Tips for corporate teams facing critical time-sensitive projects ("tournament time") can learn lessons from NCAA teams facing "March Madness" pressures

1. Tips for Effective Teams
What can businesses teams learn from the NCAA tournament?
By Danielle D’Angelo, AVP, Communications, Genpact

2. Pressures of NCAA college basketball
tournament “March Madness” offers
parallels for business teams

3.  Crunch time with critical time-sensitive
projects
 E.g., a new corporate strategy or department
initiative that must be rolled out very quickly
 Basic teamwork skills even more important
“Tournament” Time = critical
time-sensitive projects

4.  Both on the basketball court and in Corporate
America, basic team skills include:
 Focus and value each role
 Set clear goals
 Communicate frequently
 Celebrate successes and failures
Key Basic Team Skills

5.  Point guard, forward, center, etc. always knows
position’s responsibilities and contributions
needed to win a game,
 But laser sharp in the post-season
 One small mistake and team will not advance
 Compressed time and added tournament pressure ups
the ante
 All players know they require extra focus
What are the parallels for your business team?
Tournament Pressures means
basic team skills more important

6.  More than ever, during your “tournament
time,” goals and members’ roles must be
clearly defined
Different demands with critical
projects in tight timeframes

7.  Team leader = basketball coach
 Hold everyone accountable at each project
milestone
 Checking in regularly like how a coach holds
court side discussion and locker room debriefs at
half time
Critical time sensitive projects
need focused team leader

8.  Do not build teams just for teams’ sake
 Do not fall into a trap of the corporate politics of
inclusion because a new strategy rollout seems to
involve everyone.
 An NCAA Final Four coach would never put in
players just to give them minutes.
 Similar to coach changing the offensive or
defensive plan mid-game, company teams need
flexibility
 Tight schedules especially demand agile teamwork
that can adapt quickly and revise goals if needed.
Build your team for speed and
flexibility, not politics

9.  Effective leaders organize teams with members who
add skills that he or she may not have.
 Make sure each team member not only has a clear
role, but balances each other’s skill
Balance talents

10.  Teams members can inspire each other by
striving to match or excel each other’s value
and contributions.
 A smart leader, just like a good basketball
coach, knows how to balance the dance
between strong teamwork and effective
competition.
Encourage healthy competition

11.  See my blog
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tips-effective-
teams-during-tournament-time-danielle-d-
angelo
 Sources:
 6 Steps to Build a Strong Team, Entrepreneur
magazine, May 23, 2016
 Why the Best Office Cultures Encourage Both
Teamwork and Competition, Inc. magazine,
March 16, 2017
 7 Questions to Help Set More Effective Team
Goals, Inc. magazine, January 27, 2017
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