Marcelo Bielsa, the famous Argentinian coach, used to say things that made you think. He didn't just talk about football; he talked about people, processes, and real transformation. That's why his story resonates so well with that of Trap-Ease America, a company with an innovative product that trapped mice without using violent methods like traditional traps, but which nevertheless failed to take off. Two different worlds—sports and business—united by the same lesson: success doesn't stem from a good idea, but from how it's led, taught, and learned.
Bielsa isn't a traditional coach. He is, above all, a strategist of profound change. His obsession isn't winning quickly, but teaching people how to think. He believes that true change is cultural and mental, not cosmetic. As a young man, he was a frustrated footballer, but he transformed that frustration into learning: he studied physiology for years to understand the human body and embraced effort as a core value. "Whatever you do, you have to be the best," his mother would tell him.
In his sports teams, he instilled the philosophy of "Perspiration first, inspiration later," he used to say. He bet on young players, changed mindsets before tactics, and achieved something deeper than a good result: he left behind an identity.
Something very different, yet similar, happened to Trap-Ease. Martha House was convinced she had the best mousetrap: safe, clean, reusable, and more humane. She won awards, appeared in magazines and on television programs. However, sales didn't follow. She had innovation, but no market. A product, but no understanding of the customer.
Herein lies the first great lesson shared with Bielsa: having talent or a great product guarantees nothing. Talent without training is useless. A product without understanding the customer is also useless. Trap-Ease fell in love with its solution, but not with the consumer's real problem. It assumed who its target audience was without validating it and didn't educate the market on how to use the product. In stores, the traps were displayed as decorative objects, not as practical solutions.
Bielsa employed a pedagogical leadership style. He didn't give orders without explaining. He edited short videos so each player could understand, reflect, and improve. He wasn't seeking blind obedience; he was seeking learning. And the same applies to companies: you can't launch a product, a strategy, or a change without first training people.
Another key point of convergence is the focus on the process. Bielsa was famous for saying that "success is deforming, and failure is formative." Don't chase immediate results; seek lasting transformations. Trap-Ease expected to sell millions in a short time. The anxiety over the outcome overshadowed the learning along the way.
There's also a powerful lesson about radical accountability. Bielsa publicly acknowledged his mistakes. He didn't blame the referee or his players. He taught by example. Without self-criticism, there is no improvement.
If you want to "teach" your customers how to use your product, provide tutorials, record videos, develop use cases, and create a fluid channel for consultation with them. I recommend creating a content blog where you can upload content and interact with your audience. Here's the link: www.avisajes.com
Finally, Bielsa reminds us of something essential: leadership is about combining high standards with restraint. It's about challenging without breaking. It's about nurturing while demanding. In teams and companies, people grow when they feel seen, respected, and challenged simultaneously.
Ultimately, the story of a coach and the story of a mousetrap teach us the same lesson: leadership isn't about imposing, it's about educating. It's not about blaming, it's about taking responsibility. It's not about chasing results, it's about building the process. Because, as Bielsa says, it's not about convincing, but about sharing a way of understanding life, and this lesson can also be applied to business.
