Anyone who loves cricket knows just how important a great finisher can be! Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a perfect example – famous for his cool demeanour and incredible ability to wrap up games, even in the most nerve-racking moments. It's fascinating to note that not everyone sees it this way, as former player and coach Gautam Gambhir has even suggested that a game shouldn't depend on a single designated finisher. However, whether you agree or not, the idea of a “finisher” has grown to represent something much bigger than just one person's role in cricket. It embodies a valuable skill set that applies not only in sports but also in business, leadership, and many other areas where achieving results is crucial!
Embracing the essence of being a finisher goes beyond cricket or sports. In our daily lives, a finisher can be a dedicated individual who pays attention to the little details of a project or someone who lovingly finishes the leftovers to prevent waste. In the workplace, the finisher is the invaluable team member who ensures that a plan not only starts strong but also crosses the finish line successfully.
Planning and execution are essential; however, achieving a goal often requires that extra push or unique skill from someone who truly knows how to finish the job. This distinctive touch can transform an almost-complete plan into a successful outcome, especially when others may be uncertain. It is common for a finisher within a team to naturally assume a leadership role, assisting everyone in crossing the finish line together. Yet sometimes, the standout individual is a specialist who, despite not holding a formal leadership position, provides remarkable insight just when it is most needed. Regardless of their title, finishers are vital to any team or project. Their ability to unite people and address last-minute challenges helps ensure that tasks are completed, bringing success to the entire group!
Finishers typically exhibit a unique combination of qualities. They are inherently self-motivated, overflowing with confidence and conviction. This confidence is not merely superficial; it stems from genuine experience and a history of delivering results. True finishers possess the skills and a proven track record that demonstrate they can meet deadlines, see tasks through when others may give up, and manage crises with poise, even when the pressure is at its highest.
In simpler terms, a finisher on the field transforms the stress of a do-or-die moment into a focused intensity, steering clear of letting nerves take control. This mindset often leads to outstanding performance during key moments, while less composed competitors might falter. Coaches in team sports truly understand the importance of this role. One well-known international rugby coach even dubbed his substitutes “finishers,” emphasising their game-changing influence in the final stages.
Finishers play a vital role in the business world, even if their contributions appear somewhat different across various settings. For instance, in sales, the “closer” is essentially a finisher – the individual who adeptly transforms a promising lead into a signed deal through their dedicated efforts and skilled persuasion. In project teams, a finisher may be the project manager or a team member who expertly guides a complex project through its final stages, ensuring it doesn't stall or deviate from its goals at critical moments. What distinguishes these business finishers from mere task-doers is their unwavering focus on the ultimate outcome. Unlike someone who merely checks items off a list to tidy up their space, a true finisher is genuinely committed to ensuring that every action aligns with the broader mission and objectives of the organisation. They challenge assumptions, pose the important “what next?” questions, and refine processes to guarantee that the final result is achieved as smoothly and effectively as possible.
In many industries and fields, finishers play a crucial role in turning plans into tangible achievements. They are those remarkable individuals who transform good efforts into satisfying results, ensuring that nothing slips away at the last moment. Whether in technology or creative realms, this could be the dedicated engineer who resolves those final pesky bugs before a software launch, or the meticulous editor who adds the final touches and coherence to a film. These finishers help everyone stay focused on the objective, and their talent for keeping everyone's eyes on the prize aids in connecting an idea with its successful realisation.
In an era where nearly every organisation and team is driven by goals and key performance metrics, having a dependable finisher can be the crucial factor that keeps a project on track when initial plans face challenges. They adapt and find a way to get the job done, aligning the team’s efforts with the target outcome until it is achieved.
Living as a finisher certainly presents its own set of challenges! While the traits that render someone a reliable closer are admirable, they frequently come with the pressure to deliver consistently. In the realm of sports, this entails carrying the team's hopes in every crucial match, which can be a significant mental strain that demands exceptional resilience. Likewise, in the business realm, finishers may face slow periods between major projects or intense bursts of activity when they are not fully engaged. This downtime can sometimes incite restlessness or even result in internal team conflicts, but recognising these challenges is the first step to overcoming them!
When a company’s reward system concentrates solely on standard metrics and fails to recognise the individuals who contributed to achieving those goals, it can leave finishers feeling that their hard work has gone unappreciated. Over time, the lack of new challenges and recognition could dampen the spirits of even the most dedicated finishers, making it difficult for them to maintain their usual excellent performance. These skilled individuals thrive on fresh goals and exciting problems to solve; without these, they might start to feel stagnant or overwhelmed. That would be a significant loss, not just for them but also for the teams that depend on their essential skills during critical
moments.
Ultimately, having a finisher can be the special ingredient that transforms potential success into genuine success. One observer noted that if the world were populated only by imaginative starters and devoid of finishers, nothing would ever be fully realised or sustained for long. This highlights a simple truth: brilliant ideas and hard work are commendable, but they require someone to see things through to completion. Finishers do precisely that. They merge vision with action, strategy with determination, and pressure with performance. By doing so, they not only achieve exceptional results but also elevate those around them, demonstrating that regardless of how daunting the challenge, success is attainable. In any field, having a finisher on the team is often the key to achieving ultimate success, as they ensure the team’s journey culminates in a triumphant finale rather than an unfinished narrative.
(Steve Correa is an
Executive Coach and Author of The Indian Boss at
Work, Thinking Global,
Acting Indian.
Ronald D’Souza has
Corporate and Consulting Experience and mentors
new startups.)