While we believe that each of the following Red Zone Management Principles has value on its own, the real value comes when they are all part of a well executed gameplan.

We have seen what happens when organizations use and follow these principles…the overwhelming result is that they are far more likely to make the right plays and win. The ten principles that we teach our clients include:

1. Let everyone know the company is in a Red Zone: This may not be rocket science, but lots of smart organizations miss the importance of this principle. If people in your organization aren't completely clear that something new is coming down the pike, chances are they will behave exactly as they have been. It's up to the leaders to say, "Hey guys, the game is on the line here. We need some special plays…and more than anything, we need a special level of performance from the team." You really need the entire team to have a Red Zone mindset to win!

2. Put the Best Players in the Game: Imagine you're coaching a team in the Superbowl. The game is tied with 30 seconds left. You are in the Red Zone, 10 yards from making a touchdown and winning the game. Would you take out your starters and let the 2nd string play, even if they are pretty good players? Putting anyone but your star players in key Red Zone roles is as good as giving up the game. You must have the right stuff here!

3. Focus on the Customer: After all, this is what it's all about, right? You've got to keep sight of the ultimate reason you're on the field. If you're thinking about diving into a Red Zone maneuver that has no impact on your customers or the marketplace, why put your team through it? Let your customers be the reason you decide to get into the Red Zone.

4. Set Clear Red Zone Goals: So you're headed for the Red Zone, you've told your players that the stakes are high, and everyone's ready to hit the field…now what? You'll need to provide some clear coaching to help the team get a win. This is the time to set some clear, crisp goals for the team. Just like an NFL coach wouldn't send players to the field without some detailed direction (usually in the form of specific plays to reach a certain position on the field), you can't be vague with your players. Give them a clear set of goals that need to be reached and let them add some creativity and innovation to help reach those goals.

5. Develop a Detailed Blueprint for Red Zone Success: To succeed in the Red Zone, your management team and employees need a detailed blueprint of where the organization is headed so they can figure out how to get there. Just like you wouldn't dream of remodeling your home without a clear picture of how it would look at the end of the project, you shouldn't embark on a Red Zone Maneuver without detailing what the end result should be.


6. Develop your Red Zone Implementation Plan to Build to Blueprint: You know where your organization is today, and you have a blueprint of what your organization will look like after the Red Zone Maneuver. Now you have to "engineer" a plan (develop the gameplan) to get from here to there. Regardless of the Red Zone Maneuver, there are certain parts of the organization that must change to succeed. So with the blueprint in hand, you must look at those organizational mechanical parts and figure out how to alter each to match your Red Zone blueprint. When these parts (work processes, plant/equipment/tools, performance systems) are altered to match your blueprint, you're well on your way to Red Zone success.

7. Implementing Program and Project Management for your Red Zone Implementation Plan: In order to alter your organization's moving parts like we discussed in #6 above, you will need some intense, hands-on, on the field management of your team. And you'll need to clearly define the difference between the "change-the-business" plays and your regular "run-the-business" work. Two disciplines that will guide this "change-the-business" work are Program and Project Management. Project management will put all of those organizational alterations into manageable, project bundles (individual plays) while program management will oversee the project work in context of the desired result of the entire maneuver (the overall gameplan). And then you draft your players. You will need a star player with the capability and credibility in the organization to lead the Program Management effort, and some really top notch team members to lead various projects. Make a big deal of this, put these players and roles on the organization chart, and make sure everyone knows that these plays are just as critical as the run-the-business work that will still go on.

8. Tune Your Implementation for Reduced Cycle Time…Focus on Speed! This means you should move quickly enough that you gain advantage and players don't run out of energy and motivation, but not so quickly that you implement your plan haphazardly. Speed shows the marketplace that your organization is capable and agile, and they'll be more apt to predict a win for your team. Likewise, reaching your Red Zone goals and completing your Red Zone Maneuver in short time will leave your competitors that much further behind!

9. Develop your Employee Care Plan: The Red Zone is a tough time for your team and especially for individual players. The Red Zone is a time when you expect a lot more from players than in normal conditions, but you'll also have to be willing to give some extraordinary support and attention to keep the team moving ahead on time, on target and on budget. Some special considerations include workload management, recognition, working conditions, budgeting for special needs and leadership example. Be flexible with key Red Zone players to help them avoid burnout, remind them (with incentives, bonuses) that their work is critical to Red Zone success, and keep your leaders involved and engaged with the team.

10. Develop rewards and incentives to insure your organization's Red Zone success: Pay for play. There is a reason (besides the big ring and the glory) that coaches and players want to get to playoffs, and win the Superbowl. There is incentive to do so. Sure they have big salaries, but they know, through verbal messages and financial incentives, that they should focus their energy on creating a winning team and winning season. Likewise, make sure that your key Red Zone players know, through rewards and incentives, that Red Zone success is what counts.

We hope that you live and learn (and print!) these Red Zone Principles...but just remember...this is a drop in the bucket. Buy the book to get what you really need!