“One game at a time”

"One game at a time," is a usual coaching admonition to his or her players.  These words attempt to place a curtain over the future and the focus on the here and now.

"One game at a time" for the players can be a simplifying mantra.  No worry about the big rival further ahead, the battles that must be won on down the road.  It's today and only today that exists.  Just do it!

Yet this mantra can also be highly counter-productive.  What may work well for the players on the team may not work as well for the coach, who must be concerned with keeping his players healthy, injury free and available over the full season.  "One game at a time" may not be the approach to be used by a coach who does not want to tip off future opponents to plays that may work well against them.  "One game at a time," meaning "we will do what we have to do to win today and not look to the future," can be antithetical to the best development of players and teams over time.

Can't we see that the "one game at a time" mentality led Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG over the brink?  Not looking ahead, only being concerned about maximum results today, damn the future cost - isn't this the NON-strategic thinking that has led many organizations to ruin?

There's a place for motivation and short-term focus in our organizations.  But don't make "one game at a time" the modus operandi.  There are many games in a season and to build a real winner can take multiple seasons.  Don't sacrifice that future success on the altar of "one game at a time."