The Morning Blend: It’s March Madness! What’s Your RPI?

It’s one of my favorite times of the year – the start of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament - March Madness!! I included the women’s tourney here on purpose – I’m a grad of the University of Tennessee, where the women’s program has garnered 8 National Championships and 15 SEC Championships under legendary Coach Pat Summitt – even the Vols home court has her name on it, not the men’s coach!

Almost as much as the start of the tournament, I love watching “championship week” before the Madness begins. The week prior to the “Big Dance” is when all the conference championship tournaments are played and all the smaller schools are fighting to make into the field. I watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament selection show every March, but for some reason this year’s edition caught my attention in a different way.

One of the most interesting aspects of the tournament selection process are the verbal battles between  the commentators  over which teams belong in the tourney, and which ones just didn’t do enough to get in. This year’s field is 68 teams, but there were many deep and emotional discussions about teams 69-75, and the “last four in” vs. the “first four out”. Regardless of which team makes it in, there is always an argument on the other side of the table for another one that was more deserving.

The criteria that mold into “Selection Sunday” are many and varied and involve both empirical data that is scrutinized and pick through thoroughly, plus what some experts call the “eye test” – how does a team look when they are playing – are they ”a tournament tough team.” Some of the factors considered include:

* the team’s number of wins and losses - not just how many, but also “quality” wins and “bad” losses

* the team’s national ranking

* the team’s RPI - relative power index (a mathematical formula applied to each team’s performance)

* the team’s perception and evaluation by members of the NCAA Selection Committee

Of the 68 teams that get in, 31 come from automatic berths for team’s that win their conference or season ending conference tournament. The remaining 37 slots are called “at large” and are decided upon by the selection committee. Basically, the committee considers all of the above criteria – essentially the team’s RESUME! - and then decide whether or not to invite them based on these factors.

An “at large” team is solely dependent upon it’s body of work (it’s resume), to get in the tourney. The job each at large team wants is to make the tourney – and they have to submit a resume of their work, their achievements, their aspirations, and more to be considered. The at large teams have an ”interview” of sorts with the selection committee – basically, strangers evaluate the work they have done for over 6 months and decide their fate. Each team hopes what they’ve done is impressive enough to garner them an invite. If it’s not, they don’t get the gig!

What’s your tournament resume? How many ”quality wins” do you have? Are you ready to explain the ”bad losses”on your resume? What’s your ”relative power index”? What’s your ”ranking” in the hiring manager’s mind? Knowing these answers will be the difference between you making the “Big Dance” or being left out altogether!

If I can help coach you and your “team” into the job tournament field, don’t hesitate to ask – that’s why I’m here. But, just like each game in the tournament, there’s a shot clock – you don’t have all day to decide to shoot or pass the ball. Take stock of where you are now and if your “team” isn’t tournament tough, find a professional to help you get your RPI as high as possible!!

Sincerely,

Brad Raney

brad@improveyourvowels.com

Brad Raney is a motivational speaker, life coach, author and sales trainer. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and sales management within the broadcast industry. Brad developed the VOWELS program in 2009 and the success it brought his sales team has spurred keynote speeches, workshops, seminars, a website, and his first book “Improve Your VOWELS, Improve Your Career!” which was released in July 2010.

Click here to order “Improve Your Vowels, Improve Your Career! The A, E, I, O, U’s of Finding Your Perfect Job!” — Available Now!

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