Formula for Success

I discovered the formula for success recently. I am not too much into cricket but discovery of this formula rejuvenated my interest in cricket as well.

Cricket is a team game which depends heavily on individual performances. I had the fortune of spending a few hours with one such individual performer of the team game. He is neither a prolific batsman nor a star bowler. He’s known as the best fielder in the world. Yes, I am talking about Jonty Rhodes.

Jonty is absolute fun to listen to. He is high on energy and has so much to share. Here are few lessons for being successful and creating a successful team based on formal and informal conversation with him.

How to build a successful team?

Jonty gave a DESI solution to building a good team.

1. #Delegation

Team is good when the leader of the team is not insecure. A leader allows others to lead for producing best results. Jonty says that best performing teams in cricket are those where bowler decides the field rather than captain taking that call for him. Picture says it all.

2. #Expectations

Jonty says that when you talk to the team saying we need to win the match, everyone is pumped up but nobody is clear what is expected of them. Jonty explained that his captain Hansie Cronje used to tell him that what he expects from him in the match – catch, wicket or a tentative score at the sixth wicket. Such conversations give great clarity to people to perform.

3. #Succession

A team is considered good when it continuously inducts new people in the system. Teams which overlook future requirement and focus only on current performance, see a downfall. Jonty says that the Australian cricket team ignored succession, and eventually when their stars retired at the same time, it compromised the stronghold of Australia in world cricket to an extent.

4. #Induction

Succession is built on the induction capability of the team. Teams should create a culture such that it is easy for new players to plug in to the team.

How to be successful?

If you consider Jonty successful, this is the formula of his success:

1. Love what you do

Love what you do. Do what you love. Jonty says he used to be nervous when he had to bat. However, he was always excited about fielding. He can field till the 90th over in a test match. His eyes twinkled when he said that.

2. Give your best, whatever you do

Give your best, whatever you do. When Jonty joined the team, he was the 12th man. He did not complain. He decided to be the best 12th man. He used to do all the tasks including serving tea, anything that can make his teammates do better at matches.

3. Practice makes perfect

Practice makes perfect, is only half the tale told. Perfect practice makes you perfect. When the 12th man accidentally got his first chance, he scored a century. After that he was no more a 12th man.

4. Fear for failure

Jonty has a philosophy that if you don’t go for it, you will never know. So there should not be a fear of failure. As per him, dropping a catch on the field is ok, as long as you have tried and your technique is alright.

Summing up

Above all, he is hilarious, honest and humble. I clicked three photos with him. Then I checked, none of them were good.

When he came to know about that, he came and clicked another selfie with me. Love you Jonty.

This is the Author's personal point of view and is not influenced by any person or organization. #HR #Leadership #Team