Out of position is not a place any player wants to be. It means that their positioning on the field of play has cost them and the team something. They just weren’t where they were supposed to be.
Out of Position
For twenty-one years I roamed the sidelines of a football field as a coach. As a head coach, I always called the plays on offense and had a strong defensive coordinator to complement me. Even as an offensive mind, I always loved the element of working with the defensive coordinator to develop schemes to put the players in the right positions to make plays.
Our schemes were simple, everyone on the field had somewhere to be. It required tremendous discipline by each of the players. Ever had a position to play and responsibility to fulfill.
So…if each player knows where they are supposed to be, then why do so may players end up out of position? Here are three reasons:
Selfish Play
The main cause for being out of position is selfish play. The individual places ME above the TEAM. It is an intentional decision to prioritize what is best for the name on the Back of the Jersey, not the one on the front.
Good defensive linemen occupy gaps. It requires discipline and unselfish play. At times, it requires drawing a double team so that someone else can make the play. They sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
The average fan sees a defensive lineman blow by his man and make the big play. What they don’t see is, the other coach saw them miss their gap assignment in order to make the play. A good offensive coordinator will exploit that lack of discipline later in the game.
Leaders are coaches in the workplace. It is the leader’s job to recognize selfish play on the team. A team member may be crushing it, but they may be putting the team at risk of compromising its culture. They are making the big plays, but it could be to the detriment of the team.
Recognize selfish play and tackle it.
Prepare to be in the Right Place
Pre-snap reads are a big thing on defense. A well-prepared defense can tell a lot about what is to come by how the offense lines up. They evaluate tendencies and read queues that the offense gives prior to the snap of the ball.
A good coach prepares their team to be in the right place at the right time. This requires advance preparation and putting a strategy in place to make sure their players are where they need to be when the ball is snapped. The preparation allows for players to anticipate what is about to happen, before it happens.
The great philosopher Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth.” As a leader, it is our job to equip our team with good pre-snap reads. The pace of the leadership game can be fast and chaotic. When the leadership game punches us in the mouth, preparation slows the situation down.
Prepared people are positioned perfectly for success.
Wrong Position
Here is a bigger problem. When a coach puts the wrong player in the wrong position. It doesn’t matter what the scheme is, if the wrong player is on the field, in the wrong position, the rest of the team is at a disadvantage.
Great coaches have a sixth sense. It is built on gut feelings, instincts, and intuition. They have a knack for putting the right players in the right positions. It is critical for the success of the coach, the team, and more importantly the individual player.
Great leaders have great discernment. They are blessed with incredibly strong gut feelings, natural instincts, and ideal intuition to put the right people in the right seats on the bus. On top of those natural gifts, it requires the ability to make tough decisions. These superpowers help prevent them from putting a person in the wrong position. A position that is detrimental to the leader, the organization, and more importantly the personnel in the wrong position.
There is nothing worse than someone being out of position because they are in the wrong position to begin with.
Conclusion
Ever bought a car thinking that the model and color you chose is unique to you? Then you start to notice that isn’t the case? With every mile driven, you see more…and more…and more that look just like yours.
So…next time you watch a football game, listen closely. Broadcasts are designed to have at least two people in the booth. One is a play-by-play commentator and the other is a color commentator.
The play-by-play commentator’s job is to narrate the game…play-by-play. The color commentator’s job is to provide deeper insight into the game including strategy, player details, historical contexts, and is the expert on the game being played. Most of the time, this is a former player or coach.
Listen to that person. See how many times the offense has a big play and the color commentator mentions a defensive player being, “out of position.” You will not watch a game the same again.
Let’s create that same awareness as leaders when our players are out of position. Coach ‘em up and get the team ready to be in position to make the big plays!