Although a fabulous movie in many regards, I reflect on my own “blindside”. How do I protect my weakest area? How do I defend my quarterback, play maker, driver of the team (often me)? How can I build that defence so if attacked in the future, I am confident the strategy/play book move will work?

Breaking this into smaller sections:

How does one protect their weakest area?

Firstly, it’s crucial to understand one’s ‘weakest point’ and acknowledge their strengths. Perhaps the weakness is organisation yet a strength is ideation. A simple, effective strategy could be to work with someone who compliments your strength with theirs. Ideas can flow, be discussed, thought over and notes/diagrams/voice recordings can help organise those thoughts into more meaningful portions.

How can the quarterback/play maker be defended/protected? 

I see this as two fold. Some situations allow for us to be that playmaker, driving a team towards a common goal. If that is the scenario, then it’s crucial to have great communication with the team, skills across the field – predict the opposition, adjust to the conditions, pivot if opposition changes tactics and ensure the team remains united throughout it all. 

On the other hand, what if I am the defence? What can I do to protect the playmaker? Staying alert, researching the opposition play book, constant communication with my teammates, focussed and flexible if the team changes approach. Is this impenetrable? Of course not! There is always the risk of tiny cracks appearing in the defence – 1: distracted even for a millisecond allows the opposition to see potential ‘in road’ to the quarterback. 2: Poor preparation means I may not know the opposition, and can’t predict their moves or read their plays/strategies, again a momentary lapse can mean the defence is vulnerable. 3: Unfit for the role means physically unable to perform at the elite level, another opportunity for the defence to be pried open and the team is let down.

How can we build defences to protect now and in the future? Intuitive from the previous section, prior preparation, training, research, practice and clear communication can all assist in building new strategies to achieve the team goal and protect the playmaker.

How does all this ‘sporting’ analogy apply to life? How do you respond to blind side situations at work? Home? Social settings? Do you have a team around to help achieve the goal despite a setback or being blindsided by say a pandemic or flooding? What strategies do you have in place for the blindsides at home or with family? The news of a loved one’s diagnosis as terminal, the unpredictability of school children returning home each day or a tree coming through your home during a storm? And a social setting, how do you respond to that awkward political question over dinner, or the sudden expectations changing in your workplace? 

Each of us have our individual strategies to cope with a blind side event. 

How do you know they work? How do you adapt and change those strategies to predict and reduce impact of next blindside?