That Little Number

As leaders, we must understand that our opponent has two equally important characteristics. The first is its talent, the second is its perception.

March 18, 2021

On March 16, 2018, No. 16 seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County had the chance to play the number No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers in the opening round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Easy game, right?

Wrong. So, so wrong. The game was tied at halftime, then UMBC outscored Virginia 53-33 in the 2nd half. The 16 had beaten a No. 1 — the first time this had happened in tournament history.

How could the seedings be so wrong? How could the numbers be so far off? Well, the little number next to each team influences our thoughts and perceptions of the players.

The NCAA tournament is largely about upsets, and people love to hope top seeds will get sent home. Every coach of a high-ranking team fears the first round; they fear their team will only see the number next to their opponent, not the team's talent. The hardest job leaders have each day is convincing those they lead that the opponent can be dangerous, can cause problems and is capable of ruining a season. It’s especially dangerous when that opponent is publicly evaluated — and perceptions and expectations don’t match reality. A number next to a school can destroy a great season.

When higher seeds expect an easy game and fall behind, they tend to panic. They tend to think, “I thought this would be an easy game. The number says so.” Doubt creeps in, which then causes the team to play uncharacteristically. The job of any leader is to prepare his/her team for what lies ahead — good or bad. From the time the numbers are assigned until tip-off, all the players hear is the seed of their opponent. But the seeding numbers never take the floor, the players do. Then, the only things that matter are execution, intensity and staying in the moment.

Whether we’re coaching a sport or leading a business, we must understand that our opponent has two equally important characteristics. The first is its talent, the second is its perception. If we don’t pay attention to both equally, we can easily become victims of the number.

Don’t let perception ruin your season.