Running plays isn’t having a playbook
Getting from strategy to execution
Watching my beloved Philadelphia Eagles this season, other than when they play the Lions, has been a dispiriting experience. I didn’t expect the team to be good – they lack talent at key positions and don’t have a franchise quarterback on the roster – but the performance of the team has made clear the team’s inexperienced head coach, and his inexperienced staff, is in over his head. In the words of NFL analyst Mike Lombardi, they’re playing “battleship football,” running a series of plays unmoored from a philosophy and a system.
Teams need a philosophy and an identity. Some teams prioritize speed and putting up as many points as possible. Some teams want to be tougher than the other team, grind them down and overwhelm them with their physicality.
Publishing is no different. The best publishing brands operate a system that goes from program to playbook to plays. It’s moving from strategy to consistent execution.