Reviewing Your Professional Game Tape

Wicker Park Group periodically revisits some of its most popular blog posts. This post has been updated from initial publication in February 2023.

Superbowl Sunday arrives this weekend, and millions of us will tune in to watch the spectacle of football, halftime performances and hilarious commercials. Most of us know the game well, but we can all learn something from the practices, habits and behaviors of the nation’s best sports teams. While both teams spent hours preparing and practicing on the field for the big day, they also spent as many additional hours rewatching tape of previous games. They watch to see what they want to repeat, what they want to change/adjust and what they can learn about their competitors. Rewatching game tape is a standard practice for high-functioning teams and is something we don’t do enough when it comes to our professional lives.

Far too often we do the same things over and over, expecting different results. Or we do the same things without evaluating what went well, what we could have changed or what we want to adjust for the future.

It’s still the first quarter of 2024. How do you feel about your progress towards your personal and professional success? Take some time to review what you have been doing to advance your goals and build the practice you want. What have you done that’s worked well? What didn’t work so well? What minor adjustments does it take to make a difference in your efforts?

Here are a few suggestions to get you started reviewing your professional game tape to identify where you should double down, what you might need to give up and where a small pivot could make a big difference:

• Review your calendar from last year.
  • What clients and projects did you love? Invest in the relationships you want to keep and grow. Reach out to those clients, contacts and colleagues to make sure they know how much you value the work and relationship and make sure you understand their goals and priorities going forward.
  • What events and conferences were time well spent and which ones didn’t result in networking or education that met your expectations?
  • What did you learn from your business and professional development time and efforts? What would you change after reviewing how you spent (or did not spend) that time?
• What can you learn from your competitors?
  • Who, within the organization and outside of the organization, has the practice, work and contacts you aspire to have and represent? What have they done and what are they doing to attract that kind of work?
  • Very few law firm rainmakers or business leaders are “all things to all people.” They are known for less than a handful of key areas of focus, strength or expertise. They may do more behind the scenes, but they are careful about their public image. What does your biography, LinkedIn profile and activity and other public information say to your network?
• How are you maintaining excellent health and wellness?
  • The greatest competitors prioritize their health, fitness and mental wellbeing to be at their best. Did you prioritize your health and wellbeing last year? If so, stick with it. If not, what small steps can you take to allocate time each day for moving, resting or caring for your body?
• What does the Superbowl of your professional life look like?
  • The winners have plans, plays and teams to reach their goals. We cannot expect business development and career success without a plan. Dedicate time to creating a gameplan for your own success.