The San Francisco 49ers, established in 1946, played decent football with some good seasons and a lot of bad seasons, but when Bill Walsh took over as their Head Coach in 1979, they had just experienced one of the worst periods in their history with only 2 wins out of 16 games. It was a formidable undertaking for the new Head Coach, but he eventually designed a plan to elevate their game. This plan, which involved rebuilding the entire team from the ground up, centered on three key philosophies:
Philosophy #1: Expect defeats, but be ready to “stand up and fight again.”
Walsh believed in a simple principle which asserted, “To succeed, you must fail.” He came to recognize this during his first year with the 49ers when, in mid-season, they lost to the much younger Miami Dolphins team, thereby establishing an eight-game losing streak. Can you imagine how mortifying that was for him as the new Head Coach whose given purpose was to turn the team around? He was humiliated by the wretched failure and considered giving up and submitting his resignation. But at his darkest moment, when he was alone with his thoughts on the long flight back, his gut told him that he “must stand and fight again … stand and fight or it was all over.” This instinct became the basis upon which he governed the entire 49ers organization from coaches and players to office and locker room personnel. Everyone was part of the team so that meant everyone was about to engage in a new player mindset.
Philosophy #2: Focus on continuous improvement, not victory.
Walsh’s primary focus going forward was not on the victory, per se, but on the details. When one skill was conquered with expertise, then the next skill was practiced until it was effortless. It was as if he were training high school athletes, certainly not to humiliate them, but to instill a level of proficiency in his men that would build their skill set and confidence, both on and off the field. Building upon each skill to the point of repeated perfection, instilled a growth mindset for each member of the organization until it became their second nature. Walsh’s philosophy that “hard work, not natural talent, is the mother of success,” enabled him to segue each individual’s perfected performance into a cutting-edge team dynamic the group had never experienced. With their production output becoming more sophisticated in all aspects, Coach Walsh “had faith that the score would take care of itself.”
Philosophy #3: Prepare, perform consistently, own the details.
And because he did not believe in natural talent or easy success, he established a Standard of Performance protocols which identified the specific actions and attitudes relevant to the organization’s optimal performance and production. He identified unambiguous actions and behaviors that drove desired outcomes and insisted on each team member mastering their own objectives … however perfunctory they may have seemed, yet necessary for 49er success. Drills, plays, timing, movement, how a ball was thrown and how it was caught were repeated ad nauseum until perfection was the norm. Non-player team members were expected to perfect their own talents as well. This was the difference between 49er mastery and mediocrity. And yes, under Walsh’s coaching, the score did take care of itself. The 49ers went on to win five Super Bowl championships during his 14-year tenure with the organization.
These same philosophies are incredibly pertinent to the success of any corporation or person, particularly in light of fiscal success. So how can we apply these philosophies to our own financial performance? Let’s review:
Expect defeats, but be resilient. Getting your finances in order might be a new concept or an old talent you need to resurrect. It can be daunting and frightening with all the thoughts and emotions racing through your mind. That said, the first basic skill in any endeavor is to achieve and sustain composure and then practice that talent until we have mastered it. Yes, you may suffer a few defeats and setbacks, but that is part of getting your plan in place. In Walsh’s case, even though he was able to salvage two blowout wins for the 49ers following the Dolphin debacle, his first season with the team left them with yet another 2 win - 14 loss final record. Nonetheless, he stayed on track with his plan. Like Walsh, how you respond to defeats and setbacks is crucial to your forward motion. You must rehearse, over and over, being optimistic, resilient, and tenacious, which are key behaviors for establishing your growth mindset.
Don’t focus on the outcome. Focus on continuous improvement. First, identify the crucial actions, attitudes, and behaviors that will deliver superior performance, then work to improve those actions and attitudes. If you continuously cultivate your competencies and their execution, “the score will take care of itself.” Once you have composure, the next key action is a review of your current financial situation and the subsequent establishment of your budget until you know your cash-flow backwards and forwards. We then set the stage for further achievements, one baby step at a time: 1) $1,000 emergency fund; 2) Pay off all your debt (smallest to largest), apart from your mortgage, if you have one; 3) Establish 3 to 6 months’ living expenses; 4) Invest 15% of your household income into a retirement account. Remember that these accomplishments are going to take some time, offering ample opportunity to lose focus. But keeping your attitude and behaviors in check will greatly enhance your efforts in achieving each necessary step.
Work hard, perform consistently, and master the details. To achieve your own Standard of Performance, you must be willing to work extremely hard, practicing every attitude and behavior over and over, until you master the details. Training your “no” muscles, staying true to your budget, and checking your emotional spending are just a few standard drills you will need to perform incessantly until they become second nature.
With consistent practice, Team You will master the attitude, behaviors, and details necessary to achieve your financial goals. Simply stay on top of your practiced skill set and the score will take care of itself.
To learn more about these principles from Bill Walsh’s perspective, please read his book, “The Score Takes Care of Itself.”
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