If you want to invest in people, do it in the right place

This week I spent a fabulous morning listening to the fascinating Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers, Blink, etc. One of his key messages was that when we want to improve things, we should think wisely in whom to invest.

He showed a video clip of a goal secured by UK Premier League soccer team Tottenham Hotspur which was preceded by 48 consecutive passes. Each player in the team touched the ball. Had one person played a bad shot it wouldn’t have been a goal. He contrasted this to a basketball team where a single player can cross the entire court on their own and be singularly responsible for the majority of points.

I reflected on my clients, how should or could they invest in improvements in their systems that would lead to the most significant result? Should they invest in the strongest players, as in basketball? On the weakest links as might be wise to do in soccer? Or perhaps the focus should be on the passing between the players, the underlying foundation skills of effective communication and collaboration?

Where would your team benefit most?