Blocking and Tackling: How the Basics Matter On High Performing Teams

I was reminded recently about the basics. How well a team conducts the basics says a lot about how well they do everything. The basics are tangible. They’re observable. Like blocking and tackling. If your team does the basics well, chances are that they take great care of the big things too. If your team struggles with the basics, well…

I experienced this years ago while working with a US Army Ranger Battalion. There was something noticeably different about the Rangers. In garrison, the soldiers wore their uniforms with pride. They presented a very professional appearance. They were timely, performing their duties with a level of efficiency and attention to detail that I’d only caught glimpses of in other Army units. They did the basics incredibly well. You could see it and sense it. I wasn’t surprised then by their combat performance in complex situations. These guys were really, really good.

I experienced it again just the other day in the most unexpected place. Cane’s. Yeah, that’s right. Raising Cane’s. Chicken fingers and French fries. Sweet tea and coleslaw. Texas Toast and Cane’s Sauce. I was on a mission (the type you get from your wife and you know you can’t screw up) to pick up an order of food for our son’s birthday party. Just run in, pick it up, and get home quick. You know the deal. But when I walked into the restaurant, I was taken aback. I knew immediately something was special about the team running it. First, I noticed the dining area was spotless. Second, I was pleasantly greeted by a team member. After explaining that I was there to pick up an order, I stood back and watched while I waited. The entire team was just doing the basics, and they were doing them very well. As orders were filled and sent to the drive-through, a team member checked each order to ensure it was complete before passing it out the window. Another team member came out to clean the dining area…the one that was already spotless. I wasn’t surprised then to learn, after talking with the Restaurant Leader, his location had earned the privilege of serving as a training location. If you know anything about restaurants, you understand that being selected as a training location is a big deal. I should have guessed it. They were masters of the basics. That certainty was immediately apparent.

If you ever wonder what’s behind the success of high performing teams, look at how they approach the basics. Chances are that they perform them very well. What would someone think about your team if they watched it perform for ten minutes? Would it be immediately clear that there’s something special about it? Would they see the basics being performed to a high standard? You know, blocking and tackling. If not, maybe it’s time to get back to the basics.

Blocking and Tackling: How the Basics Matter On High Performing Teams was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.