They Put a Lid on the Basket

On Monday evening Butler and UConn played for the NCAA basketball championship. Most viewers and commentators thought it wasn't a good game. While both teams played hard and fair, they didn't do a good job of shooting the ball. The field goal percentage for Butler was the worst in the history of the championship game.

So why was everyone disappointed? Because we expect the championship of any sport should be the best and most memorable game of the year.

Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't. But each time we want it to be. After all, this is the ultimate game. Why shouldn't it have the best players making the best plays?

The basketball game that was played featured two outstanding defenses. And while we say we appreciate defense, it's the offense that generates the highlights. We like big scores. It's more interesting to see points go up on the scoreboard.

Our tastes translate across the sporting spectrum. Despite decades of American children playing little league soccer the game is nowhere near achieving a solid following on a professional level. One of the arguments about football eclipsing baseball is the one-hit pitchers' duel. Yes, that type of baseball game may be a gem, but there is so little scoring that the average fan becomes disinterested.

We like to see point production. It shows us that the players are succeeding within the contest. We become frustrated when players can't score points. It seems announcers would rather talk about scoring droughts of an offense than the prowess of a defense.

Is this because we hold athletes to a higher standard? In a word, yes. They are the best and we want to watch them achieve greatness. Unfortunately, defense can't be appreciated as easily as swishing the ball through the net from 28 feet. We want to see great skill and the results it creates.

This also applies to business. The salesman who lands a large account is lauded. The salesman who saves an unhappy customer is often overlooked. The painter is more visible than the bricklayer. And the doctor is more valued than the nurse who receives the urine sample.

Is this correct? Sometimes. You need years of training to diagnose and heal patients. You don't need nearly as much training to walk down the hall with a container of pee.

The challenge we all face is to give proper value for the job. It's not easy. The UConn defense will be written about to a lesser degree than the Butler shooters who went cold. It's probably not right, but it's the way our perceptions work.

Make sure you're correctly looking at your own business. Are you being impressed by the superficial, or are you appreciating the benefits of your company's unseen foundations? Take a step back and figure out what would happen if any of these foundations were to go away. Then you'll know what's most important instead of what's easy to appreciate.