Courtside to Conference Room

When March Madness was happening in May, I reflected and was reminded of the pivotal role basketball has played in my life for over 25 years. From playing at an early age through college to coaching at a variety of levels, I am now proud to be back as the head coach for my 9- and 11-year-old sons’ AAU team. It’s been challenging and rewarding getting back into coaching and I find there are many connections between basketball and business.

In 2023, I embarked on a client listening tour with our President, Ben Harris. We spoke to 25+ of our trusted clients and agency partner contacts. Throughout this tour, I was reminded of the many similarities between business and the game of basketball.

1. Learn and adjust – No year is the same. Your team strengths may differ, your opponents may put in a new style of defense that is difficult to beat, etc. The same thing happens in our industry. Fundraising can look different from year to year. You must know your clients, listen to their needs and understand the challenges they are facing, and then adjust to meet those needs. Here at PS, the first step to learning more about our clients’ needs was to embark on a listening tour. We are now implementing the key themes that we learned into our business strategy. You can learn about the listening tour here.
2. Fundamentals are key – On the basketball court, if a player doesn’t have the proper shooting form if they don’t have good defensive positioning principles, it is hard to sustain long-term, consistent success. Sometimes, this may mean breaking down bad habits, resetting shot form, etc. But putting in the work to get the fundamentals correct is critical for individual and team success. The same can be said in business. For example, without fundamental budget management expertise, maintaining long-term success is difficult. It was reiterated in the client listening tour that there is a pressing need for Production Solutions to assist clients in articulating the enduring value of direct mail to their board members and stakeholders, thereby justifying the return on investment. The fundamental accuracy of budget predictions is top of mind for PS now more than ever.
3. Focus on what you can control – Basketball can sometimes feel like you’re playing 5 on 7 or 5 on 8 when the referees seem to make every call in favor of the other team. It’s not unique to basketball — this happens in all sports. When it does, you must double down on the things that you can control. Are they calling more reaching fouls, and letting you play physically? Make note and lock in on the strategies that can overcome these hurdles. In sports and business, we can find ourselves deflated if we focus on what is going wrong or not our way, but you can’t control others…focus on what you can control — yourself and your response. Our clients will continue to confront various challenges throughout 2024, including USPS instability and price hikes, navigating an Election Year, etc. To meet the shifting needs and priorities of our clients, PS is dedicated to focusing on what we can control — an iterative and agile strategic planning approach.

Lastly, something ingrained in my teams from day 1 is: finish on a make! Don’t end warmups on a miss, put the ball in. End your workday, and your work week the same way. This creates positive momentum. Finishing on a make can look like calling your client, partner, or team member to check in after a great experience or meeting or writing down an accomplishment you’re proud of from the past few days. Just as sinking that final shot leaves you feeling accomplished on the court, wrapping up your workday with a successful play – whether it’s assisting a client, collaborating with a partner, or acknowledging a colleague’s hard work – ensures you close the business ‘game’ with a winning score.

Keep taking shots!