Why your employees should act like rugby players
Why would rugby relate to how your employees operate? Every sport operates under specific rules – just like business.
The game of rugby is not something you would not necessarily associate with your business or your employees.
Sports analogies are often used for business and it is not a stretch to think that your colleagues would “go to the mattresses” and “punt” or “tackle” for the next big “play” and score a big “win” for the company. But you may not expect to see rugby used in conjunction with legal compliance and the “way of working” in your company.
So why would rugby relate to how your employees operate? That’s simple: Every sport operates under specific rules – just like business. In fact, if you were to look at the rules of the Rugby Union, you’d notice that this “hooligan’s game played by gentlemen” complies by a strict code of conduct.
This relates well in the business world, especially when considering specific regulations in industries, such as:
- Finance
- Energy
- Telecommunications
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical
You want to play the game? You obviously play by the rules.
Flexibility is key when it comes to the game
Your employees and your organizations must be flexible – as well as rough and tough – because the game often changes depending on the stadium you play in. Sometimes you’ll have “home court advantage,” and other times rules and variants apply. Being adaptive and flexible not only allows your workforce to comply with the standard rules, but also to rise above and beyond depending upon the circumstances.
In other words, your company’s “way of working” can and should evolve, or even change depending on the business “stadium (regulations).” As in rugby, success in business is based on complying with the rules of the game, the “license to operate.” Taking an integrated approach to ensure the regulations are known, understood and complied with by all employees in regulated industries is key. In order to really differentiate from the competition, you should put your company-specific unique selling point on it: differentiation through price, customer service or innovation – this makes a big difference to your entire ecosystem.