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I’m not a big sports fan, but like many around the world, I’ve enjoyed watching the World Cup.  This year, one thing really stood out: goalies have a tough job.

Why?  Because they can’t win the game, they can only lose it.  No one expects the forward to  make every shot he takes at the goal, but the same standard doesn’t apply for the goalie.  It seemed to me the job of goalie fell into the category of “critical but thankless.”

Of course those kinds of jobs exist in the workplace too.  Think HR, accounting, IT, and contracting.  Those shops don’t earn you money directly, but if they don’t perform well, they can certainly cost you.   Everyone cheers when sales or marketing gets a 10 or 15% conversion, while the support teams get booed for a single error.

I’ve heard many in these positions say they feel like second-class citizens in their organizations.  That’s a shame, because it couldn’t be further from the truth.  It’s not that others fail to understand the importance of these functions, they just underestimate how difficult they are.  After all, it’s just numbers and paperwork, right?  Just like a goalie only has to catch a ball.

If you really want your company to win the game, make sure you take time to thank your “goalie.” Hold them to the same standards you hold yourself.  Turns out some of your best returns on investment may not come from hawking your wares, but time ensuring everyone feels like an valued part of the team.

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5 Responses to Thank Your Goalie

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention Thank Your Goalie Everyday Bright -- Topsy.com

  2. I grew up playing national team soccer; so true. Playing any sport that’s “team” and highly competitive has always helped in business. In reference to the “goalie”…you’ll find that most people who play highly competitive sports know that “Offense wins games; Defense wins championships!!!”

    • Jamie- As I said to you on Twitter, I wish I’d had the benefit of team sports as a kid. I agree they are valuable beyond their health benefits. Love your quote!

  3. Well, I am a huge sports fan, not much of a soccer follower, but I have watched some of the World Cup. Your observation about the goalie was a huge aha moment for me.

    I watch sports for precisely what you’ve done here: To find lessons that apply to competitive situations, specifically business. Having spent a good part of my corporate career in HR and having lived through numerous reorganizations, I experienced first hand exactly the “second class citizen” perspectives you present here.

    Thanks for writing this insightful post, for recognizing that there are no small parts, and for using a perfect metaphor to make it all come together. ~Dawn

    • Dawn- Watching the World Cup was a huge a-ha moment for me too, though I couldn’t tell you now how the connection in my mind was made. I love it when that happens! Sorry to hear though that the “second class citizen” stereotype continues. I do think one of the failures of popular management theories is the focus on a single leader as opposed to team dynamics. Not that leaders aren’t important, but their influence only extends so far and so wide. In this analogy, it would be similar to thinking the coach is the one who wins the game. Thanks for your response!!