Two Mondays ago, I went to a college basketball game – two small Division 1 schools with decent programs.
So, as usual, five players on the court for each team and, as the game developed, it became clear that one of the teams, my favorite of the two, was playing a 2 – 3 offense. Meaning, two of their players were designated shooters; the other three players’ roles were to pass the ball to the two shooters.
This insight was not lost on the other team. They tightened up on the two shooters.
So, my guys did a lot of passing… around and back on the outside perimeter. Around and back. Around and back. Around and back, attempting to catch the other team’s defenders shifted enough out of position that one of the two shooters could shoot or drive to the basket. With fleeting seconds on the shot clock…. pretty much every possession… one of the two shooters would launch a shot from several feet inside the three-point line… with nobody under the hoop to rebound. Sigh.
Somehow, they managed to keep the score close through half of the first half. At about that point, I heard the person behind me say, “The guy they’re putting in now is our team’s best passer”.
“Oh, great!,” I thought, ‘that’ll make the difference.” Silent sarcasm didn’t help.
In went the “best passer”. He read the court well and moved the ball faster and more accurately … around and back… around and back….around and back. The other team’s defenders, astutely deducing that he wouldn’t shoot, gave him three feet to five feet of space as they crowded in on the shooters.
“Forgoodnesssakes,” my silent head voice screamed to him each time, “you’ve got space, TAKE THE SHOT!!!”
He didn’t… Apparently, that wasn’t the game plan.
In the midst of the game excitement ( my mind wandered a bit), I flash-recalled a motivational speaker’s story about a cowboy who was always saddling up, always perfecting his tack, preparing to ride.
That’s what this game brought to mind. Lots of preparing – around and back, around and back, sticking to a plan that wasn’t working – rather than taking the opportunities in front of them.
They lost.
Nick Miller and Clarity train banks and bankers to attract and develop deeper relationships with small businesses. Many more Sales Thoughts like this and a host of other articles and resources at https://clarityadvantage.com/knowledge-center/ .
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