From Cricket to Business: The Importance of Team Mindset

So close. The South African Women’s Cricket team — our incredible Proteas — made it all the way to the World Cup final. The skill? Undeniable. The discipline? Evident. The teamwork? Beautifully on display. They ticked every box on the “how to win” checklist.

And yet… they didn’t.

So what happened?

Let’s unpack this over a cup of coffee.

Skill, Discipline, Teamwork – and Belief

To win anything — a match, a deal, or even just the week — you need a combination of skill, discipline, teamwork, and belief. The Proteas had the first three nailed. You don’t get to a World Cup final without mastering those.

But belief — real, deep, goosebump-inducing belief — might have been the missing ingredient.

Their captain said the team was focused on taking “one game at a time.” Sensible? Absolutely. But did you ever hear them say, “We’re bringing the cup home”? Not quite. Compare that to the Springboks — a team that somehow makes you believe they’ll pull off the impossible… even when they’re trailing by 10 points with two minutes to go.

Is that belief a coaching thing? A mindset thing? A culture thing? Probably a bit of all three.

Medals vs Mindset

Here’s the hard truth: if you’re happy to get a medal — any medal — you’ll always lose. You might not even make the final. Winners don’t play for bronze or silver; they play to win.

You have to want it so badly you can taste it — like candyfloss at a funfair, sweet and irresistible. That kind of hunger gives you the energy to dig deep, to stay in the nets when everyone else has gone home, to deliver exceptional results no matter what’s needed. That’s the difference between participating and owning the moment.

When One Player Drops the Ball

In any team — sports or workplace — the magic only works when everyone pitches up on the day. One person off their game can shift the whole dynamic. Two crucial dropped catches and a duck from a key player might have cost the Proteas that final.

It’s not about blame — it’s reality. In the workplace, one “off day” from a key team member can derail a project, a pitch, or a deal. That’s why preparation, mindset, and mutual belief matter just as much as technical skill. The chain really is only as strong as its weakest link.

Back in the Office

So how does this play out in our world of coffee cups and client calls?

• Skill is your knowledge and expertise. Keep learning, stay sharp.
• Discipline is your daily grind — the calls you make, the reports you finish, the consistency that builds credibility.
• Teamwork is what keeps the wheels turning when things get tough.
• Belief is the secret sauce. The quiet confidence that says, “We’ve got this.”

If your team believes — really believes — that they can hit their targets, close the deal, or turn a challenge into a win, magic happens.

And if not? Well… sometimes, like the Proteas, you play a beautiful game and fall just short. But the lesson is never wasted — because next time, you walk onto that field (or into that boardroom) not just hoping to win, but knowing you can.