Bill Snyder, Kansas State’s legendary football coach, is famous for his 16 goals for success. His players recite the line: “…to common goals & being successful. Individually, if we accomplish these goals, the entire team will be successful.”

Throughout the year, we will discuss these 16 goals and how to apply them to the Vermillion Group’s common goals in 2013. We welcome you along for this journey…

#3: UNITY Joining forces through enthusiastic emulation.

A quick recap: In the first two articles on Bill Snyder’s 16 goals for success, we talked about commitment and unselfishness. At first, I felt unity was more or less a synonym of the first two goals; but given more thought, I realized that unity is a culmination of the two.

I stumbled across a perfect illustration. You’ve heard of TWIF, right? That’d be the Tug of War International Federation. (…I had no idea either)

Two eight person teams, not to exceed their division’s maximum weight limit, fighting for leverage over one rope. The high-level matches can only be won with:

• superior form
• tactics
• experience
• teamwork
• determination

England’s indoor team is masterful at sitting back, letting the other team tire, and then powering inch-by-inch like a well-oiled machine, pulling their opponent across the room four long yards to victory. Take a quick look » UK Indoor Tug of War 2009.

Business is a game of tug of war. Sometimes, the only strategy is to maintain your leverage until you can start inching towards victory. The team who can execute with the most unity throughout the competition will win.

In order to gain the experience necessary to succeed, you must be committed to plan and work with diligence every day. There will be times when you slip, and that’s why you have others pulling the rope with you. Sometimes all you can do is ‘all you can do’ and trust that your coworkers are unselfishly doing the same thing.

Keep in mind that moving an inch at a time is progress, and eventually momentum will reward the effort.

Are you pulling with unity or just trying to take up the slack?

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