Sports can really teach us a lot about life and business.  (Non-sports people…wait!  Don’t roll your eyes.  It’s true.) 

You learn how to work as a team.  You learn to compete in a productive way.  You learn to work with a larger group to move toward a big goal. 

But one of the most important lessons sports teaches us is about crisis. 

The fact is, when you are the best and your team is winning, it is easy to be a team player.  Most of us are willing to pass and share credit and pat each other on the back.  There is plenty of all of that to go around.  There are accolades and parties.  The world is your oyster (or Crab Legs.  Sorry…that was a cheap shot FSU fans).    It’s easy when you are winning.

But how do you react when things go sideways?  How does your team do when things get tight?  How do you, as a leader react, when things seem to spiral out of control?  Can you re-group?  Can you rise up?  Can you be calm?  Or do you implode?

It’s not just a cute metaphor.  The fact is, there are going to be times in your business, sales or even parenthood, where things will not go according to plan.  As Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

How will you and your team react when you get punched in the mouth?  Everyone is good when they are winning.   But great teams can shake it off…and calmly…get back off the mat.