The Keys to a Winning Team

Posted on by Scott

basketball-1263000_640Last week the Golden State Warriors made history. They set a new NBA record for most games won in a season by finishing 73-9. Their accomplishment, which tops the Chicago Bulls 72 wins during the ’95-’96 season (something many said could never be done), is even more impressive when you consider they didn’t lose back-to-back games. After each defeat, they found a way to rebound and retool in order to secure another win.

The Warriors were already a strong team coming into this season. They finished with the league’s best regular season record last year (67-15) and the NBA title. But the best are never content. The players and staff knew they could be better this year and they set out to prove it.

Some will say the key to their success lies in Stephen Curry, their marquee player. And indeed, he is a force to be reckoned with. Last year’s MVP is by far the NBA’s best scorer, averaging 29.9 points per game. He set a new record for 3-point shots this season with 402. No one else even reached 300. But a single great player doesn’t make for a championship caliber team. Oh, they may carry the day here and there, but it takes more to achieve greatness with any kind of consistency. [Tweet “The best are never content.”]

Others may say coach Steve Kerr is the catalyst. He’s definitely brought something different to the franchise. He was a player for the Bulls the year they set the 72-win bar and won the title. He certainly knows what it takes to be a champion. But Kerr missed the half of the season, recovering from complications with an earlier back surgery. He wasn’t part of the Warriors’ 24-0 start, the league’s best since ’93-’94 when the Houston Rockets kicked off their season with 15 straight wins.

There’s no doubt that talent and strategy are critical components of a championship team. What sets the Warriors apart, though, is the high level of dedication each member displays to the team. When the season gets long, and individual games devolve into a grind, it’s the quality of the team that gets you through. Here are three qualities of top teams that win championships. [Tweet “When the season gets long it’s the quality of the team that gets you through.”]

  • A shared mission. It became apparent early in the season that the Warriors wanted to go for the record. At one point, Curry had this to say about the team’ mindset: “Obviously, going to win a championship, that’s the main goal. But there’s a reason we’re still talking about that…Bulls team…. They were on a mission that year and ended up winning the championship as well. So that’s kind of where we want to be.”

The team created the mission. The idea may have started with one person voicing an idea, but everyone bought into it. Once the regular season record became the focus, winning became the only thing that mattered. Conserving energy for a tougher game was no longer a consideration. Coasting once a playoff berth was secured didn’t enter the conversation. The shared goal became a belief and that belief became a reality.

  • A personal responsibility. Games often come down to a single play, a single shot. Any given player can find themselves in a position to secure the win, spur a run, or create an opportunity. Members of the team knew they had to be at their best every single night or risk letting the team down. Everyone felt the pressure, and welcomed it. That’s what winners do.

Take Curry for instance. He was already the top scorer. He already took more shots and made more three pointers than anyone else. It would have been very easy for him to look for the others to improve, secure in the knowledge that he was contributing more than his fair share. But he didn’t. Curry has one of the most intricate warm-up routines in the NBA. He pushed himself to better his game. The guy just doesn’t let up. And his teammates have responded in the same way. They know what Curry brings to the table, but rather than using that as an excuse to be less than the best, they use it as fuel to improve their own contribution to the team.

  • An accountability mindset. Accountability is all about communication. Teams that communicate regularly, and openly, create bonds centered on expectations of each member’s behavior. When expectations are met, trust builds. When members slack off, trust crumbles. Championship teams know that depending on your teammates to do their part is critical to winning. So accountability is not only desired, it becomes everyone’s job.

The Warriors are a team that talks to each other. They communicate on the court, in the locker-room, and during practice. Players even use an online group chat room to connect between games and during the off-season. According to player Draymond Green, communication often focuses on where to go for the post-game meal, but it’s also used to share opinions, listen to each other’s advice, and reinforce expectations. Being accountable to each other builds trust.

Championship teams are a lot of fun to watch. Heck, everyone loves a winner. But few seem to know what it takes to achieve this level. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver does. He said this after Golden State’s record-breaking night: “The team held itself to a high standard throughout the season, playing with purpose every night and captivating fans around the world.”

How does your team stack up? Do you have a shared mission? Does each individual feel a personal responsibility to do their best? Is every member held accountable by the leader and the rest of the team? Are you on track to a record season?

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How Healthy Is Your Team?

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doctor-563428_640Like most people, I dread going to the doctor. I put it off for as long as I can before finally breaking down and scheduling an appointment. I usually blame this reluctance on my busy schedule. It can be hard to find the time. Sitting in waiting rooms and going through exams can feel like such a waste of time.

If I’m honest though, it’s not the interruption to my schedule that keeps me from going in sooner. It’s fear; fear that the doctor will find something wrong. Even if I have symptoms that suggest medical intervention is needed, I’ll resist addressing them. I try to convince myself that nothing is wrong; what I’m sensing is temporary or even imaginary. If I just pretend everything is ok, then somehow things will work out.

Ignoring problems rarely makes them go away. In fact, by not tackling an issue while its small, I may actually cause it to escalate. Small annoyances, left unaddressed, become big problems. What begins as a slight irritation can spread, impacting adjacent areas and threatening the entire system. Suddenly, I find myself battling something overwhelming, spending more time, money, and effort to correct an issue that could have been corrected easily had I caught it soon enough. Like I always say, you receive an abundance of what you praise or tolerate. [Tweet “You receive an abundance of what you praise or tolerate.”]

Teams and organizations, just like individual bodies, are living entities. They require a certain amount of care to remain healthy. They, too, are susceptible to injury and illness. If caught early enough, steps can be taken to correct problems before they become systemic and threaten the health of the group. Attentive leaders perform periodic check-ups to ascertain the health of the team and identify issues that need to be addressed before they escalate. I believe there are five areas that need to be evaluate during a periodic team health-check.

  1. Check the team’s vision. Is everyone clear on the mission? Does everyone know what it takes to achieve success? Do the individual members of the team possess a clear understanding of their specific role and how it relates to the overall strategy?
  2. Check the team’s circulation. Does information flow easily in all directions? Do team members have the knowledge they need to perform at their best? Are the right individuals involved in discussions of critical issues?
  3. Check the team’s appetite. How engaged are members of the team at any given moment? Are people eager to get involved in new projects? Do individuals actively seek out ways to improve the organization?
  4. Check the team’s mobility. How quickly do members of the team respond to challenges? How well do individuals work together to achieve goals? How smoothly and efficiently are projects completed so that new ones can be initiated?
  5. Check the team’s flexibility. Do members of the team (including the leader) respond positively to change? How readily do people accept different roles they may be asked to adopt? Are individuals able to assume the roles of leader and follower with equal enthusiasm?

Obviously, I could take the analogy even further, but hopefully you get my point. Healthy organisms don’t stay that way without paying close attention to the early warning signs that signal something is wrong. Consider elite athletes. The best of the best are so in-tune with their bodies that the slightest hint of a problem is enough to send them to the locker room. They know that a little bit of attention now can correct potentially career-threatening problems.

They say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” What do you say leader? Is it time to schedule a team check-up?

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What do you feel constitutes a healthy team? Share your tips on our facebook page.

Circle Up! Lead From the Huddle

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Hands-In-e1448857238616Paul looked across the line of scrimmage at the other team. He glanced at the scoreboard and then at the stands; full of friends and family, all anxiously awaiting the next play. Then he scanned the faces of his teammates. Each one stared intently at Paul, eager to receive his instructions. It was 1892 and, as captain of the Gallaudet University football team, Paul Hubbard felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The two teams were fairly evenly matched. Defenses on both sides had had little difficulty in thwarting any big offensive moves. But that came as no surprise to Paul. It’s easy to anticipate your opponent’s next move when they spell it out for you. You see, Paul and his Gallaudet Bison teammates were all deaf; so were the players lined up across from them. Gallaudet and their rival school were both universities designed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Naturally, plays were relayed using American Sign Language. All you had to do was watch the quarterback’s hands, and you knew exactly what play he relayed to the rest of his team.

Paul suddenly realized that, unless he could devise a way to communicate with his team in a manner that prevented their rivals from seeing his signs, this would be a very long game. So he stepped back from the line and motioned his men to follow. Then he arranged them in a circle facing each other and relayed his instructions safe from prying eyes. In other words, he initiated the first football huddle.

Today, huddles are an expected part of any football game. In fact, just about every sport has adopted the huddle as way to bring the team together between plays. It’s a great way to share time-sensitive information, gain consensus, and boost motivation. Smart business teams also understand the value of the huddle. Teams that take advantage of opportunities to huddle routinely report increased productivity, camaraderie, and job satisfaction.

The thing I like most about the huddle is that it happens on the field – right in the midst of the game. When you’re in the middle of a huddle, its game time. There’s no time for practice. No time for debate. It’s all about execution. Once the huddle breaks, the game is on. That makes the huddle the most important meeting a team will ever have.

If you haven’t tried huddling with your team, maybe now is the time to give it a shot. Even if you currently utilize the huddle, you might want to check out Arina Vrable’s tips for running an effective team huddle. She provides some great ideas for incorporating this strategy into your daily routine.

  1. Keep it short. Shoot for no more than 15 minutes. You need to get out there and score some points.
  2. Keep it moving. This is not the time to make long-term plans. Focus on what’s needed to succeed today.
  3. Keep it going. Don’t let the practice die because it feels awkward at first. Like anything else, team huddles take some time to get right.

Leaders consistently ask me to help them with tips for motivating the team. I’m a long-time believer in the power of huddles to keep teams informed, focused, and accountable – all essential elements to motivation. Practiced consistently, a 15 minute huddle can dramatically impact the outcome of the day.

Committed teams look forward to the huddle. They see it as part of a game-winning strategy. And once the huddle breaks, every player knows exactly what they’re supposed to do in order to win. So what do you say, quarterback? Ready to win this game? OK then…circle up!

Who Is the Third Man?

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ca. 2003 --- Hand Reaching --- Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
ca. 2003 — Hand Reaching — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

For centuries, drowning sailors pulled from the sea have told stories of a mysterious companion. They speak of another sailor, unknown to them, who appeared beside them in the water. This person stayed at their side, treading water and issuing words of encouragement, until the danger had passed. But rescuers looking to bring these additional sailors to safety never find them. In fact, there’s no evidence that they ever existed. They seem to be ghosts; figments of the imagination that surface when needed.

This phenomenon isn’t just found on the ocean. Mountain climbers, hikers, and others enduring long, difficult, and perilous journeys also regularly report the presence of another person during the most trying of times. They appear from the shadows and then disappear when they are no longer needed. They seem to require neither recognition nor thanks and slip into the mist leaving those behind speaking almost reverently of their presence. Without them, survivors say, they surely would have perished.

These sightings occur so regularly that the spectres have been given a name: the Third Man.

I’ve never been in a situation where I feared for my life; but there are plenty of times I would welcome the third man. I enjoy camping and hiking and even sailing, but I’m not talking about anything to do with being outside. I’m talking about those times when I’m sitting at work, or at home, and I feel things slipping out of my grasp.

We’ve all been in situations where we felt as if we were drowning; overwhelmed by circumstances both within and outside of our control. We’ve felt the grip of fear. We know the sense of panic that accompanies the realization that we’re lost. It’s in those moments that a friendly face is so desperately needed. It’s then that a voice of encouragement becomes priceless. It’s then that having someone beside us to share the burden means the world.

But as much as we each need a third man, it’s more important that we be the third man.

The most important people in our lives are those who are there for us when we need them the most. They are the people who lift us up; who encourage us to hold on and keep fighting when we want to give up. They are the ones who remind us that we have greatness within us and push us to find that little bit of extra gas in the tank. But who are those people? They are us.

Right now – right this very moment, someone you know desperately needs the validation, inspiration, and motivation that only you can provide. Because you know them well enough to say what needs to be said; to push the buttons that need to be pushed. To spur them into action.

We all need a helping hand from time to time. We all need to be that helping hand as well. Will you accept the call when it comes? Will you recognize the need and respond? Not for recognition or compensation or even out of obligation; but because you can.

Are you the third man?

The Price of Apathy

Posted on by Scott

meh[1]

Every day, managers struggle with problems caused by employee turnover. Finding and keeping good people is hard. Vacant positions put a strain on the rest of the team as they work to pick up the slack. Of course the problem isn’t solved once a hire is made. Getting a new member of the team up to speed takes time. They have to learn not only the mechanics of the job, but related policies and procedures – not to mention the culture of the team. In some cases, turnover is so high that it feels like you can never get caught up.

It hurts when good people quit and leave. It hurts worse when they quit and stay.

Apathy is a silent killer lurking inside just about every organization. It’s deadly because it drains the life out of anything and anyone it touches. Projects and presentations fall flat. Communication stops. Customers and coworkers languish in a sea of confusion and frustration. Forward momentum halts and business suffers.

I’m not talking about the occasional case of burnout. We all have experienced burnout from time to time. The disengagement I’m referring to goes deeper. Author Kristi Hedges reports that almost half of all US workers say they don’t even like their job, and 18% of leaders are actively disengaged.

Recently, this last statistic was hammered home with me. I was involved in a conversation with a manager whose business is losing customers like crazy. Through the first four months of the year, his territory has lost millions of dollars in revenue. When presented with the suggestion to seek out assistance with developing a strategic plan, his response was “I don’t care.”

So what causes good people to check out? Hedges offers these eight common workplace demotivators.

  1. Micromanagement
  2. Lack of progress
  3. Job insecurity
  4. No confidence in leadership
  5. Lack of accountability
  6. Poor communication
  7. Unpleasant coworkers
  8. Boredom

As today is Memorial Day, the day set aside to honor those who gave their life while serving our country, I can’t help but think about the men and women this day commemorates. Talk about engaged. Talk about the opposite of apathy.

How petty of me to mentally check out from my work when they bought my freedom by going “all in.” What better way to honor their sacrifice by giving my all to the work I have chosen.

Will you join me? Will you shrug off whatever negative feelings are keeping you from doing your best? Will you instead commit to fully engaging in making the world around you a better place?

Your organization needs you. Your team members need you. Your customers need you. They need you to wake up and plug in. They need you to care.

I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. I also hope you returned to work refreshed, refocused, and recommitted to do your best.

Get SMART: Turning Great Ideas Into Strategies

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smart

So, you received your goals for the year. And rather than letting the future fall to chance, you decided to take control. You pulled the team together and generated a list of ideas – ideas that you hope will make the difference between meeting your goals and falling short; ideas will guarantee success rather than failure.

But what to do now? How do you take this list of ideas and turn them into workable strategies?

The key is to focus on SMART Goals. The acronym SMART is a method for turning an idea into a well-defined strategy that you can implement. It stands for:

SPECIFIC – Tells us exactly what we’re supposed to do.

MEASUREABLE – Allows us to determine the impact and whether or not the strategy was successful.

ATTAINABLE – Has buy-in from the team. Everyone feels that we can accomplish it.

RELEVANT – Helps achieve the overall goal we’ve set out to accomplish.

TIME-BASED – Has defined start and stopping points. We know when it’s over.

To illustrate the power of SMART goals, let’s use a personal example. Let’s say your family has decided to go to Disney World for vacation this fall. After analyzing your vacation budget and the costs associated with the trip, you set a goal to raise $5,000 in order to make the trip happen. So you have a meeting and brainstorm ideas to come up with the money. Ideas include…

  • Garage sale
  • Cut back on eating out
  • Get a second job
  • Sell blood/plasma
  • Discontinue the cable TV
  • Etc.

After brainstorming your list of ideas, you determine which ones have merit and which ones should be discarded. What’s left is a list of great ideas, but no defined strategy. We need to use the SMART Goal filter to turn the ideas into strategies.

For instance, let’s take the second idea on the list – “Cut back on eating out.” Perhaps your family eats out an average of five times per week. Each meal costs you around $50. Armed with this information, you refine your idea using the SMART goal filter. “Cut back on eating out” becomes “Reduce eating out from five times per week to 3 times per week during the months of April and May, saving $800 ($50/meal x 2/week x 8 weeks).”

Now your idea has been transformed into a workable strategy that moves you closer to the ultimate goal. Complete the same process with each idea from your list that you’ve determined has merit. Make sure to develop enough strategies to meet, or exceed, your goal. After a period of time, assess your progress and make any adjustments necessary to remain on track.

Get the most from your team by tackling those goals together. Use brainstorming and SMART goals to move the team forward. Here’s to your success!

Into the Storm: The Basics of Brainstorming

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brainstormThe word “brainstorm” refers to the process of generating a series of ideas intended to address a specific question. The idea of brainstorming was first introduced in 1942 by Alex Osborn in his book How to Think Up. Osborn was frustrated with the lack of innovative ideas from his team of advertisers.

Since then, the concept of brainstorming has morphed into a myriad of different branches, though most people tend to rely on the base model that Osborn proposed. Traditional brainstorming involves a team of people, from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, working together to solve a problem. The goal is to generate a large quantity of ideas that will later be culled and refined into one or more quality solutions.

As you work to develop strategies for achieving your business goals, brainstorming can play an important role. Rather than attempting to solve the problem in isolation, why not tap into the diverse experience, education, and creative juices of the team? Here are the four general rules of brainstorming as presented by Osborn.

  1. Focus on quantity. The goal of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as possible. You want a figurative “storm” of ideas. Don’t spend time analyzing any particular thought. Digging into the specifics of an idea will short-circuit the generation of others by slowing things down and shifting the team’s thought process from “big picture” to “small details.”
  2. Withhold criticism. Resist the temptation to pass judgement on a suggestion. You want people to remain open and the flow of ideas to continue unabated until they naturally dry up. Pointing out the problem with any one thought kills the momentum in two ways. The individual that voiced the idea in question is now embarrassed, self-conscious, and unlikely to share again. Others involved now hesitate before offering ideas of their own; wondering if the words they speak will be met with criticism as well.
  3. Welcome unusual ideas. Remember, the purpose of brainstorming is to generate a large quantity of ideas. We’re not concerned with the quality just yet. And sometimes the wackiest, most outlandish ideas prove to be the best. Sure, that idea that someone expressed may be really out there; but it could prove to be just the spark needed to spark a really great – and doable – thought in someone else’s brain.
  4. Combine and improve ideas. Sometimes the best solution to a problem is really a combination of ideas. Look for relationships between ideas; or take two seemingly opposing thoughts and see if they can’t somehow work together. Expanding on someone’s initial thought is a great way to keep the ideas flowing and take brainstorming to a whole new level.

Brainstorming is an effective technique used by leaders seeking to achieve their goals while engaging their team. When employees have a hand in developing the strategies guiding their work, they are infinitely more likely to act on them. As a team, there’s a greater sense of urgency to succeed, leading to increased collaboration and accountability. Those are side effects any leader would welcome.

There are a variety of options to traditional brainstorming, and many resources to help jumpstart the process. If you’d like more information on brainstorming, or assistance in facilitating a brainstorming session, just let me know. I’d be happy to help. Of course, the next step is to refine the best ideas into workable strategies. I’ll provide some thoughts on that process next week.

What’s Your Strategy?

Posted on by Scott

point-a-to-b2Well, the first quarter is over. Finished. In the books.

How did you do?

Did you make budget? Did you reach your goals? Did you meet the expectations set by your organization, shareholders, customers, and employees?

Did you accomplish the things you set out to achieve? Did the strategies you put in place pan out like you thought they would?

What’s that? You didn’t have any strategies? Oh…

Too many leaders navigate their way through the year without a strategic plan. This is a mistake. You may have goals, but without a strategy, you have no clear path to achieve them. You have no idea how close you are to the finish line. You have no way of knowing whether or not you are headed in the right direction until the final numbers come out. In short, a goal without a plan to achieve it is just a dream.

Perhaps you achieved your goals. If so, congratulations. But how do you what activities resulted in the victory? How do you know you didn’t just get lucky? Operating without a plan is like going on vacation without consulting a map. Having a clearly defined plan for achieving your goals gives you control over your destiny. And which would you rather do … wander around blindly, hoping for the best … or execute a strategy that’s designed to provide the results you want?

That’s what I thought.

How about we approach the second quarter with intention? Let’s put together a set of strategies – a plan – that will get us where we want to be. Here’s how…

1. Clearly define the results you are after. Start with your annual goal. Subtract the gains you’ve made year-to-date (or subtract your losses) to get a true picture of the mountain you have left to climb. Now break that goal into smaller, more manageable chunks. I like to focus on 90 day increments. That’s long enough to implement some fairly detailed tactics, but about as long as you can keep people focused on a specific initiative. And you need your team to stay focused. Plus 90 days will get us to the end of June – a perfect time to regroup and refocus.

2. Develop a set of strategies to address the goal. With your 90 day goal(s) now in mind, it’s time to devise your strategy. Pull your team together and share one of your 90 day goals. Now lead a brainstorming session to generate a list of actions the team will engage in over the next three months. It’s important that everyone participate in this meeting. You want as diverse a group of people as possible. How can you expect to uncover new ideas if you don’t entertain new perspectives? Make sure to use the SMART Goal formula to refine each idea. (I’ll write more about brainstorming and SMART Goals in the near future.)

3. Execute your plan. The best strategies are useless if they aren’t implemented; so get moving. Every day counts and 90 days will be over before you know it. Delegate responsibilities, allocate resources, and provide the necessary motivation/accountability. Don’t assume that communicating the plan once at the beginning of your initiative is good enough. Most people require regular communication to stay engaged. Our tendency is to wander off track, so need something, or someone, to pull us back in line.

4. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. After 90 days of focusing on your strategic plan, it’s time to start over. Assess your progress to determine if your strategies have been successful. With a new goal in hand, reconvene the team to discuss the next 90 days. What strategies have been successful? What can be done to make them even more so? Conversely, what strategies failed? What can be done to salvage or replace them?

We all need goals to help move us forward. A properly designed goal provides a target to work toward and a measuring stick for performance. But unless the goal is accompanied by a well thought out strategic plan, it’s hard to know the way forward. The absence of a plan means you’re left with luck as your strategy. And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not depend on that.

If all of this sounds intimidating, or you’d like some assistance developing good strategies, give me a call. I’d love to help.

Leading From the Back

Posted on by Scott

imageThis weekend I joined a group of Boy Scouts from Troop 157 for a mountain biking trip to beautiful Palo Duro Canyon. This is one of my favorite trips of the year and, thanks to all of the rain we’ve received in West Texas recently, the views were spectacular. I’ve also recently purchased a new bike and was eager to try it out on some of my favorite trails.

The group this year was small. It seems a perfect storm of robotics meets, band competitions, and other competing activities had culled out many of the troop’s more experienced riders. At 15, my son Alex was the oldest to set out on first morning ride. I found myself in charge of a young, mostly untested gang of riders.

So, as the leader, I took a position that would best help the group achieve a successful ride … I led from the back. That’s right, I let the scouts hit the trail and I followed behind them.

Many leaders assume their place is in the front – and there are often times when the one in charge has to be out front. But I find that in the majority of cases, teams work better when the leader lets the others go first. Here are some of the advantage to leading from the back.

  • Leading from the back allows others to experience leadership. I had Alex, as the most experienced rider, try his hand at being the lead rider. This gave him an opportunity to choose the trail and experience the thrills before anyone else. But it also gave him a taste of the responsibility leaders carry. He had to set a pace the group could match. He had to scout out obstacles and relay warnings to rest of the team. By taking a turn at the front, he got to grow his leadership skills.
  • Leading from the back allows you to coach the team. From the rear of our group, I was able to assess the skill level of each rider. This allowed me to make recommendations that improved their performance and helped them enjoy the ride. For some, it was changing the height of their seat post. For others, it was suggesting a different gear to use during an uphill climb. And for others, a little encouragement was needed to help them hop back on the bike after a fall. By leading form the back, I was able to observe, coach, and motivate – things I couldn’t have done from the front.
  • Leading from the back allows you to enjoy the team’s success. As the last rider in the pack, I got to witness a variety of achievements. Alex set a new personal best time to the end of the Lighthouse trail. Another scout, who’d failed to finish the ride last year, made it all the way to the end this time, grinning ear-to-ear at his improvement. And all along the trail, I was able to witness small victories – incredible moments I would have missed had I been the lead rider. Seeing the members of the team succeed felt better than finishing the trip myself.

Leading is a responsibility, not a privilege. By taking on the mantle of leadership, you agree to take on the challenge of developing the skills and abilities of others. You put your desire for personal gain to the side in order to achieve something greater for the team. It may seem counterintuitive, but a successful leader is always the one who puts others first. The man in front may get the best look at the scenery, but for a leader, the view from the back can’t be beat.

Winning From Behind

Posted on by Scott

Bobby Thomson - 1951 New York GiantsFall is in the air, and that’s good news for baseball fans. It means playoffs are here and the 110th World Series is in sight. Wild Card are tomorrow and the Division series start this week.

Baseball is a classic game and, like many sports, makes for great stories. Some of the best movies revolve around baseball, but some of the best sports history moments come from actual baseball games. I’m not a huge baseball fan (I think I played one season of little league), but I do love a good story.

One of the most interesting to me is the story of the 1951 New York Giants.

The Giants had endured a horrible year. Coming into August, they were 13 ½ games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers, who led the National League. Everyone figured their season was finished. No team could possibly hope to overcome such a deficit.

But then, inexplicably, something changed. The Giants somehow found new life. Teammates challenged each other and each player vowed to give everything they had through the home stretch. They won 16 games in a row. By October, they had managed to tie Brooklyn for the lead, winning 37 out of their last 44 games.

New York and Brooklyn split the first two games of the playoff series – the first ever in National League history. It came down to the third and final game of the series. The winner would become league champions and go on to face the Yankees in the World Series.

That game didn’t unfold as the Giants had hoped. By the ninth inning, they trailed 4-1. Fans began heading for the exits as Brooklyn prepared to pitch for the game. Three outs and it would all be over.

But once again, the Giants rallied. A couple of singles and a double moved the score to 4-2, with runners on second and third base. Outfielder Bobby Thomson, a fairly consistent hitter, came to plate and rookie Willie Mays moved to the on-deck circle. The Dodgers sent in relief pitcher Ralph Branca – presumably to walk Thomson so he could pitch to the rookie.

Somehow, Thomson connected with the second pitch, sending it into the left field stands. It was ‘the shot heard ‘round the world,” and the underdog Giants were now the National League Champions. Fans stormed the field. Radio announcer Russ Hodges screamed “The Giants win the pennant!” He kept screaming it until he lost his voice. The celebration continued for hours.

How does your team react when the odds are against them? We’re about to enter the 4th quarter of 2014 and many who read this are behind on their annual goals. For some, the deficit may seem too huge to overcome. Is it time to cut the losses and hope for a better 2015? Or is it time to refocus and reenergize?

Time and again, history has shown that the greatest champions aren’t those who coast to victory. The real champions are those who overcome the odds – those who find a way to win when the game is on the line. Those are the victories that mean the most.