A winning race plan for your business

As a businesscoach I’m always attuned to performance improvement. I pay particular attention to top level sports given the intensity with which athletes and coaches seek the winning edge.
During the recent Olympics there was a recurring theme on the post-event interviews with smiling medal recipients.
Across a wide range of sports the athletes would consistently refer to their race/match plan. In the case of the men’s winning K4 canoe team, it was simple - get to the front and stay there. In the case of the cat and mouse pursuit at the velodrome, the Anna Meares brains trust had been working on a strategy for a potential matchup for over three years.
Both are excellent examples of the plan being the means by which energy and talent have been so keenly focussed that the highest level of performance has resulted.
In business situations one doesn’t have a gold medal and a lifetime of endorsement contracts to focus one’s efforts to be the world’s best. This likely explains why the majority of professional practices haven’t committed to a deeply considered, succinctly prepared document which summarises priorities and strategies. It also explains why few firms engage a coach or an independent chairperson.
Herein lies the opportunity - if most of your competitors are like this, it isn’t particularly difficult to do better.