Job Search Lessons from the 2006 Super Bowl
Job Search Lessons the 2006 Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is a game but, like sports in general, it offers
useful life lessons that we can take with us . . . if we only
look below the surface. As I watched the game, I saw a number of
things. How many did you see?
1. As I pointed out last year, winning is a team effort. That
was never more obvious than this year when the Steeler offense
was going no where for most of the first half and the SeaHawk
offense was moving the ball almost at will. All of the focus
prior to the game was on the offenses and, in particular, the
match up between the quarterbacks. But Pittsburgh's
Roethlisberger started horribly, piutting pressure on the
defense. Seattle moved the ball against the defense but could
not "seal the deal" with points as John Madden said diuring the
game.
In his post-game comments, Coach Cowher spoke about the team
effort that went into winning, in particular the coaches who put
in an enormous effort all season long to adapt to the chages
that kept occuring all season long.
Who are your coaches or are you trying to do everything by
yourself? Champions take coaching from the staff who are able to
look at their performance and offer good advice that the pro
adapts to. Wouldn't that be helpful in your career planning?
2. Excitement is a great motivator; fear isn't. Pittsburgh came
out "jumpy" and unsettled. Penalties and poor execution on
offense and on the defensive side of the ball almost put them
ina big hole. Fortunately for them (but unfortunately for
Seattle), each time Seattle moved the ball, the Steeler defense
would hold. Pittsburgh scored right before the half making the
score 7-3. Seattle had dominated the play through most of the
half but was trailing.
When you interview, it is OK to be excited but arriving
fearfully can cause you to make mistakes that can cost you the
job you're well qualified to perform. You don't execute well on
the interview and you go home to explain what happened. It's a
horrible feeling.
3. Critical mistakes will keep you from winning. Seattle arrived
as a team who had not turned the ball over for several weeks and
left as a team that dropped passes, threw a critical
interception, fmbled at a critical juncture, committed costly
penalties that cost them 14 points (or enough to win).
4. Try not to be predictable. The team that runs the same plays
over and over again will be defeated. Pittsburgh buried Seattle
with an end reverse becoming an option pass touchdown to Hines
Ward. In their playbook all season, they only ran the play once
all year.
5. Planning for next year started 72 hours after the teams left
the field. That should be true oof how you start planning for
your next career move. As someone once said, the person who gets
ahead isn't always the smartest and doesn't always work the
hardest . . . although those are great qualities to have. The
person who gets ahead is the one who remains alert to
opportunity. Sometimes that's within an organization; sometimes
it's outside of it.
Good luck! Can't wait for next year's game. Giants vs. Indiana.
That would be fun!
Jeff Altman Concepts in Staffing jeffaltman@cisny.com