One of my favorite radio shows (does that make me sound like a Luddite or what?) is NPR’s Marketplace. Tonight’s episode featured a brief interview with Dan Ariely, author of the popular behavioral economics book Predictably Irrational. Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal discussed the notion of “clutch players” in the NBA with Ariely – the idea that there are key athletes on a team who have an innate ability to perform better in stressful situations.

I’d definitely encourage you to read/listen to the piece, but the gist is that Ariely found that clutch players do exist and tend to perform better in clutch situations – but it’s not for the reasons we might think.

Essentially, clutch players do score more points in the last five minutes of the game, but as an overall percentage of of scoring they’re no better in a clutch situation than in the rest of the game. They score more in clutch situations because they try more. It’s a perception thing – other people on the team think of the clutch players as their go-to guys, pass them the ball more, and thus give them more opportunities to score. And what’s more, we tend to remember the positive clutch performances better than the negative one (no one talks about the buzzer shot that Jordan missed in the game the night before he made his famous basket to win the NBA Championship, right?).

Communications Clutch Players

Are you a clutch player for your company or client? Do they view the PR or communications department as a go-to resource in difficult situations? If they do, you’ll essentially end up with more chances to “score points” and reinforce that notion. Think of the different clutch situations when communications counsel might be called upon:

• Develop internal messaging and talking points to help employees understand a tough business decision like layoffs or a divestiture
• Answer to the media during a crisis situation such as a product recall or facility emergency
• Create innovative campaign to build buzz around a new brand on a limited budget and timeline
• Coach an executive to prepare for a media interview with a difficult reporter or blogger

Clutch players score more points at the end of a game because they have more opportunities and they try more. Don’t be afraid to try a few risky plays now and then. Sure, some ideas may flop. But you need to show that you’re willing to take those shots and make a few of them so that your client or company will continue to pass you the ball. You’ll likely end up with a couple of game-winners. Fortunately, those are the plays that everyone remembers.