Originally written and posted by Lauren Myrick, on Monday, January 6, 2014.
NFL. NHL. Erie Otters. NBA. Erie Bayhawks. NCAA Football. NCAA
Basketball. Soccer. Olympic Trials. Australian Open. 2014 Sochi Olympics. And so
much more!
Chances are, you’ve had (or will have) the opportunity to watch one or
more of the following athletic endeavors throughout the holidays or in the New
Year. Although temperatures drop
outside, competition heats up in the winter.
The next time an athletic event plays on a nearby TV, rather than
mindlessly watching or changing the channel, I challenge you to get curious!
Whether an individual or team sport, there is something to learn!
Study the event for 5 to 10
minutes. A few things to look for:
- How do the players interact with each other?
- How do the players interact with the coach?
- Are the fans (on-screen or in the room) positive or negative in their comments?
- What are the habits of the best players?
- What dynamic do the best teams have?
- What character traits or habits do athletes have on the best teams? Is there a mix?
- What do the top athletes do better?
- Who is on the sidelines/finish line to offer support?
- What teams do you like or follow? What draws you to them?
4 Take-aways
1.
Teamwork
– whether an individual or team sport, teamwork and support systems are the key
to achieving greatness. Successful teams
support each other in positive ways.
Both individual competitors and teams have a network of support to help
them succeed. No one rises to the top on
their own. This is true for sports,
movies & music (think of acceptance speeches), and especially business. Who helps you get the job done? Are you missing a key supporter? Is the support you HAVE the support you NEED?
2.
Dedication
– Practice, practice, practice. The best
athletes at the highest levels of competition generally put in more time than
their counterparts. Experts say 10,000
hours is required to achieve mastery.
High-achieving athletes often have that “thing” they are known for. They also know that a bad day or week is OK. And when they don’t feel like going for
gold? They rely on their support system
to keep them going. What one thing do
you want to be known for? What keeps you
inspired? When things aren’t going your
way, how do you turn it around?
3.
Learning
– Top athletes never stop learning. They
learn from success and failure; from new techniques to advice from former
champions; you’ll find them watching film (of themselves and competitors),
reviewing each move, on how they can be smarter, quicker, and more
powerful. Although we don’t have
instant-replay in the business world, we can certainly look at our day-to-day,
week-to-week, month-to-month, and the ever popular year-to-year practices to be
better. Learning in the business world
not only includes performance review, but reading, watching peers and leaders,
attending training, networking, and stretching ourselves.
4.
Knowing their
limits – Not only do top-performing athletes train harder, they train
smarter. They push their limits, but are
careful not to shatter them. To have a
long, successful career, they know short term sacrifices are sometimes required
to attain the long term win. Athletes
with constant injuries can be great, but seldom achieve superstar status. Plus, they miss out on doing what they
love. Do you have stretch goals? When is the last time you achieved a stretch
goal? Are you exhausted? Most days, do you feel excited and
energized? These are some key questions
you can use to gauge whether to dial it up or tone it down.
If you don’t have the answers to all these questions, now is a great
time to define them! What would help you
be your best self and perform your best?
What’s missing?
Watching sports can also help you to be more active! What other key points have you noticed? What is your experience competing? Has athletic competition helped your
professional growth? What events will
you watch this winter? Share below!
Additional resources:
Business Tips from Coach K’s (legendary Duke basketball coach)
playbook: http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/blog/2013/12/3-things-business-leaders-should-take.html?ana=twt&page=all
An article from London Business School on the
relationship between sports & business:
http://www.ceoforum.com.au/article-detail.cfm?cid=8288&t=/Julian-Birkinshaw-London-Business-School/Can-business-learn-from-sport
