The playoffs in the National Football League determined the two teams who will go to the Super Bowl. They also provided some good lessons for anyone in business.

In both football and business it's 20 percent inspiration, 80 percent perspiration and 9 percent luck. You say that doesn't add up? We've all seen two teams, or businesses, that put forth 100 percent effort and had entirely different results. Sometimes luck does play a role, but that's not my focus.

Teams that win do so because the players on the team each play their own position effectively - and don't attempt to play someone else's. On every play each player has a specific task to accomplish at a specific time. When they do that the play works and they gain yardage. It's the same in business.

Think of your favorite restaurant. From the moment you walk through the door, to ordering, to being served, to having dishes cleared, to getting the check and paying your bill, and finally leaving, each person on the staff has effectively played his or her part. And, many of the key players were unseen - the chef and kitchen staff were a key part of your experience. A good internet retailer like Amazon is similarly effective. When it works, they gain customers.

What we also saw in the playoffs was how important a leader is to the team's success. The quarterback has to play his position effectively and motivate the other players on the team to both play their positions well and play as a team. He celebrates their successes and encourages his team mates after failure. But, no matter how skilled the individual, the team can't succeed on his efforts alone. He must complete passes or hand off the ball to a running back to move forward. Without that yardage the team can't score. It's the same in business.

We've all seen highly skilled owners who create a successful business that just never seems to grow. It's often because they have trouble building a team and delegating responsibility - granting authority - to the members of that team. Without that team surrounding them, they are limited by what they can accomplish in a given day. Just as in a game, time could run out before they score.

In the end, it's really about vision. What's the point? Is it to win the Super Bowl or just win the next game? Is it to make this sale or win a customer for life? If you build a better team - a better organization - and then play to the best of your abilities, luck won't matter.