It’s been 34 years since the United States shocked the world and beat the Soviet Union in ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. The “Miracle on Ice,” as it came to be known around the world, was completed two days later when Team USA beat Finland and captured the gold medal.
Everyone on the team was praised for the achievement, and the victory still resonates as an example of what can be accomplished in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
But it might never have happened at all without the unwavering commitment from the team’s coach, the late Herb Brooks, to go against the wishes of the U.S. Olympic Committee and build the team his way.
Don’t be afraid
As portrayed in the 2004 hit film, “Miracle,” Brooks explained to the USOC that a new approach was needed in order to beat the Soviets. The committee responded with concern that the team might be embarrassed trying to make such a big change less than a year before the competition. Brooks’ retort was that the team had already reached that point.
Now, if he had not reached his players, if he had been unable to convince them to put in the time, effort and commitment to becoming the best team they could be, Brooks would be a mere footnote in Olympic history.
But he had complete confidence in his plan, and he was willing to put his reputation on the line to see it through. It’s not something that all leaders are willing to do. The fear of failure overshadows the vision of success and the plan often is never allowed to see the light of day.
History is filled with examples of leaders who were willing to take a chance and go after an idea that those around them believed would never work. Thomas Edison and the light bulb, Henry Ford and the assembly line, John D. Rockefeller and his oil business, Steve Jobs and the iPhone.
Each of these individuals had plenty of critics who thought the idea was crazy. And each of these people, and many more throughout history, proved those critics wrong and changed the world as a result.
Why not you?
The cautious approach will only get you so far in life. Sure, there are times when you need to be a little bit more conservative and think about what could be at stake if you’re wrong.
But sometimes, in order to grow, you have to stop trying to collect that elusive final and convincing piece of data and just go for it. And who is to say that your idea won’t be a game-changer that transforms the way we live or work?
If you believe you have a solid idea and you have a plan in place to make it work, it’s time to give it a shot. Summon the courage that enabled you to be a CEO and build the business that you now lead. If you’ve done your homework and gathered the information to reach this tipping point, it’s probably OK to rely on your instincts to take the next step.
As Brooks often repeated to his team as they prepared for their moment of truth, “You can’t be common. The common man goes nowhere. You have to be uncommon.” ●
Mark Scott is senior associate editor of Smart Business Los Angeles. If you have an interesting story to share about a person or business making a difference in Los Angeles, please send an email to [email protected] You can also follow us on Twitter at @SmartBiz_LA.
