The 102-Year Dream Comes True

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the term persistent is defined as: “lasting or enduring tenaciously.”

Or, in the words of Helen Keller, “We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.”

Over the weekend, my high school alma mater, Forrest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, MS, won its first 4A high school football championship.

Founded in 1911 and located just a few miles south of Hattiesubrg, MS, FCAHS has been to the state finals many times, but never made it out of the early rounds. Finally, 102 years after opening its doors, the 2013 team made the familiar trip to Jackson, MS once again, and was finally crowned as the state champion on Saturday, December 7, 2013. Now that’s persistent!

From a management perspective, I have witnessed upper and middle management teams persistently follow a course of action without regard to new information or overnight changes in the marketplace. 

For instance, don't keep going up the middle if the offensive line is having difficulty creating openings. We've all seen teams who continually do the same thing, with the same unsatisfactory results. 

I’ve also been fortunate enough to be a part of management teams that remained persistent, but were open to change in order to achieve a stated goal; even if it resulted in following a path that was completely different than what was originally designed. In each of these cases, the team achieved or exceeded their goal.

Like a football coach, management teams not only need to keep an eye on the game plan, but winning also requires sufficient attention being paid to the changing conditions on the field in terms of weather, players, and momentum regardless of the time it takes to reach the goal. In business, the climate in which an organization operates can work either for or against you.  Obviously, FOR you is best.

Likewise, the importance of knowing your customers, your competition, and your team’s strengths and weaknesses is as vitally important as making bold decisions to change the market momentum in favor of your company.

As a business leader it is essential to think long-term, while acting to meet a short-term goal, such as the next 1st down, which eventually results in a touchdown. Be brave, call an audible and look for other options; more than likely one or two others are wide open.

The most important factor, however, is being persistent. Keep your eye and efforts on the goal, no matter how long it takes, and don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way, or you could lose focus by wallowing in what might be perceived as failure.

 As 2013 draws to a close, and your plans for 2014 begin to fall in place, keep the persistence of the 2013 FCAHS Aggies Football team in mind. Even with more than a century of setbacks, they continually reviewed their plan, assessed their environment, talent and competitors, and eventually attained their goal.

By the way, if you are interested, the Oak Grove High School football team, coached by NFL great Brett Favre and also located a couple of miles outside Hattiesburg, MS, won their 6A state championship on Saturday as well. Check it out here. 

Without the persistence of an entire team coming together to work as one, neither team would have won. 

Congratulations, Aggies, for a great season! I’m so proud to be “Once an Aggie, Always an Aggie!!”

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.