Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. We all want to accomplish something significant in the context of a community with other like-minded individuals. But this does not happen chance. There are factors that go into winning.
8 Stories With 15 Competitive Advantages That Separate Average Teams From Winning Ones
The following are eight stories with fifteen competitive advantages which separate winning teams from average ones:
1. An Ascending Team
On November 26th, the Houston Rockets were 12-6. There were three primary reasons why they were performing so well which all leaders can learn from.
- Great depth. At the time, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason were coming off the bench and holding opponents to a 41.6% shooting average. When on the floor, these two had a plus-13 rating.
- They correct their mistakes. The Rockets are not a great shooting team. However, they are an excellent offensive rebounding team.
- Seize opportunity. There is a difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it. At the time, the Rockets had a 7-3 winning record against losing teams.
Great depth, corrective adjustments, and the ability to seize opportunities are competitive advantages winning teams have.
2. Victor Wembanyama, A Generational Talent
On December 3rd, the San Antonio Spurs were 11-9 having just won 7 of their last 10 games. Why are they playing so well and what can leaders learn from this team?
- Talent alone is not enough; it must continually improve. Your top leaders can never get complacent or assumptive. In the first 10 games of the season, Victor Wembanyama averaged 18.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 4.0 blocks. In his following seven games, he averaged 32.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.9 blocks. One of the primary reasons the Spurs played better is their star player played better. Regardless of the industry, the same will be true for your organization.
- Upgraded leadership. If you want an area of your organization to get better, get a better leader. Future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul is one the greatest leaders in all of sports. During this 10-game run, when he was on the court the team’s offensive rating jumped from 107.9 to 120.4.
Continual improvement and getting better leaders are competitive advantages winning teams have.
3. 7 Qualities Of A Team Leader
At 24 years old, Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell has already been twice-named team captain. In this article, head coach Dan Campbell said of Sewell, “He’s a good man with a good heart, but put him on the field and he becomes a grizzly bear that wants you out of his territory. He’s a team guy that’s competitive, tough, gritty, smart, hardworking and resilient. Calling him a cornerstone piece is selling him short — he’s the slab under it all.”
From his comments, we learn six qualities you must possess to be a team leader:
- Caring
- Competitive
- Tough
- Gritty
- Smart
- Hardworking
- Resilient
Having a team full of leaders is a competitive advantage winning teams have.
4. The 3 Most Important Leadership Abilities
Speaking of the Detroit Lions, the team won 12 of its first 14 games. However, the future appears challenging as injuries have ravaged the team. 52% of their defensive starters or back-ups are on the injured reserve list. In addition, they also lost star running back David Montgomery for the season with a torn MCL. If the Lions do not win the Super Bowl, it will be largely because of injuries.
Availability, reliability, and dependability are competitive advantages winning teams have.
5. Productivity Increases When Distractions Decrease
Sometimes though, a team can experience addition by subtraction. The Buffalo Bills and their superstar quarterback Josh Allen are an example.
In April 2024, the Bills traded wide receiver Stephon Diggs to the Houston Texans for draft picks. Ironically, even though they lost their “best” wide receiver, Allen is now having a MVP season. In this article, it was noted that Diggs was high maintenance (wanted the ball more) while becoming unreliable (freelanced routes and not where he was supposed to be).
An unidentified Bills coach said, “Josh is soooo much more relaxed. Before, with all the drama, it was like he became exhausted.”
This story reminds us that productivity increases when distractions decrease.
The ability to eliminate distractions is a competitive advantage winning teams have.
6. Patrick Mahomes’ Intelligence
The Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes is know for many things. One is his rocket arm. Another is his late-game heroics. Others even discuss his mobility.
However, in this article, The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen focused on something else – Mahomes’ intelligence. He said, “Patrick Mahomes has gotten to the stage mentally where it’s difficult to fool him.”
Just like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and all the other greats, Mahomes has reached the point where he can beat you with his mind as easily as he can with his arm or legs.
Intelligence is a competitive advantage.
7. Mark Andrews’ Focus and Intentionality
In the first quarter of their December 15th game against the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews caught the 48th touchdown pass of his career, a team record.
I wanted to know what has allowed Andrews to have such a long and sustained career. The following comments from this article gave me picture:
Fellow tight end and teammate Isaiah Likely said, “Mark’s just an intense guy. Everything he does, he has a (purpose) for why he does it.” Safety Kyle Hamilton added, “He’s super intentional about everything he does.”
Coach John Harbaugh concluded, “Just one of a kind. He has the nickname ‘Man-drews’ for a reason, because that’s what he brings. He’s all ball all the time. You can just tell he thinks about it driving home, driving into work, probably while he’s sleeping. He probably dreams about it. That’s really who he is. As a coach, you kind of like that. You kind of like players that breathe it, and live it, and eat it, and want to be part of it and can’t wait to get back out on the practice field. That’s what it takes.”
Focus and intentionality are competitive advantages winning teams have.
8. 5 Ways To Beat Teams Better Than You
To build on this lesson, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said in this article from The Athletic, “When we are facing teams who are better than us, more favorites than us, the only way to beat them is to keep consistency with a high level. In the Premier League, you have to be more intelligent, you have to be more focused and more intense than the opponent. If not you don’t have possibilities to beat them.”
Often, the only way to beat teams better than you is the following:
- Be consistent.
- Be consistent at a high level.
- Be more intelligent.
- Be more focused.
- Be more intense.
Consistency and intensity are additional competitive advantages winning teams have.
What is one thing your team needs to develop from this list of fifteen qualities to go to the next level?
The Perfect Christmas Gift (Kindle editions available for immediate download)
Some leaders are easily forgotten, others leave a lasting legacy. Some leaders do things by default, others by design. Some leaders want silver bullets, others build systems. The Games Leaders Play is a powerful resource which gives you the tools and resources needed to succeed in today’s world. Containing numerous stories and anecdotes, I will teach you the leadership principles needed to make a positive difference in the lives of others. You will be inspired and better equipped to lead others as you turn each page. A discussion guide is included so you can go through this book with your team. Whether you lead a church, athletic organization, business, or non-profit, The Games Leaders Play is the resource you have been looking for. Some leaders keep doing the same, others are playing a different game. It’s time to go to the next level!