Bring the Juice

There was a lot of juice in the stadium when
a TD was celebrated with a Lambeau Leap.
(Throwback jersey game)
11/16/2014 dwm photo

  Covid-19 cleared out stadiums and arenas across the country forcing teams to play real games in an atmosphere that felt more like practice.

  There were pre-game warm-ups, but no cheering crowd.  

  Some stadiums had fireworks on the scoreboard instead of exploding in air.

  The lack of environment led to a new catch phrase, "We've gotta bring our own juice."

  The juice is adrenaline and energy that push performers to the next level.

Do you need the juice if you work alone at a desk?  I don't think you need it 24/7 to succeed, but whether you call it juice or being in the zone it's pretty important in the big moments of our days.

A firefighter working a 4-alarm fire better have the juice.  Someone trying to close a sale better be in the zone when they listen, speak, and interpret what the prospect is telling or not-telling them.

There are countless moments when our adrenaline charges us up - approaching a deadline, for example - but most often we need to work in the base camp where the juice hangs out waiting for a call.

For me, the best example of that base camp was while working in my first development job.  Each day when the boss walked in the door, he brought a positive attitude that set the tone for us as individuals and as a team.

It doesn't require acting as a cheerleader, but the leader (or person who wants to be) needs to be conscious of the vibe they give when they walk in the door, react to adversity, or celebrate.  That vibe needs to be genuine or colleagues will see right through it.

Bringing the juice to the office or the dinner table everyday doesn't discount bad things that happen in or out your four walls.  It creates an atmosphere where the problem or sorrow can be discussed with a focus on acknowledging the pain while seeking a solution (short or long-term).

Since it's unlikely everyone will bring the juice everyday; it is important to share yours when you have it.  When your glass is half-full, someone else will refill your cup.

A couple weeks ago I watched the Wisconsin Badgers play.  It was a tight game, tighter than expected given Wisconsin's ability compared to the opponent.  But the other team had the juice.  Players on the bench cheered loud for their teammates.  If there was a mistake, they clapped to encourage their friend to keep their head in the game and play hard.  

The team, Maryland, used the juice to build a lead and hold off Wisconsin as it scrambled to get back in the game.  When the Badgers lost, the coach and players acknowledged they didn't have the juice and it cost them.

Maybe we can learn something from the coronavirus - that to be our best we need to prepare and make sure we pack the juice so it's there when we need it.