“Our head coach communicates too much - said no one ever! :)”

the secret of the magical calendar

Prologue: The Age of Disorder

Long ago in the Kingdom of Chronia, there were two cities: Orderville and Chaosburg. Despite their proximity, these cities had very different ways of managing their time, and their stories offer a timeless lesson on the importance of calendars for organizations.

Orderville: The City of Precision

Orderville was known throughout the land for its meticulous organization and smooth operation. The city was ruled by King Alaric, a wise and forward-thinking leader. King Alaric’s most trusted advisors were the Scribes of Time, experts who created and maintained detailed calendars for the city’s needs.

Every aspect of life in Orderville was scheduled with care:

Meetings: The Scribes of Time planned all council meetings, ensuring that leaders and officials could collaborate effectively.
Festivals: The Scribes scheduled celebrations and public events, making sure everyone could participate.
Trade: The city’s merchants used the calendars to plan their transactions, trade routes, and stock management.
Education: Schools followed strict schedules for classes, ensuring students learned in a well-organized environment.

Thanks to their careful planning, Orderville flourished. The people lived in harmony, trade thrived, and the city was known for its prosperity and joy.

Chaosburg: The City of Confusion

In stark contrast, Chaosburg was a city where time was a loose concept. The ruler, Queen Seraphina, had a different approach—she believed that strict schedules stifled creativity and preferred to let things happen as they would. There were no formal calendars, and tasks were often decided on a whim.

In Chaosburg:

Meetings: Important meetings were frequently missed or rescheduled, leading to confusion and delay.
Festivals: Festivals were poorly organized, with many people missing out because they didn’t know when or where the events were happening.
Trade: Merchants often missed opportunities because they couldn’t coordinate schedules with other traders.
Education: Students had inconsistent class schedules, which made learning difficult and inefficient.

Chaosburg suffered as a result. Their trade was disorganized, their festivals lacked enthusiasm, and their citizens felt frustrated by the lack of order in their daily lives.

The Great Trade Opportunity

One day, an opportunity arose for the two cities to collaborate on a grand trade agreement that could benefit both of them. A rare and valuable resource, the Eclipse Stone, was available in a neighboring kingdom. The deal required precise timing and coordination to be successful.

King Alaric of Orderville saw the potential for prosperity and reached out to Queen Seraphina with a proposal. The idea was to combine Orderville’s organizational skills with Chaosburg’s resources to obtain the Eclipse Stone.

The Meeting of Minds

King Alaric and Queen Seraphina met at the border of their cities. Alaric presented a detailed schedule for the trade mission, outlining every step from negotiating with the neighboring kingdom to transporting the Eclipse Stone.

Queen Seraphina was impressed by the thorough plan but skeptical. “We’ve always done things spontaneously in Chaosburg,” she said. “Do you really think a calendar can make that much of a difference?”

King Alaric replied calmly, “A well-structured plan can turn chaos into order. Let me show you…”

Years ago, I came across a quote from former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan that resonated with me: "Give your coaches a calendar. Their wives do not want a surprise day off. If you give them a Friday off, let them have it on a calendar so they can plan some family time."

For any organization's head coach or leader, it's important to give your people a clear plan for the future. Providing a calendar ensures that they are not caught off guard or left wondering what's happening. It's not only professional but also considerate, and your employees' families will appreciate it!