Who's On Your List?
Why next month's AFL Draft is a timely reminder to review your small business team
If you're keen on your AFL Club like I am, then next month's AFL Draft nights are compulsory viewing as you watch to see the new recruits coming to your club in 2026.
It's such an exciting couple of nights, and although yes it can drag on a bit; I love seeing the excitement when a young player just out of high school is chosen, and the emotion displayed by very proud family members.
Or seeing a lifeline given to a more mature player who has been slogging it out in the VFL or at their local football club, and finally that hard work is recognised with an AFL contract.
Or seeing the draft picks (players) who supposedly should've gone higher but now become available to your club for a steal late in the proceedings.
So let's look at why the AFL Draft is also a great time to review your small business team.
You can read all of my blogs
hereTHE BLUEPRINT: BRICK #4 PEOPLE - Guide Your TEAM
The AFL Draft is late November after potential players have completed high school and are ready to hopefully start their new job as an AFL contracted player in December.
And as your Christmas off season is coming up fast, it's important to put some time aside NOW to think about your team and what you need for an even more successful 2026.
One of the things which also intrigues me about the Draft are the club selections to see whom they believe can bolster their ranks as they each progress through the 4 phases of building a premiership team:
Phase 1 Lay The FOUNDATIONS
Phase 2 Fill the GAPS
Phase 3 PREMIERSHIP WINDOW
Phase 4 REBUILD the List
So do you know which one of these 4 phases your small business would slot into RIGHT NOW?
Because realistic expectations are critical to ensuring you're not setting yourself and your team up to fail instead of providing the foundations needed for success.
Of course, every sporting club wants to win the flag.
But unfortunately and too often, some sporting clubs, usually through their President and CEO, set very unrealistic expectations about where the side will finish that year.
And if you don't have the talent and experience on the list and haven't invested the time to building a strong game style which will hold up against the best teams, then this only results in unhappy players and very frustrated members and supporters.
Just ask Melbourne and Carlton fans this year.
π‘ The same can be said for your small business β of course you want to grow exponentially every year.
BUT if you don't currently...
β have the capacity and capability amongst your team
β spend time documenting the knowledge in everyone's head into simple procedures (systems)
β spend time training people in how to do their role....
then you'll have the same outcome as an unrealistic sporting club.
π With unhappy, frustrated and overwhelmed staff who will either eventually leave if they can't see the changing light at the end of the tunnel; or those that stay will probably check out which means your business is losing productivity and profitability every single day.
π‘ Every Premiership Team has the right mix of players with these skills:
β
Mavericks
β
Specialists
β
Flexibility
β
Dependable
β So have you got the right mix of players in your Premiership Team?
Just like a sporting club continually looks at their list to see whom they keep, retire, move on to another club through a trade or delist; the same principles should be applied in your small business.
1. So who are the 'problem' players in your team?
Now I know one or a few people will probably quickly come to mind BUT can you 'hand on heart' honestly say you've given them all the tools to succeed including training, documented procedures, clarity about their role etc?
2. Do you have any players looking to retire?
If so, how's your succession planning going ie who will replace them?
Have you trained someone up in the business to move into their role or do you need to recruit externally or look at offshore options?
3. Do you have some long term or senior players who are just marking time until they leave or retire?
If so, how can you reignite their passion and energy?
Maybe consider moving them to a new role or project, just like AFL players who move from the mid field to another part of the ground.
And just like every AFL Club, do you need some fresh faced recruits to come into your small business to provide new ideas and energy?
And here's my final thought:
As your Christmas off season is coming up fast, NOW is the time to think about the outcomes you want to achieve in 2026 to determine if you have the premiership team in place to succeed.
It's also a great opportunity to chat to every player (team member) to find out what working, what's not and what they want improved in their role in 2026; and then see how this fits into the Ideal Business you're building in 2026.
You'll be amazed at the gold which will come out of these conversations because there's always at least one idea you hadn't thought of OR had the time to consider which will enhance the productivity, profitability and performance of you, your team and your small business.
Cheers
Tamara aka the 'Bob the Builder for Small Business' π· - can she fix it, yes she can!
π€Speaker π Author β°π² Coach
P.S
And if you missed my Webinar where I shared my 7 Sporting Insights To Grow Your Small Business, you can access the replay here. 
