Sunday afternoon I played indoor badminton with a regular opponent: a man 25 years my junior.
Neither one of us left anything on the court; our games are an always exciting neck and neck competition to the end. They bear little resemblance to what most people know as the sport. You know — when at a backyard BBQ — while holding a beverage in one hand, you swing a racquet at the birdie with the other.
There are several factors involved in playing badminton successfully. These include :
- agility
- stamina
- technique
- strategy
Note that brute strength isn’t one of them.
One of the best strategies is to deliver the birdie where your opponent isn’t…and won’t be able to get to. When they are at the net, hit a high shot to the outside corner. When they are at the back of the court, gently drop the birdie close to their side of the net.
With this strategy, you don’t ever have to smash the birdie to win. An aside I told my friendly opponent today, the difference between our smashes is that I can’t see his!
I know my strengths are technique and strategy.
Whether badminton, work or life, it serves (pun intended) us well to know our strengths and weaknesses. We all can’t excel at everything. What are your strengths? Weaknesses? And what are the implications for your work…and your life?
This blog is originally published in Marilee's newsletter.
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Posted in Speaking of Strategy
