Video Assistant Referees (VAR) are a new phenomena in the world of soccer. In a nutshell, it is bringing the game into the 21st century by allowing referees to look over incidents live by getting advice from a third party referee who can use videos and replays. This technology has been tried and trued in many sports, including football, ice hockey, rugby, and tennis, but yet it has struggled to break into the world's most popular sport effectively. The benefits to VAR definitely outweigh the negatives, so why is there such a backlash from the soccer community? In this post, I hope to use VAR as an example as to what can go wrong in a business when trying to implement change.
The first issue to be addressed is that this new technology can upset the current 'flow' of the game. Soccer is (theoretically) supposed to be a free flowing sport where the players dictate the tempo of the game. The referees are perceived as a bystander who is to use good judgment to allow play to continue where possible, and mistakes are allowed to happen as long as the play continues fluidly (such as allowing 'play on'). Now. Here comes VAR. A system where an off field referee is supposed to provide input on critical moments during the game. In live trials, this has taken up to a total of 6 minutes for the consultation and discussion between referees, and has changed the tempo of the game. The time does get added on at the end, but the flow at that moment is disrupted. I personally don't mind this disruption. Yes it can be annoying, waiting the extra 30 seconds for a decision, but I believe it to be worth the wait for a correct decision to be made. Ironically though, we are okay with a goalkeeper taking an extra few seconds to take his goal kick, or a player taking a bit longer to get up from a tackle. To me, these are more disruptive to the game than waiting for a result from upstairs. Now let's extrapolate this to a business setting. A majority of people hate changes to the way processes are done, especially when it comes to decision making. We want it to be on the terms we understand and are used to. Even if another step is added to confirm our results, this extra time make us loath the whole endeavour as our work 'flow' has been unexpectedly disrupted. However, it must be emphasized that change is a disrupting tool, and those involved must me on board with the process alterations, as it will make the transition significantly easier.
Secondly, VAR in the English Premier League is a real-time example of how grace periods are required when change is occurring. Yes there have been several hiccups with the implementation of it, but that has to be expected. It is cruelly naive to believe that a new system will work flawlessly for the first few times that it has been used. As mentioned earlier, the main complaint is that it disrupts flow by taking too long. In this weening period, I believe that it is more important to get the decisions correct in order to prove the system can work, rather than do it hastily with mixed outcomes. Trial periods are critical to long term success, and like most other processes, they can be improved over time. Again we will extrapolate this to a business setting, such as management changes. These are commonly referred to as 'growing pains'. In these timeframes there is often confusion about process changes, as methods to achieve solutions are trialled and tested. We must be patient in these times, as it is possible to disregard an important new facet of business, simply because it is different and requires some adjusting.
The final point I will be addressing is how communication is vital to success. One of the primary issues with VAR is that fans, coaches, and players don't know what or why a play is getting a second look. This has caused obvious disgruntlement from all parties and addressing these questions will prove vital to VAR's success. Like in tennis, giving supporters and athletes a look at to why a play is being reviewed will dramatically decrease confusion. In this instance, everyone can see whether or not a ball is inbounds due to a large replay of the shot on television, as well as on in-stadium jumbotrons. Extending this concern to business practice, it is important that during shifts the management team keep all relevant parties informed of what's happening, why it's happening, and what the potential outcomes may be. In doing so, decision making processes are more accepted and the outcomes can be predicted and come less unexpectedly.
Overall, I believe that VAR is going to benefit the sport. Although it now takes time to get the decisions analyzed, over time this timeframe will decreases and the correct calls will be made. In a game where scores are often so tight, and margins for error are so low, we must accept and embrace changes to improve the quality of decisions by the officials. Likewise, it is important to look at the primary issues surrounding this change, and see how the main concerns can be alleviated in a business setting. By addressing flow, grace periods, and communication, businesses can improve how changes are implemented and provide a smoother transition into the future.
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