On The Right Track
When the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens set out for their October 16th game against the New York Giants at their home stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the team assembled thousands of pounds of luggage, gathered its 53-man roster and 100+ other coaches and support staff to hit the road.
Their first stop? The Amtrak station.
Typically, teams in a league that grosses over $11 billion annually would opt for a private jet, not the same travel method you might use to get to your aunt's place for Thanksgiving.
But making organizational decisions can be hard. And oftentimes the right approach to finding a solution is finding the right marriage between effort and impact. The Ravens and their travel decision shows how sometimes bucking the status quo and seemingly scaling back can actually streamline operations and lead to better solutions.
“The train’s always one of the easier trips because you don’t have to do airport screening, and it’s easier to get everybody on and off,” says Simon Gelan, Ravens Vice President of Operations. “We’re moving 180 to 200 people per trip, so there’s a lot of maneuvering.”
Traveling by train doesn’t require the complications associated with flight delays or TSA screenings. Trains are also far less costly than private jets, and they’re better for the environment - just ask many of the celebrities who’ve been grilled for their rampant private jet use.
Is it the sleekest method of travel they can afford? Certainly not.
But it’s more efficient when considering total travel time, effort required from their travelers, and budget. Plus, it still delivers a great experience for all involved.
Players like 6’8” Calais Campbell have more room to stretch their legs and stay loose as opposed to squeezing into a tighter plane seat. And the group seating available in many cars allows coaches to have the necessary communal space to spend extra time discussing game plans. The free Wi-Fi’s a nice perk as well.
With all this in mind, Ravens leadership chose the travel option with the highest impact and lowest effort. This is often the best approach to align on decision-making and streamline operations.
The Impact Effort Matrix acts as a decision-making tool to prioritize goals and manage resources more effectively.
So when you’re evaluating whether to add those last couple of “nice-to-have” features to your product/service mix or add wrinkles to your marketing campaign, what are the hidden costs?
Just because something is "flashy" and "everyone does it" doesn't mean it's the best way to go. When we look at the big picture, we might find that the more straightforward and reasonable option might be the best for our efforts. It might feel counterintuitive to follow the "train instead of plane" approach, but it also might lead to your best results.
And if you see a particularly giant athlete next to you on your next Amtrak trip, take it as a sign that more organizations are bucking the status quo too.
