Win the Game Before It's Over: The Power of Fast Learning in Business

In the high-stakes world of professional sports, teams don’t just compete on the field—they also compete in the experience they provide to fans. The San Francisco 49ers discovered this firsthand when they deployed HappyOrNot terminals throughout Levi’s Stadium to capture real-time feedback on everything from concession lines to restroom cleanliness.

Before using these kiosks, the organization relied on post-game surveys that took a week or more to analyze. With an average of 10 home games (including pre-season), that's not a lot of time to demonstrate improvement. By the time stadium leadership identified an issue— long wait times at a food stand, a shortage of hot dog buns at another, a clogged toilet, a broken fridge with warm beer —the damage was already done. Fans had gone home frustrated, and their experience was already solidified (doubly painful if the 49ers lost the game). But with more instant feedback, stadium staff could intervene in real-time, solving problems before they escalated.

This shift from delayed insights to immediate action is a lesson for every business leader: How quickly can you identify failure? How fast can you accelerate learning?

Fast Feedback in Business: A Missed Opportunity?

The same principle applies in organizations. Leaders often assume they have a pulse on what’s working—but how fast are they really learning? Are they waiting weeks, months, or even years to recognize that training isn’t landing, that processes or incentives are misaligned, or that their best people are doing something very differently from the rest?

At Exemplary Performance, we specialize in accelerating organizational learning by studying top performers—the equivalent of your A-players on the field. Just as the 49ers used real-time data to correct course mid-game, we help businesses capture and apply best practices before inefficiencies turn into major performance gaps.

The Playbook for Success

Imagine if companies approached performance the way the 49ers approach fan experience. What if, instead of waiting for annual reviews or lagging indicators, organizations actively listened to their best employees in real time?

• Do you know—right now—who your top performers are?
• Do you know exactly what they do differently to sustain success?
• Are you using that insight to elevate the rest of your team?

Many companies assume that training and experience naturally lead to improvement...and they assume what content should be trained. But excellence isn’t just about experience—it’s about learning quickly and adapting. The sooner an organization identifies and scales what works, the sooner they see results.

Bringing It Home

The 49ers' move to real-time, actionable insights transformed how they deliver fan satisfaction. Businesses that adopt the same mindset—by listening to their best people and acting quickly on insights—will create smarter, faster, and more productive teams.

If you’re interested in applying the playbook of fast knowledge in your organization, let’s talk. Because in business, as in sports, the difference between good and great is often how fast you learn.