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March Madness is HERE! And guess what??? Everybody knows it! Raving fans, die-hard sports jocks, former athletes and wanna-be superstars have all resurfaced for this must-see sports event. At the grocery store, in the mall, on the way to church…seems like the air is full of this phenomenon. People have really gone “mad” about college basketball.

And I am no different! I absolutely LOVE this time of year! Between-the-legs…pump  fake...SLAM! Yep, my adrenaline starts flowing just thinking about the thrill of the Cinderella   comeback stories and the last second buzzer beaters. March Madness stirs the heart and soul   of all the real “B-ball” players. Ok, and the fake ones too! LOL! It’s the one time of year where   the rookies are highlighted and the pro prospects are recognized.

My husband and I printed our brackets out last night; we are anxiously awaiting 6:00PM for the selection process to officially begin. Who are the bubble teams? Who has the potential to win it all? As I prepare to make my prediction, I can’t help but think of myself, my business, and my clients. Is my organization Final Four material??? Do we have what it takes to go all the way and win BIG? Well, what does it take? How will I know if we deserve a trip to the Final Four? I’ve managed to narrow it down to three key factors:

1. Dream Team – Without a team you can’t play the game. Without the right team, you will never win a game. What makes up the right team? Skill + passion + singular focus = right team. When the stakes are high, you need to know that you have the right people by your side. Is your team well trained, committed, and all focused on the same goal? If not…um..well…this may not be your year.
2. Strategy – Will it be your pressure defense? Or fast-paced offense? For the West Virginia Mountaineers, it’s the same play they’ve run all season…set the corner screen and get the ball in the hands of Da’Sean Butler. If he doesn’t see it, he’ll create it. What about you? What is your game-winning strategy? How will you win BIG? What steps will your organization take to ensure you are on the Road to the Final Four? Without a strategy or a plan, you have no chance of winning. Winning must be intentional!
3. Momentum – By the time you reach the tournament…the playing fields are pretty much even. The real contenders have strong teams with good to great players, they have a set of game winning plays that they have mastered. There even exists a cohesiveness that is not easily rattled or broken. So what separates the winners from the losers? The champions from the runner-ups? I believe it is momentum. Have you ever tried to stop someone who’s on a winning streak? You can’t. They’re unstoppable. Think about it. If you are used to winning all the time you think like a winner, you see yourself as a winner, you do what winners do. There is no wondering “hmmm can we win this?” or “we might just win this”. Rather, the attitude is “we have no choice BUT to win because we ARE winners.” Now this attitude can be achieved a number of ways, but the most effective way is to have a series of wins under your belt. Tournament time is reserved for the winners. And it is much easier to win, if you have had practice doing it.

Well, I must go and prepare my brackets; my NCAA bracket and my life bracket. But before I go, I want to know 'will you make the cut'? Are you and your team Final Four material? Share your thoughts and happy picking!