I’m not a devoted football fan but I couldn’t help but be impressed by the winning comeback in the recent game between the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M. The performance of A&M was abysmal during the first half, as they were outplayed and outscored by South Carolina, an unranked team that carried 30 points at halftime, while A&M limped into the locker room with 3.
But everything changed in the second half. A&M came out with renewed vigor and a clear intention to win. They dominated South Carolina, ultimately winning the game 31-30, preventing their opponents from scoring at all during the entire second half. That incredible feat got me thinking. What was the discussion that took place amongst A&M teammates and their coach during halftime? How did they pull off such an incredible victory after being so far behind?
When a team is failing, several critical actions must be taken by leaders and individuals at every level of the team. Here are four things A&M got right:
1. Confront reality and own it
When a team is underperforming, ownership begins with the leader. It’s their job to state the facts (“Here’s what we’re doing that’s not working.”) and reject attempts to find fault in others. This is especially true when the stakes are high, and action needs to be taken to shift the outcome. Strong leaders know that accountability is about ownership, not blame.
Example: A&M’s quarterback, Marcel Reed, took responsibility for numerous turnovers in the first half. He owned his mistakes, as did the team’s coach, Mike Elko. “We talk about this a lot. If you take your foot off the gas, football will humble you,” Elko said. “Clearly, we weren’t in the right headspace. That’s on me. I’m the head coach.”
2. Lead with belief
A struggling team needs to feel that all its leaders believe in their ability to succeed. That strong support leads to a mindset shift towards possibility rather than defeat, instilling calm instead of panic or fear. Belief is a powerful contagion that spreads to others once released.
Example: After the win, A&M’s Coach Elko reflected on the impact of belief on the team’s demeanor. “It sounds crazy to say this, but there wasn’t a lot of panic,” he shared. “You heard our leaders talking. We made sure we reset the energy the right way. As bad as everything was going, we didn’t panic.”
That belief was reinforced by players, including team captain Taurean York and safety Dalton Brooks, who met every player at the locker room door with, “We’ve got this, there’s no quit in us….”
3. Keep strategy simple and execute flawlessly
People can’t accomplish what they don’t understand, so when a team is failing, it’s crucial to break down the strategy for winning into simple steps. Successful leaders define one to three priorities that will shift the competitive position. Equally important, they define what the team will stop doing, allowing the organization to focus. And sometimes, success doesn’t come from wholesale strategy change but is delivered instead by better execution of the established strategy. Keeping things simple is the key to focus.
Example: Texas A&M focused on better tackling and being more physical at the line of scrimmage, upping the tempo of the game with faster huddles and passing and preventing South Carolina from scoring on any of their possessions during the second half. Linebacker Taurean York said that during halftime, “We didn’t draw anything on the whiteboard at all. We didn’t make any changes. We were running the same calls in the first half that we did in the second. We just played harder.”
4. Empower your leaders
The individuals closest to the work understand its challenges more deeply than anyone else. Giving those natural leaders the authority to guide the team turns insight into action and confusion into confidence. A turnaround begins when the right people are equipped to lead it.
Example: Coach Elko leaned into a pass offence, putting the game firmly in the hands of his quarterback and trusting him to deliver. Once the team was in sync, play execution soared.
A&M’s amazing comeback wasn’t because they adopted a new strategy or developed better football. They led differently. Their performance proves that achieving success in a crisis requires leaders who restore focus, reinforce belief and help the team execute with discipline.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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