3 takeaways for startups from a great sporting triumph against all odds

Photo credit: ICC.

Before the tournament began, a British broadcaster described the captain of the West Indies and his team as being “short of brains.”

When the team arrived in India for the T20 cricket world cup, it was short of clothes – they did not have the uniforms to play in the tournament because of an ongoing dispute with the West Indies cricket board over selection, pay, and mean politics.

A month later, the English commentator Mark Nicholas apologized for his “throwaway remark” after watching England lose in the final to a West Indies team that captured the hearts of the world with its spirit, imagination, and sheer guts. Unheralded Carlos Brathwaite – known more for his bowling than batting prowess – smashed four consecutive balls out of the park in the last over to close out the game. That’s the equivalent of four home runs in a row in baseball.

The frustration of having to fight for the simplest of facilities, including the team uniforms, would have made many call it quits.

“With all that happened before … the disrespect from journalists, from our own cricket board … the only way we could make a statement was by winning this tournament. When you see these 15 men playing out there with hunger and passion, it all stems from what has been boiling inside,” said the West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, while accepting the trophy from former England captain Nasser Hussain on Sunday night at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Doubters and naysayers, detractors and setbacks – these are things startups and entrepreneurs encounter all the time. How they respond makes all the difference between winning and losing. It may be useful, therefore, to see the way the West Indies cricket team responded to their seemingly unsurmountable challenges. Here are three takeaways for startups from this sporting triumph.

1. Prove a point, instead of whining

Photo credit: ICC.

The impasse with the cricket board, exclusion of match-winners like Kieron Pollard (whose contract was controversially not renewed), and the frustration of having to fight for the simplest of facilities (including the team uniforms) would have made many call it quits. Sammy admitted after the tournament that the team thought of boycotting the tournament in protest during a warm-up camp in Dubai. Then the thinking veered to making a statement as winners, not losers.

Everyone knew they had the talent. Why not go out there and prove to the world they also had the brains and discipline to win the World Cup?

“Every problem has a gift for you in its hands,” wrote Richard Bach. The West Indies cricket team’s attitude exemplifies that. It’s something for entrepreneurs to keep in mind when they’re weighed down by outdated regulations and poor infrastructure, a difficult business environment and pushy investors. Obstacles and disadvantages can turn into opportunities.

2. Use adversity to rally your team

Photo credit: ICC.

3. Enjoy the game, have fun… but play to win