World Class Basics: Turn The Boring Into Your Superpower
The research-backed case for nailing the fundamentals of how you operate
Last Saturday, I’m watching the British and Irish Lions warm up against Western Force, and Sir Ian McGeechan drops this gem in the pre match commentary when asked what do the recently pulled together Lions team need to do to succeed. Sir Ian follows up with three simple words …
“World class basics”
Usually any pre match commentary is background noise that I’ll pay little attention to. However, these three words really piqued my interest.
McGeechan’s not talking about fancy moves or revolutionary tactics. He’s talking about the unglamorous stuff that wins matches. The passes that hit their target. The tackles that stick. All kicks chased. Every. Single. Time.
The Lions Problem Is Your Problem
If you don’t know anything about the Lions, here’s a brief intro.
The Lions take the best male rugby union players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales (currently no women’s Lions format but a conversation for another day). Players who were competing against each other weeks earlier and have deep rooted nationalistic rivalries running through them. Oh, and the Lions schedule needs them performing as a unit within days. Sound familiar? That’s every SME trying to get their team of specialists, boomers to gen zers, A players to coasters, and “that’s not my job” merchants to deliver.
McGeechan’s been there. Won with the Lions as player and coach. Won with Scotland as a player and a coach. Won at club level as a player and coach. His solution? Strip everything back to what he calls “world class basics” - the non-negotiables that everyone must nail, regardless of their role.
Brace yourself now for the slightly icky, overused but very handy LinkedIn phrase … and this is why it matters to your business (I can feel your second hand cringe as you read that).
Being relentless in your pursuit of the effective, unglamorous, sometimes a bit boring, execution of tasks will lead to results.
The Five Basics That Actually Matter (With Proof)
1. Predictable Beats Perfect
A study of 11,000 SMEs by the OECD found that consistency in delivery is the single biggest predictor of growth - bigger than innovation, bigger than price. Clients will forgive a lot if they can rely on you.
This means: Say what you’ll do. Do it. If you can’t, flag it early. No surprises. No “I thought someone else was handling that”, or the cardinal sin of turning up at the meeting you were meant to deliver whatever it is you were meant to deliver, and stutter the words “it’s not ready”. It’s not that you haven’t delivered at the meeting, it’s that you didn’t communicate that you were going to be late prior. The worst type of surprise.
2. Own Your Patch Completely
Research from Effectory’s HR Analytics shows that employees who experience role clarity are 53 % more efficient and 27 % more effective at work than employees who have role ambiguity. But here’s what the data doesn’t tell you: it’s not solely about job descriptions. It’s about ownership.
World class basics means knowing exactly what’s yours and delivering it without being asked. The accounts person who reconciles daily, not when chased. The project manager who updates clients before they panic. The sales lead who updates their CRM with every client, not at month end or ‘because they have to’.
3. Pressure Reveals Character (So Build It Now)
Research from Warwick Business School, Aston University and JP Morgan found that SMEs who simplify operations during crisis outperform those who add complexity by 40%. I know what you’re thinking though, it’s crazy talk to say you can build that muscle during the crisis. I don’t mean that.
World class basics under pressure means having practiced the boring stuff so much it’s automatic. Your team shouldn’t think about how to handle an angry client or a supply crisis - there should be standard operating procedures in place to deal and triage, with clear escalation routes. I can also appreciate if you’re a small firm, you’ll have to gather a few battle scars first before you get to this place. Just keep in the back of your mind when this happens “Never waste a good crisis” (Winston Churchill).
4. Make Others Look Good
McKinsey found that SMEs with strong internal handover processes are 3x more likely to scale successfully. It’s not about systems - it’s about giving a shit about your colleagues’ success.
World class basics here means: brief properly, provide context, flag issues early. That client quirk you know about? Document it. That supplier who needs chasing? Set the reminder. Your job isn’t done when you’ve done your bit - it’s done when the next person can do theirs.
5. Start On Time, Finish With Actions
The London School of Economics found that UK SMEs with basic management practices such as meetings that have clear agendas and tracked actions - are more productive than those without. Obvious right?
Every meeting should have three basics: what’s the agenda, start and finish on time, and leave with a clear understanding of who’s doing what by when. This works not because of the meetings – but because everyone knew what they are supposed to be doing. This basic requirement is critical to dependable execution.
The Psychology Bit That Everyone Ignores
Harvard Professor, Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety shows that SMEs with high-trust environments are more likely to report problems early. But here’s the kicker - psychological safety without accountability is just a soft mushy mess.
World class basics means both: The safety to say “I’ve messed up” AND the accountability to fix it.
Your World Class Basics Checklist
Promise tracking: Say it, do it, or flag it early
Role clarity: Everyone knows who is let down if they don’t deliver
Pressure drills: Practice the crisis before it arrives
Handover excellence: Next person can succeed without asking questions
Meeting discipline: Start on time, end with actions, follow up always
Fast feedback: Issues raised same day, not same month
The Reality Check
Most SMEs think they need innovation, disruption, transformation. Perhaps. But first you need everyone doing their job properly, every time, especially when it’s hard. And that comes from someone who makes a living in the world of strategy, innovation and transformation (me … that’s me).
The boring stuff is boring for a reason - it works. When your quotes go out same day. Customer complaints get handled immediately. Teams know what they’re doing. Doing the simple things so well they become your superpower. And yes, it can be repetitive and boring. But that’s precisely why it works.
What’s your take? I’m always interested to know how you’re dealing with this where you work.