Ever wonder why the quarterback doesn’t meet with everyone separately before calling the next play? Imagine no huddle and everyone is just trying to improve their own stats or consumed with their own MVP trophy? Obviously, they would never get off their own 20 yard line.  You can imagine the unhappy team owner footing the bill for all these prima donnas with their own agendas, running in circles, and trying to best each other instead of the rival team.

Think “The Longest Yard.” A bunch of centers bent over and can’t find the football.

Don’t laugh, I see it all the time in the corporate world. More often than not, while working on a project with sales or marketing, I will bring up the fact that I am involved in a similar effort with Medical Affairs, the Reimbursement Team, Pharmacovigilance or manufacturing, creating relevant content that could be cross referenced like thought leaders, technologists, specialists or even patient interviews. Clue-none. Zero.

Awkward silence is usually followed by a nod to someone to look into it. Then that familiar stare back at me like I just pissed in their punchbowl. Oh, ignorance where is thy bliss?

Not coincidentally, the checks I receive from these disparate groups all have the same company name, the same bank, routing number and signature. Wonder how the C-Suite feels about this silo mentality? A group of pretty good sports I’m thinking. But then again, my experience has taught me the left hand, right hand analogy is still on the books, unless an owner/CEO is on the scene and we are squandering his life’s dream.

I have been fortunate enough of late to experience smaller, sharper, more  focused enterprises, teams that are always in the huddle and are able to execute on a moment’s notice. Choreography! It’s a sight to behold when these well trained players take the field.

Forgive the pun, but that’s the goal. To be a well oiled machine with all it’s moving parts in perfect sync. That means practice, open communication, global effort and a big-picture mentality. Otherwise, you’ll still be calling plays after the winning team has left the field.

The follies of yesteryear are fading as companies get leaner and meaner in the new world. Being a first round draft pick these days, will require a quarterback’s strategic and tactical prowess to get from one end of the field to the other with his traveling huddle.