Belichick’s Team Building Theory

I love American Football, especially the NFL! I admire the hard work NFL coaches and players put in. Football is fun, it’s a sport — but for these coaches and players — it’s a way of life.

I love and respect particularly one (future hall of fame) coach. He coaches for New England Patriots and his name is Bill Belichick. He is well-respected thought out the league and considered as GOAT (greatest of all time). Guy has won 5 super bowls for Patriots.

Apart from his rich legacy as a sports coach – as a software engineering Team Lead I really love his philosophy. The way he handles his teams, the way he instils confidence and winning spirit in his teams is absolutely commendable. I, as an engineering team lead like to draw parallels with Bellichik’s football philosophies.

In one of the recent interviews, he said “I like dependable players. I like players who put the team in front of anything and everything. Brady (Patriot’s captain and all-time great quarterback) is not the best athlete, he is not the best player football has seen, but he is dependable. He brings his A+ game in pressure situations, utilizes the resources at the disposal and wins a game. He’s a very smart instinctive football player. It’s not all about talent, it’s about dependability, consistency, and being able to improve.

Belichick has proven this philosophy right again and again. Many times in his career he has retained dependable and consistent players over superstar athletes. He has been right everytime. (Going to 8 super bowls and winning 5 of them is not a joke).

What does it say to us who are building software teams?

• Build your teams using dependable members.
• Members might not be rockstar performers, they might not be the best programmers, but you can depend on them when the time comes.
• Consistent members who are showing attitude and aptitude to improve over a period of time over folks that have sort of already peaked!
• Last but not the least — members who put the team ahead above anything and everything. Delivering software projects is like playing a team sport and we need members who can stick together.

Enjoy team building. Adiós!