The incredible power of a team huddle
As many of you know, I live in Vancouver, one of the official Host Cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026. We're hosting seven tournament matches, including two Canadian Men's National Team group-stage games, and I was lucky enough to attend Canada's match against Qatar.
The games are being played at BC Place, right in the heart of the city, and the atmosphere has been incredible. I was so impressed by how well organized everything was. Everyone was friendly, and it reminded me of one of the things I love most about the World Cup: it brings people together.
Team huddles
One thing I noticed during the match was the number of small huddles on the field. Players would gather to briefly check positions and assignments. All this is done while making eye contact. Whenever a substitute came off the bench, there was another quick chat to make sure everyone was on the same page.
The conversations were quick and meaningful. Once the ball is rolling, confusion or uncertainty can lead to a goal.
It’s the same with successful organizations. I work with many leaders who are good at discussing execution, accountability and performance.
Yet sometimes the ball gets dropped (pun intended!), or breakdowns occur during a project because the team isn’t properly aligned. It’s not because your team isn’t talented or committed.
If a team launches into action without clear roles or without addressing assumptions, things can go wrong. They may duplicate efforts, overlook responsibilities or get frustrated because expectations were never clearly defined.
It's not an execution problem; it's an alignment problem.
As I mentioned in our last newsletter, your office team doesn’t want more communication; they want clear and consistent communication.
That’s why these soccer-style micro communications matter. During your next project, initiative or change, take five minutes to regularly ask:
What are we trying to accomplish?
What does success look like?
Who owns what?
What assumptions might we be making?
How will we communicate if and when circumstances change?
These simple questions may feel repetitive, but that brief moment of alignment helps your team remove uncertainty and focus on execution.
Think about that soccer team. During a match, the opponent switches tactics, so before the other team can gain an advantage, they communicate and pivot their strategy.
Their objective hasn’t changed, to win the match, they just need to adjust to achieve victory.
On the field, the consequence of poor communication can be seen immediately: a missed assignment can lead to the ball in the back of your net. In an organization, the consequences can take weeks or even months to appear, but the lesson is the same.
Just because everyone's busy doesn't mean they're actually moving in the same direction.
So, before your next project gets too far along, huddle with your team for a five-minute alignment conversation, not just at the start of the project but throughout. These check-ins allow you to pivot or readjust so that you can achieve your objective before it’s too late.