I was in one of my many meetings when someone mentioned the word playbook.

Until that moment, it was a word I mostly associated with sports.

Immediately, scenes from Remember the Titans came to mind. A football team huddled together. Tension. Teamwork. Discussion. Debate. A shared understanding of what everyone was trying to accomplish.

But in this meeting, the word carried a completely different feeling.

It reminded me of being forced to read El Náufrago in high school—or, for those who know the movie better, Cast Awaywith Tom Hanks and Wilson.

In my opinion, it was a dreadful story. It felt like it dragged on without much purpose, except to show that people will latch onto almost anything to stay grounded.

That's exactly what the playbook felt like.

Wilson.

Something everyone kept referring to as though it already existed.

Something treated as real, even though it wasn't fully alive yet.

At this point, the corporate playbook wasn't really a playbook. It was still an idea.

A concept.

When I looked around the room, I caught one of my coworkers' eyes.

They had that unmistakable look of confusion.

I remember thinking,

"Ah... I'm not the only one."

The concept needed more depth.

He nodded as if he understood, but that immediate reaction told me something important.

Whenever people respond that way, it's worth paying attention.

There's usually more to uncover.