I just finished reading ‘The Score Takes Care of Itself’, the memoir of Bill Walsh – the legendary San Francisco 49ers coach that I admittedly knew very little about.
Despite only winning 8 games in his first two seasons, he ended up winning 3 Super Bowl championships and had 7 playoff appearances in his 10 seasons.
In a society that demands instant results and gratification, this was an incredible reminder that being stubbornly committed to a discipline of excellence, regardless of short term outcomes, can lead to incredible long-term results.
A few of his keys to success stuck out in my mind:
1. Unbelievable preparation. He had a plan for nearly any game situation and left very little to chance.
2) Execute micro-tasks to perfection. He was incredibly process-focused and expected every role player to “do their job” at the highest level.
3) Create a culture of inclusion and belonging where every single person – from the receptionist to the quarterback – is treated as a critical member of the team and is held to the same high standard. He believed everyone played a role in a winning organization.
4) Have a ferocious and intelligently applied work ethic founded on continuous improvement. Bill was never satisfied, and he always in the pursuit of perfection.
By concentrating on what produces results, rather than the result itself, the “score takes care of itself” – a valuable lesson that is highly synonymous with business. So, whenever you don’t feel like you are achieving your goals, stop and audit your process. Have you built your daily habits on a foundation of excellence? Are the critical processes being done at the highest possible level?
There is a saying I like about how to build a wall. To build a wall, you don’t just go out and build a wall. You do it by laying a single brick perfectly, then repeating the process over and over. Eventually, you’ll have a wall. Bill Walsh was able to build an amazing wall (organization) by laying every brick perfectly. Now go do the same!
It also helps if you have a Joe Montana-like talent as well. 🙂
