A few years ago, I found myself on the sidelines, watching my son play under-12 representative basketball team. Anyone who’s coached junior sport knows the drill. Tired players, inconsistent attendance, mismatched skill levels, and a whole lot of enthusiasm.

But something shifted when we moved from local club ball to rep-level. Suddenly, everyone had a role. We had systems, plays, and expectations. We weren’t just “having a go.” We were playing to win.

And it struck me: most businesses go through that exact same transformation, or at least, they should.

Local Club Chaos vs. Rep-Level Structure

At the local level, everyone gets a fair go. Positions rotate. Roles are blurry. Effort counts more than execution. It’s fun, but it’s not built for results.

That’s fine when you’re just getting started in business, small team, early-stage growth, everyone chipping in.

But eventually, that approach starts to break down.

In a rep team, every player knows their role. There’s structure, accountability, and trust. You sub based on what the game needs, not just giving everyone a turn.

That’s when things start to click. The team moves in sync. Players work the system, not just the scoreboard.

The same applies in business. If your business is still playing without a structured system while the competition is running structured computerised systems, you’ll lose, no matter how hard you try.

Put People in Their Position, Then Back the System

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned both in coaching and in business is this:

It’s not just about having good people. It’s about having them in the right positions.

Too often, we build org charts around people, not outcomes. We shoehorn staff into roles because they’ve “been around a while” or “know the business.” That might work for a while. But when pressure hits, things start to break.

The turning point? When you map the structure first, then fill it with the right players.

That’s when alignment starts. And that’s when you stop wasting time, effort, and opportunity.

 Want to Win the Grand Final? Build for It.

You can have a decent season with a scrappy team and good intentions. But you won’t win the premiership on hustle alone.

To perform at your best when it counts EOFY, major client delivery, market expansion your business needs:

• A structure that makes sense.
• Defined roles with clear accountability.
• Efficient transitions between departments (offence to defence)
• A bench that’s ready, to play their roles in the system.

Final Thoughts: Leadership Is Coaching

Running a business isn’t that different from coaching a good team. You’re not there to score every point. You’re there to:

• Set an efficient systems
• Build the team
• Put the right people in the right positions
• Keep everyone focused on the same goal

You can’t win the grand final without a strong squad, but a great squad with no structure won’t win either.

So, if your business still feels like a local club, everyone jumping in, no one staying in their lane it might be time to step up to rep-level.

Because eventually, you’ll have to choose:

Are you here to play? Or are you here to win?