Take a step back, RCB

There is a way out

Image Courtesy RCBTweets & News18

As we reach the mid-way stage of yet another season of the IPL it seems like deja vu for the RCB men’s team and its loyal fans. A team full of stars but nothing to show by way of performance or the trophy over the past 15 years. Barring a couple of times or so that the team reached the finals - flattering only to deceive.

What ails RCB?

Is it a case of too many riches in a team by way of marquee players? Is it a case of egos coming in the way? Is it over-confidence? Is it the burden of fulfilling a million dreams (of fans)?

Or, is it something more fundamental? A lack of a common purpose, an absence of shared history, a lack of something that prevents teamwork perhaps.

An outsider-insider view

I am an absolute outsider and, yet, an insider by virtue of being a native of the city that lends its name to the team.

As this outsider-insider, a few thoughts - inspired by the book Centennials - by Alex Hill - that team RCB might benefit from:

Define the purpose

What is the purpose of the team? And, is everyone on the team - everyone - aligned with the purpose that drives the team?

With RCB, as with other teams, the most obvious purpose might be to win the trophy but is this purpose alone sufficient? It might be worth taking a look at some of the other factors that winning teams and organizations adopt in order to meet their purpose.

Culture

Given the constant changing and chopping of the team each season, is there a clearly defined or derived culture that everyone is aligned to? Who are the custodians of this culture? How is it being nurtured and propagated? Culture should not be confused or thought to be the optics that is visible on social media. Team RCB might want to give this aspect a serious thought. And, be mindful that culture is not defined or built overnight or in one season.

Money for the Money’s sake

Another question that comes to mind is of spending where it really matters.

Is RCB leaving enough money on the table to plough back into finding and nurturing the next set of young and rookie players to break into the team? Or, is the money barely enough?

Continuity

Almost all successful teams have generational continuity and overlaps. With Team RCB this seems to be a missing piece. There has been constant changing and chopping of the team over the years and this leads us back to the earlier points about purpose and culture. Maybe there is no coherence because of this lack of generational overlap and continuity. So, what can RCB do?

Build and ensure continuity. Maintain at least 3 generations of leaders at all times.

1. Those who are at the helm of their careers and have seen the ups and downs of the team,

2. Those who are mid-way in their journey and will assume leadership positions in a few years, and

3. Rookies who will assimilate from the above sets of players and be ready to take over the mantle as players move up and out from their current positions.

Disruption

Wildly successful teams and organizations look at ideas coming at them from everywhere. They keep disruptive experts on their side and have them work for the team/organization for at least a third or their time. Look for these disruptors (everywhere) - and do not saddle them with administrative and management responsibilities.

From personal experience of running fairly successful teams, the one thing that I have benefitted from is to have voice/s of disruption (not dissonance). RCB should be open to having such disruptive voices and opinions coming their way. If anything, they should go seeking for such people and voices.

X-Ray Everything

I have taken this almost verbatim from Alex Hill’s Centennials. I could not have said it any better.

• Spend at least one day a week to review how projects can be improved

• Spend at least one day / month to review previous projects to see if a pattern emerges

• Ask insiders & outsiders to question and challenge

• Look for success in failure and failure in success

In a fast-paced environment as the IPL where there is hardly any time between games, this may not be possible at all times. However, there are occasions where there are significant gaps between matches and the team should collectively look to X-Ray their performance.

It is often heard that the players are professionals (which they are, no doubt) and they don’t need to be coached. However, the view from the inside could be warped and whether they like it or not, they have to be shown the mirror.

Strangers in the room

It is amazing how having a few strangers in the environment alters the thinking process. Get strangers to watch your most important and your most routine activities and use their insights to improve. At the same time, keep strangers away and make improvements and get ready for the next performance. This approach may have its challenges but it might be worth experimenting with.

Engage the NextGen

RCB would do well to keep one eye on the present and keep the other one firmly fixed on the next generation. Anticipate what problems and opportunities the team and franchise will face in the next 15-20 years and what skills will be needed to deal with them. Encourage the next generation to want to work with you.

End Note

While the franchise and the fans have endured a tough 15 years, the next 15 or 100 years need not meet with the same result. One step at a time, one win at a time, one season at a time.

There is hope, and there is a way out!