Game-Time Decision Making

About the Author

David Meltzer is a renowned entrepreneur and executive with over 25 years of experience in the legal, technology, sports, and entertainment industries. He is the CEO of Sports 1 Marketing, one of the world's most successful sports marketing firms. Meltzer has been recognized as "Sports Humanitarian of the Year" by Variety, highlighting his significant contributions and impact in the sports industry. His expertise and insights stem from years of working closely with some of the biggest names in sports, making him a trusted authority in the field of business strategies and decision-making.

Main Idea

Game-Time Decision Making by David Meltzer provides a comprehensive playbook for improving decision-making skills and building a championship-level business. Meltzer draws parallels between sports and business, emphasizing the importance of a superior decision-making process, building a diverse team, maintaining a positive mindset, and developing both offensive and defensive strategies. The book offers practical advice on how to position oneself for success, lead through change, and consistently make effective decisions.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Putting Together Your Roster by Building Yourself
3. Attracting the Right People to Our Team
4. Offensive/Defensive Mindset
5. Unconscious Competency
6. Creating a Leader’s Litany
7. Coaching Trees and Growth
8. Being Humble Enough to Ask for Help
9. Don’t Trip on the First-Down Chains Behind You
10. Zone Coverage: The Comfort, Learning, and Anxiety Zones
11. Faith Is a Two-Way Player
12. Go After Your Goals
13. The Offense and Defense of Branding
14. Finding a Frequency
15. Scoring Brand Points with Ask and Attract
16. The Offense and Defense of Marketing
17. The AAA Strategy: Alignment, Action, Adjustment
18. Make Yourself Equal, Make Yourself Better
19. The Offense and Defense of Communication
20. The Two Ways to Connect and Communicate

Introduction

In business, as in sports, success often hinges on split-second decisions made under pressure. Meltzer emphasizes that understanding oneself is as crucial as understanding the opponent. To achieve consistent success, one must develop a combination of awareness, conviction, core values, and the ability to detach emotions from outcomes. Consistent decision-making stems from a mindset that strives for greatness while embracing forgiveness for inevitable mistakes.

Putting Together Your Roster by Building Yourself

Great coaches need a strong team to lead. Meltzer advises that the foundation of building a successful team starts with building oneself. This involves having a firm grasp of personal values and resonating these values in relationships. Listening to others, filtering advice, and leveraging awareness are key components in improving decision-making.

Attracting the Right People to Our Team

To recruit the best players, it is essential to develop and maintain meaningful relationships. However, the most important relationship is with oneself. Building personal and team values such as gratitude, empathy, accountability, and effective communication is crucial. As Meltzer notes, "Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."