Most people know what a football looks like. Many others actually know how the game is played and how the scoring works. Kicks, passes, blocks, runs, and punts all come into play and most people “get it.”
But as good as you may be at watching a football game, what is “really” going on between the lines on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons may have you scratching your head in wonderment faster than a “quick slant on a silent count.”
Having a little experience at the college level, I know a little bit about today’s message. In fact, the University of Massachusetts thought enough of my quarterbacking skills to agree to pay for my education. (The older I get, the better I was!)
The game of football, my friends, is analogous to a game of chess. Eleven offensive pieces (positions) move in unison with the objective to cross a line at the end of the field where points are given. This is commonly referred to as the goal line. The defensive players (pieces) do everything in their power to prevent this from happening.
The quarterback directs his “men” and decides how each one will contribute to the goal. He is the “driver” of the bus so to speak.
Here comes today’s lesson. The quarterback spends 95% of his time scrutinizing the defensive unit. This is referred to as reading the defensive. He looks. He decides. He calls the play. He watches. He adjusts. He does it again.
Here lies the rub. If the QB spent his time focusing on his mechanics of (1) receiving the ball from center, (2) moving his feet in the right sequence and timing, (3) faking to the halfback, (4) selecting a player to toss the ball to, and (5) delivering a perfect chest-high pass to his wide receiver, he would have been picking the grass from his face mask five seconds ago.
The QB’s mechanics must be cemented in his every move requiring no additional thought on his part. His job is to clearly interpret what is going on the other side of the ball, so he can accurately “read” the safety and linebacker coverage before deciding in which direction to deliver the ball.
So it is with you. You are the quarterback of your team. You are responsible for your forward progress until your business crosses the goal line. You must have your mechanics down pat in order to read your audience, before deciding on what avenue to take – to better enhance your relationship with your clients and prospects.
Bottom Line: Fine tune your mechanics before listening, watching, and responding to the wants and needs of your audience. To coin a phrase from another sport, “the ball is in your court.”
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
