I watched a good bit of football this weekend.  As always, on rivalry weekend, there were surprises.

Teams you didn’t expect to win, turned the tables and upset higher rates foes.

Teams played better than expected.  Other teams who should have won the game turned in lackluster efforts and lost.

These games remind me of some organizational truths…

You may have more skills and talent but failure to execute will cause you to fail.  Execution is an everyday thing.

No matter how long you play, you should anticipate that someone is scheming to beat you.  Everybody enjoys winning.  You must be alert to the competition.  Never discount it.

There’s no greater equalizer than passion.  Whether it’s “love “for your team or “hate” for the rival, passion musters up a quicker step, a reserve of endurance, some strength that is greater than what should have been.  Don’t judge your competitor before you play.  Expect a better effort.

Execution.  A keen sense of competition.  A healthy sense of humility.  Those things assure a record of results.