a same side goal -stay focused.
All these essential ingredients of football are also valuable lessons for business. Of course, most management graduates learn them through experience - unfortunately, management by football is not yet part of the curriculum in business schools.
Alekhya Talapatra is general manager, global technical services, IBM. He graduated from XLRI, Jamshedpur, in 1991.
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