Are you in Playoff Mode?

It’s playoffs time for the NBA and NHL. The “win or go home” nature of the playoffs means teams play with an intensity that makes these games more exciting to watch than your typical regular season game.

The NBA captures this idea in their new ad campaign, “Playoff Mode,” a two-word phrase that captures what took me 38 words to describe in my first paragraph! Playoff Mode is about giving all you’ve got when it matters most.

It’s a useful concept for those of us whose jobs include communicating (which is pretty much all of us). A typical day in our “regular season” may include a bunch of emails, a presentation to your team, maybe a Zoom call (or ten). Then there are the moments that matter more: a keynote at a big conference, a job interview, a product launch event.

It’s important to have a clear idea of what your “playoffs” are. Because knowing that enables you to do the work needed to be in Playoff Mode when the stakes are highest.

If your “playoffs” involve delivering a speech or crafting a strategically important message, I know a seasoned speechwriter, speaker coach, and creative strategist who can help!