THE SCOREBOARD

Every "game" has its own rules

and its own definition of what it means to win. Some teams measure their success in points scored, others in profits. Still others may look at the number of people they serve. But no matter what the game is, there is always a scoreboard. And if a team is to accomplish its goals, it has to know where it stands. It has to look at itself in light of the scoreboard. Why is that so important? Because teams that succeed make adjustments in order to continually improve themselves and their situations.

For example, look at how a football team approaches a game. Before the competition starts, the team spends a tremendous amount of time planning. Players study hours of game film. They spend days figuring out what their opponent is likely to do, and decide the best way to win. They come up with a detailed game plan. As the game begins, the game plan is very important and the scoreboard means nothing. But as the game goes on, the game plan means less and less, and the scoreboard becomes more and more important. Why? Because the game is constantly changing. You see, the game plan tells you what you want to happen. But the scoreboard tells what is happening. No team can ignore the reality of its situation and win.

For any kind of team, the scoreboard is essential in the following ways:

1. The Scoreboard Is Essential to Understanding In sports, players, coaches, and fans understand the importance of the scoreboard. That's why it is so visible at every stadium, arena, and ball field. The scoreboard provides a snapshot of the game at any given time. Even if you arrive at a game halfway into it, you can look at the scoreboard and assess the situation. I' m often surprised by how many people outside sports try to succeed without a scoreboard. Some families operate their households without budgets, yet wonder why they are in debt. Some small business owners go year after year without tracking sales or creating a balance sheet, and wonder why they can't grow the business. Some pastors busy themselves with worthy activities, but never stop to measure whether they are reaching people or performing according to biblical standards.

2. The Scoreboard Is Essential to Evaluating

I believe that personal growth is one of the keys to success. That's why I've taught lessons on growth at conferences and in books for more than twenty years. One of the key principles I teach is this: Growth = Change. I know this sounds overly simple, but people sometimes lose sight of the fact that they cannot grow and remain the same at the same time. Most people are in a position that can be described by something coach Lou Holtz once said: "We aren't where we want to be; we aren't where we ought to be; but thank goodness we aren't where we used to be." But when it comes to growth, change alone is not enough. If you want to become better, you have to change in the right direction. You can do that only if you are able to evaluate yourself and your teammates. That is another reason for the scoreboard. It gives you continual feedback. Competing without a scoreboard is like bowling without pins. You may be working hard, but you don't really know how you're doing.

3. The Scoreboard Is Essential to Decision Making

Once you've evaluated your situation, you're ready to make decisions. In football, the quarterback uses information from the score board to decide which play to call. In baseball, the scoreboard helps the manager know when to bring in a relief pitcher. In basketball, it can be used to determine whether to call a time-out. That was the case at Disney. First, Eisner looked at the company to understand its overall position. Then he evaluated individual areas for their effectiveness. Only then was he able to make good decisions concerning how to get Disney back into the game.

4. The Scoreboard Is Essential to Adjusting

The higher the level you and your team are competing on, the smaller the adjustments required to achieve your best. But making key adjustments is the secret to winning, and the scoreboard helps you to see where those adjustments need to be made.

5. The Scoreboard Is Essential to Winning . In the end, nobody can win without the scoreboard. How do you know when the game is on the line without a scoreboard? How do you know when time is running out unless you check the scoreboard? How will you know if it's cruise time or crunch time unless you have the scoreboard as a measuring device? If your desire is to take a leisurely drive with some friends, then you don't need to worry about a thing. But if you're trying to win the Indy 500, then you and your team must know how you're doing! Some organizations see the scoreboard as a necessary evil. Others try to ignore it—something they cannot do for long and still do well in their profession. And some organizations make checking the scoreboard such an important part of their culture that they are continually able to recognize and seize opportunities that lead to huge successes.