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Shelter Chieza Change Management
So the much anticipated Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight has come and gone with the former emerging the winner after a bruising 12 rounds.There was so much hype around the fight justifiably so since it was the richest in boxing history.

With $180 million at stake, about 16 500 people watched the fight live, with some of them paying as much as $41 000 in entry fees, the highest in boxing history.

From the first round of the match most commentators were tipping Mayweather to win. The match was just about money and fame.

In my opinion Mayweather won because he is a great tactician. While statistics show that Mayweather threw far less punches compared to Pacquaio, who landed the biggest punch in the fourth round, Mayweather won the fight because he was better tactically.

Success in boxing is heavily dependent on the level of skill and technique a person has. The belief that stamina contributes more may be greatly misleading, stamina contributes a minute percentage to success in boxing, its tactics and perseverance that matter.

Likewise many successful business people and businesses have succeeded by employing the right tactics and by persevering. Those that have folded have in most cases fallen short tactically along the way.

American inventor and businessman failed more than 10 000 times in his attempt to create the light bulb but he did not give up.

Now, that’s being resolute. Many of us would never have gone that far. Human beings sometimes lack that resoluteness that has been shown by most inventors.

In the boxing ring, the boxers do feel pain but they are driven by the desire to win and the glory it brings.

It may be painful to build that career or that business or attend school but that pales in comparison to the benefits that accrue later. If you are new in a certain field, the way you approach it may need a little moderation. Don’t pull your best punch as you embark on a new journey.

There is a danger that you will tire early and quicker. If you have been in the field for a long time you will appreciate that the punch that normally floors a boxer is one that is thrown with a certain sharpness and quickness. The sharper you get the more you are nearer to throwing such a punch.

Just like in a boxing match with business has a way of gaining momentum too. I have, however, been always against quick ways of making money.

The sustained businesses that have endured are those built over the years through hard work and tenacity.

Success may take longer than anticipated and there is a lot of risk and sacrifice that we need to go through to get there but it is worth it in the end.

In boxing, people assume that the ring is where the fight is won. Many a time it’s a result of the unseen and behind the scenes effort that has taken place.

The days of practice in the training ground, the workouts in the gym, the mind and mental training, psychology sessions all contribute to the total success on the day of reckoning. Many of the successful companies have brilliant strategists behind the scenes.

They would have laid their ground work and often have an active Research and Development department that oversees the ground work of many projects.

I am astounded at the number of companies that have a Business Development Manager who is not supported by a research and development team. How then do they deduce their conclusions?

Time and age may not necessarily matter. Even if you start late, you may still have a chance of making it.

The strategy with late start ups is what you put into it to cover up for the lost time and groundwork that others made. Put a lot of effort to cover up the gaps that may have been created.

In an interview before the fight, Mayweather said American business magnate, investor and philanthropist Mr Warren Buffett was one of his long time heroes. It’s the business ethic that he admired most. All the best as you box your way to success.

Till next week, may God richly bless you!

 Shelter Chieza is a Management Consultant. She holds over a decade of Management Experience. She can be contacted at [email protected]