Play by the rules, but be ferocious. - Phil Knight
Phil Knight, co-founder and former chairman of Nike, offers this advice: "Play by the rules but be fierce." I think we should all take this to heart and change the way we lead and manage our businesses.
There is no need to act in any way that is callous, deceitful, devious, or unscrupulous. However, we must have "fire in our bellies" and be fierce if we want to expand our enterprises.
What would happen if your favorite professional sports team lacked a competitive spirit? I am aware that we frequently criticize the overall effectiveness of our teams. However, they do play the game furiously when you watch them play. Less would be pitiful, of course!
What if they opt to play hockey without using any contact this year? What if their leadership also fails to develop and share a season's worth of strategy? What if they don't designate responsibilities for each team member or assign team members to positions? What if they don't have a sales and marketing strategy and fall short of the sales goals they require to survive?
The phrase "play by the rules but be fierce" refers to several different business-related concepts, but it essentially means. articulating and sharing a compelling vision for your company, Creating a concise strategic plan for your company, and communicating it to the organization, along with SMART goals.
