Written by Mike Deming
We’ve all seen the reports that come out this time of year. Millions, maybe even billions of dollars in worker productivity are lost annually to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Could this be where the term “March Madness” actually comes from?
After experiencing 10+ years of this phenomenon, it has become increasingly clear what management needs to understand. The NCAA tournament is simply not a waste of time—it’s in fact an enormous benefit. As the unofficial “Director of Gambling,” the work time I spend scoring tournament brackets and neatly presenting the results on a daily basis using Microsoft Excel or Power Point is effectively honing my presentation skills and further developing my analytical mind.
By the time April rolls around and a new National Champion is crowned, I’m that much further ahead of the game and putting my advanced skill set to work for the benefit of our company, and our clients.
Throw in the obvious benefits of increased employee morale, team-building and the potential return on investment and the case in favor of “March Madness” gets even better.
And who knows, maybe that expense report I turn in every Monday morning in March citing “Professional Development” will finally be taken seriously. How much do you want to bet?
