The Score Takes Care of Itself

His high standards of performance began with simple front-office tasks. He wrote detailed instructions for receptionists about how to answer the phone professionally. All phone calls had to be returned within 24 hours. All receptionists had to pick up the phone by saying: “San Francisco 49ers headquarters. How may I assist you?”

Walsh’s culture of precision showed up on the football field too. During practice, passing routes were planned to the inch, so receivers could land their cleats on the precise, predetermined blades of grass at the perfect time when the quarterback threw the ball on game day. The coaching staff also had a precise way of operating. Like the Moneyball movement across the Bay in Oakland, the 49ers analyzed each position meticulously. For the offensive linemen, they identified thirty specific actions each player must take to perform at the highest level. Coaches created drills for each and practiced them until they were second nature.

What strikes me about Walsh’s philosophy is how little he talks about his actual football games. Instead, he ensured his excellence philosophy extended to every little detail. When you get them right, “the score takes care of itself.”