Sports coaches and managers have known about this forever.
The rest of us come to it later maybe. But it's a fundamental and important thing to consider.
It was Callum (my 17-year-old son), who gave me the idea for this blog after he had watched the Arsenal vs Atletico Bilbao game in the Champions League this week, and then we had talked about it at breakfast in the morning.
Arsenal were struggling to break down a dogged defence with their best starting 11, which they thought would be able to do the job.
And so, in 70 minutes, substituted 2 frontline players off and 2 on. Martinelli and Trossard come onto the pitch and immediately Trossard provides an assist for Martinelli to score.
Different perspective, different angle, different view.
Someone who had watched the situation from the outside and was able to come in and add something different.
Ironically, slightly later in the game, the tables turned and Martinelli, the substitute provided for Trossard for him to score. And so, the two changes provided 2 goals and 3 points in a hugely significant game.
The metaphor is clear, isn't it?
Sometimes we are so stuck in the moment or stuck in the project that it is essential to bring in a fresh pair of eyes. Sometimes it's so important to substitute a key member of the team. At other times, it's critically important to substitute ourselves.
Knowing when to do that and having the courage to do it, allows us to move forwards in a better, more effective, faster way.
Blog Post Number - 4230