Lessons from the Tour de France
To many, the Tour de France looks like a bunch of skinny guys with big legs, wearing skin-tight lycra and brightly colored helmets. For three weeks every July, 200 these athletes ride around France. They ride at very high speeds on tires as wide as a finger nail. Over 22 days they cover, on average, 100 miles per day. Some days are flat. Some days are in the high mountains of the Alps or Pyrenees. It can be cold, windy, rainy, even snowy, yet they still pedal. Along the way the riders face innumerable obstacles: cobblestoned roads, traffic barriers, unrestrained pets and of course, over-zealous spectators. During these three weeks they’re treated to two “rest” days, where they still have to ride a few hours.
But watch the race for a little while and you’ll see there are some valuable lessons that are practical for any business:
Have a Plan
You don’t win the Tour – or succeed in business – without a plan. This means setting measurable goals, establishing a timeline and a developing a strategy. For me to say “I want to win the Tour” is farfetched; at this point in my life it wouldn’t matter how much I ride, it can’t happen. For me, “win my local bike race” is much more realistic. What key performance indicators or benchmarks do I need to hit, and by what dates, to be on target to reach my goal?
Never Underestimate the Competition
I cringe when I hear announcers say that a competition is “over.” In the Tour, you could have a lead today, and tomorrow have a bad day and lose it. Anything can happen in a three week bike race. In business, there aren’t really finish lines. But do you think Pepsi just surrenders to Coke because Coke outsells them? (Side note: I’m a Coke fan) Of course not. They reassess their market, retool their strategy, and continue to compete. In business, there is always going to be competition from someone. Know who they are, what they’re good at and why you’re better.
Do Your Homework
Each October, the organizers of the Tour de France announce the route for the following July’s race. The route changes every year, but with 8 months to prepare, riders have the opportunity to scout the course. They figure out where they can gain an advantage, or where they may need to be alert. For businesses, the route is the marketplace. The best cyclists ride the hardest routes in advance of the race to be prepared. The best businesses know their marketplace inside and out and know where they can gain an advantage.
Always Have a Plan B
There’s a quote by Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan, ‘til they get punched in the mouth.” As it happened in today’s stage, last year’s race winner, Chris Froome, crashed on the wet roads and had to drop out. Afterwards his team manager said, “Part of sport is being able to refocus. We know that in sport goal posts will move…and you just have to get on with it.” While he was a heavy favorite to win again, the team will now focus on supporting another rider, and after Froome’s injuries heal, he’ll look to tackle another race. For the team (and its sponsors) it’s an unfortunate situation, but they have to be flexible. They had a plan, the situation changed, they adapted. I see a number of businesses who don’t consider having a Plan B.
Success is Shared by the Team
Each team has a designated leader, and the rest of the team supports that person. The success of one is the team’s shared success. In the 2013 Tour de France, Chris Froome was the winner, but you rarely heard him speak in the first person. He attributed his success to the hard work of his teammates. By delivering Froome to the overall victory, the entire team celebrated the win. A good business practice is to celebrate success as a team to show appreciation for their collective efforts.
Ryan McGrath is a Marketing Consultant at G.1440, and, if you didn’t guess, a huge cycling fan. In 2004 and 2005 he traveled to France and followed the Tour. He slept outside, got rained on, lost 10 pounds and would do it again in a heartbeat.