Entrepreneurship lessons from the Zambian footballers

As the dust settles on Zambia’s astonishing victory at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, let us pontificate and see the lessons learnt from this resurgent team that is just a country away from us. Perhaps it is frivolous to get lessons from football. But if we look at life holistically, you can get life lessons not just football but just about everywhere…we just need to know where and how to look. What applies to football applies to entrepreneurship…and applies to life. Football, like entrepreneurship (and life, I reckon), is based on creativity and innovation. Lesson 1: Have a game plan; Former Liverpool coach, Rafa Benitez commented on the Zambians thus; “…from the first minute you could see that they had studied the opposition well and they had a clear game plan…” The reason you could see this is because they implemented a well ‘grounded’ plan ‘according to plan’ and executed it with speed. The only difference in entrepreneurship is that ‘game plan’ becomes ‘business plan’. It must be there and it must be based on thorough study of the market and must be well executed. Lesson Two: Team work: At the beginning of the tournament, few people could have put their money on the Chipolopolo side. We all presumed that teams like Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and other teams that have foreign-based superstars like Drogba would carry the day. The Zambian team, with its home-based players did not seem to have a chance. But what seemed to be their weakness turned to be strength. They won matches and hearts with their teamwork demonstrated in quick passing football. Working together, they beat all the favorites. As Benitez pointed out; “Zambia’s team ethic and solid game plan saw them match Ivory Coast’s individual stars in the African Cup of Nations final...” A caveat here; any collection of people is not a team; it could be a work group. In a team everyone plays their role to achieve the common goal. Lesson three: Counter attack: The Zambian team’s response to the opponents attack was a quick counter attack. This was perhaps their most effective tool. There was no sitting and let the opponent have control of the game and this naturally get many an opponent with their guard down since most of them were in the Zambian half of the pitch. The funny thing about entrepreneurship and life too, is if you keep ‘counter attacking’, when you keep rising and having another go when business/life deals you blows, you will win. In fact, I am yet to come across an entrepreneur whose business suffered no setbacks…not even the great Steve Jobs. Lesson four: Determination and focus: From the onset, Zambians talked about winning the trophy. They had over ten years back lost their national team in a plane crash in Gabon. They gave it their all, perhaps because of this. The determination and focus and some luck (the missed penalties by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire). As mother Teresa said faith keeps the one who keeps the faith… have faith. Lesson Five: Think long term; don’t rush to fire the coach: This lesson comes from Chelsea and those of that ilk. Andreas Villas Boas, who had been at the helm for eight months, is the eight coach to be fired by Chelsea in eight years. For that, they have just about four trophies or so. Manchester United has had one coach for over 25 years, and they have won everything. Arsenal started the season disastrously at bottom five, but they kept faith in their Arsene. They recovered and are in the top five. Incidentally, both Man U and Arsenal’s long-serving coaches took five years before winning trophies. This is not to say that non-performers should stay. Rather you should think long-term and think big. Don’t rush to fire a coach every time you hit a rough patch.One other thing, the Zambian team was not interviewed for this. They might even not know that this exists. Kudos to my former school, Maranda High Sschool; the current Kings of Kenya. We are proud of you. Modest provincial school no more, you are at the very top! Put on integrity! Sam Kebongo is an entrepreneurship and skills development consultant