In recent years, the value of set pieces in football has begun to be truly recognised. Whether it’s a perfectly executed corner kick, a well-rehearsed free-kick, or the long-forgotten long throw, set pieces can offer a significant performance advantage at incredible value. As a result, teams have started investing time and resources into mastering these structured opportunities – seeking to learn from NFL and NBA teams more accustomed to operating with structured formations and playbooks – recognising their potential to bypass an opponent’s defences and score decisive goals.
The increased focus on set pieces has brought measurable success to many teams. Studies show that set-piece goals can account for up to 30% of a team’s total goals, making them a key element in strategy and game planning. These moments, planned and practised with precision, allow teams to exploit openings that wouldn’t exist in regular play – and in these set pieces of play, organisation and effort are rewarded over often, more highly valued attributes.
Similarly, businesses can capitalise on their own “set pieces”—predictable, structured moments that offer immense potential for success. Just as football teams plan meticulously for corners or free kicks, businesses can plan for key events like quarterly reviews, team meetings, and board presentations. When approached with the same level of focus and execution, these business set pieces can unlock new opportunities, drive performance, and ensure long-term success (often at significantly better value).
In this article, we’ll explore several business activities that, when treated as set pieces, can be designed, developed and delivered to offer increased chances of success—just as they have in modern football.
Objective Setting
Objective setting is perhaps the ultimate business set piece. Just like a football team meticulously planning a set piece to score a goal, businesses can use clear objective setting to direct focus, align teams, and ensure that every member is working toward the same strategic targets.
By setting clear, measurable, and time-bound objectives, businesses can channel their efforts effectively toward their key goals. The process of setting objectives involves defining priorities, understanding the resources available, and creating a roadmap to success. It is a structured, repeatable process that enables businesses to remain agile and adapt their strategies to changing market conditions.
Q Reviews
Quarterly (Q) reviews are a powerful business set piece that organisations can plan ahead, control, and leverage for increased opportunities for success. Just like a well-rehearsed corner kick in football, Q reviews are structured and predictable. They offer businesses a moment to reflect on the past quarter’s performance, assess challenges, and strategically reposition themselves for the next period.
A successful Q review involves reviewing key metrics, such as financial performance, operational efficiency, and market trends. Businesses can anticipate and prepare for these sessions well in advance, enabling them to analyse data thoroughly and identify areas where strategic adjustments are necessary. Through targeted discussion, leaders can make course corrections, allocate resources more effectively, and seize emerging opportunities.
Weekly Team Meetings
Weekly team meetings might seem routine, but they are, in fact, one of the most effective business set pieces for driving consistent progress. Much like an effective kick-off in American football, these meetings are scheduled, controllable opportunities for teams to align, plan, and address issues before they escalate into bigger problems.
With a well-structured agenda, businesses can use weekly meetings to break down long-term goals into actionable steps. They ensure that team members are clear on their responsibilities, highlight key challenges, and share progress updates. These meetings act as a feedback loop, providing real-time insights that keep projects on track and allow teams to pivot quickly when needed.
Monthly Executive Committee Meetings
The monthly executive committee meeting is one of the most high-stakes set pieces in a business. Like a decisive set piece in a football match, it brings together the top decision-makers in the organisation to align on critical issues, set strategy, and course-correct if necessary.
In these meetings, executives can review high-level performance indicators, address strategic priorities, and make crucial decisions regarding resource allocation, new initiatives, and risk management. The preparation for these meetings—gathering data, preparing reports, and analysing market trends—is akin to the meticulous planning that goes into a corner-kick or free-kick scenario in football.
Board Meetings
Board meetings are perhaps the most formal set pieces in business. They are scheduled events where the executive team presents their strategies and performance to the board of directors. Like the build-up to a penalty kick, every detail matters—from the preparation of financial reports to outlining key strategic moves.
Board meetings offer a structured opportunity to align leadership with the organisation’s long-term objectives. They allow executives to present their achievements, outline challenges, and seek input or approval for new initiatives. Well-planned board meetings can unlock new resources, gain crucial approvals for mergers, acquisitions, or expansions, and solidify the organisation’s long-term strategy.
Team Events & Adventures
Team-building events and adventures, though often considered informal, are structured opportunities to foster collaboration, morale, and employee engagement. These events are business set pieces because they are planned with specific outcomes in mind, much like a planned set play in football designed to open up scoring opportunities.
By organising team adventures—whether through workshops, retreats, or just fun times together—businesses create a space where employees can build trust, improve communication, and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses outside of daily work pressures. These events help foster a sense of belonging, which in turn drives better performance and loyalty among team members.
Mastering the Business Set Piece
Just as football teams have come to recognise that the difference between winning and losing often hinges on the mastery of set pieces, businesses too can find their greatest opportunities for success in structured, predictable moments. When planned meticulously and executed with precision, business set pieces—whether quarterly reviews, performance cycles, or board meetings—can dramatically shift the trajectory of an organisation.
What’s surprising, though, is that many companies still overlook these critical opportunities, treating them as routine, rather than the high-impact moments they truly are[AD1] . Imagine if a football team ignored its set pieces, allowing them to pass without focus or preparation. The result? Missed opportunities, a lack of control, and ultimately, failure to achieve the goals within their grasp.
By recognising the potential of your business set pieces and treating them with the strategic focus they deserve, you can ensure your organisation is always positioned to capitalise on new opportunities, drive performance, and achieve long-term success. Just as a well-rehearsed corner kick can turn the tide of a football match, a carefully executed business set piece can be the catalyst for your company’s next big win.