By Nnamdi Odumody
The beautiful game of soccer is one which entertains fans who pay to go and see their favorite stars showcase their talents. At the 1986 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Mexico, a young Diego Armando Maradona, the Argentine captain and playmaker, took the whole world by surprise, against England, when he dribbled past several opposition players to score a goal which was acclaimed as the best goal scored in the tournament, and consequently a man of the match performance. His statue was built at the stadium where he achieved that feat as the greatest footballer in the world then.
Ronaldo Luis Nazario, the legendary Brazilian striker scored a first half hat trick against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford, United’s home ground. He was applauded by the opposition fans for an extraordinary performance. In the 2004 2005 season La Liga El Clasico (match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid), Ronaldinho scored two goals and showcased skills which till this date hasn’t been matched by any footballer in a 3-0 victory which earned him an applause by Real Madrid fans.
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Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2017|2018 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match against Juventus, scored two goals, one an overhead kick that was adjudged the best goal of the competition, and earned an applause from the opposition fans which played a major part in his decision to move to Juventus after nine trophy laden seasons at Real Madrid. In the current Champions League season, he has also scored a hat trick against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League knockout return leg, at home, after trailing 2-0 away to make his team qualify for the quarterfinals which made Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer legend, to call him a wizard.
Lionel Messi, considered to be the greatest footballer of all time, due to his constant showcase of magical moments in football matches over the past 10 seasons, scored a wonder-goal never done before in his La Liga hat trick against Real Betis at their homeground, earning him an applause from the opposition fans and football lovers across the globe stating that he isn’t human, and probably the best football has ever seen.
All these legends delivered extraordinary performances beyond the expectation of their fans and opposition fans in crucial matches which earned them plaudits. As an intrapreneur, always strive to deliver extraordinary products and services to your company’s clientele beyond the expectations of your bosses and the customers themselves. Steve Jobs said that Apple doesn’t need to ask its customers what would they want it to produce for them, but will always deliver products that would be beyond their expectations. That philosophy is the secret behind the success of the game changing products from Apple’s stable: iPod, iTunes, Mac Book, iPhone, iPad, etc.
Steve Jobs, Apple Founder, was legendary for stimulating demand. He worked without surveys or focus groups. He was a genius, peerless in his generation. He saw an unborn future many years ago. He was an icon, who changed his world. He developed a good design paradigm of working at the perception of customers, beyond their needs and expectations. He found glory and Apple triumphed with iPod, iPhone, iPad and more.
When Elon Musk produced the first Tesla, he knew that due to climate change, electric vehicles were the automotive solutions for the future and worked on it till it became a success and reality. Today, all automotive manufacturers worldwide are shifting to electric vehicle production. Entrepreneurs should always deliver extraordinary and exceptional products which will surprise their customers beyond their expectations to the points of their perceptions.