Five mistakes teams make in round one
The avoidable slips that quietly cost places before the semi-finals even begin.
Most teams do not lose their place through one bad call — they lose it through a handful of small, repeatable mistakes. Here are the five we see most, and the fix for each.
1. Hiding in cash
Sitting on money to protect an early lead runs straight into the Windfall Tax. Keep a reason for every pound you are not investing.
2. Over-trading the Active book
Reacting to every wobble racks up costs and locks in losses. Trade because your view changed, not because the screen did.
3. Owning nothing you can explain
If no one on the team can say what a company does in a sentence, it is a guess, not a holding. Cut it.
4. Forgetting the Strategic book
The patient portfolio is easy to ignore — and it is often where the challenge is quietly won or lost. Give it real thought.
5. Never reviewing
Ten minutes a week asking “what worked and why?” beats any tip. The teams that climb are the ones that learn out loud.
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