Business Success from an Athletic View

I have been a leader in my sports world since I was 16 years old. When I got my first leadership role in business, I found myself applying the same leadership approaches that I was familiar with from being a professional player, the team’s captain, and a basketball coach for years. And it worked! Watching this year Australian Open (AO) Tennis final has motivated me to write down my thoughts on what sport teaches us about life, leadership, and people management. The AO Women and Men single finals have put plenty of lessons on the table to pick up. Lots of emotions, mindset control, single-sided support, extraordinary performances, and of course, only one winner for each title.

Attitude worth more than skills – Having a positive mindset makes the difference in the final result. It’s not true that players or teams with better technical skills always win. Even the most talented players have to work hard on their mindset, attitude, and behavior to control their negative emotions and start winning games. In business as well, success depends on the right mindset. Like athletes, employees with positive attitudes avoid blaming others and focus on what needs to be done to achieve the desired result. Being humble to acknowledge and correct mistakes is the shortest route to excellence.

Competitive is not the opposite of nice – nor the opposite of teamwork. It is the opposite of unambitious. Being competitive is the first condition to win. Competition not only against others but, most of the time, with others. High performers compete against their own numbers and statistics, and they keep a record of their self-improvements. In sports, we learn to assist our teammates to succeed as a group. When we lose a round, we learn to respect the winner, review our mistakes, and come up with lessons learnt to increase our competitiveness. Though, before you win, you need to have the desire.

In business, the few people who describe an individual’s bad behavior as “being competitive” are getting it wrong. If you are a leader, you need to build a teamwork spirit among ambitious and competitive team members who continue to seek excellence in everything they do.

Having the right support matters– Any athlete can explain moments when the fans cheering get them energized to fight back. Personally, I remember on the first final we played as a basketball team, we were 8 points down, with 4 minutes left. Thousands of our fans started a harmonized cheering asking the team to give all that they have. I still remember the feeling I had at this particular moment. It felt like I suddenly got a superpower to run faster, fight harder and get the long-awaited championship. With 2 minutes left, we took back the lead for the first time in the game, and we got the championship from the team that dominated it for several years.

At work, team members who feel supported and appreciated by their managers exceed performance expectations, achieve better results, and show higher commitment compared to their colleagues who might feel less supported.

High achievers adapt to unplanned situations – practice is about getting used to different situations you may face during a match. It is also about building endurance and a variety of skills to be able to respond quickly to unplanned circumstances. When the legendary tennis player, Rafael Nadal, found himself two sets behind in the Australian Open final match, he was able to change the pace from long rallies that were in favor of his opponent Daniil Medvedev into a variety of netballs, spin shots, and short exchange rallies. This resulted in winning his 21st Grand Slam title after more than 5 hours of an incredible long match.

Agility is a famous recent trend in business. When understood and applied correctly, it gives the organization the flexibility to adapt and respond to sudden changes in an effective way.

Be conscious and set your own pace- planning to go full speed for the whole marathon is a plan to fail. We often fall under peer pressure or society’s expectation to accelerate fast in our career path. Sport teaches us that pacing is so important. Cyclists and long-distance runners spend most of their time building endurance at low to medium pace. When it is the right moment, they surge with extreme energy toward the finish line.

It works in business as well. Huge business deals rise after years of preparation, analysis, and research. Only when it is the right time do leaders surge into action to achieve the desired outcome.

Running too fast too early will consume your energy and force you to slow down in critical times.

I have to warn you, though, you need to have the confidence to stick to your plan when others seem to be moving at a higher pace.

Believe to achieve – In the second set of the AO women final, Ash Barty came back from four games down to winning the set. Athletes with a winner’s mindset have high self-confidence to come back and win. They believe in their ability, are certain of their capability, and are not threatened by a temporary drop in their performance. They don’t panic when things start to go wrong. Instead, they focus on improving their decision-making and play the game.

Great business leaders face tremendous challenges. They don’t panic. Instead, they stand out by their focused approach to tackling problems and confidence in finding solutions.

Visualization is a powerful technique, in both sport and business, to build your core beliefs.

When you absolutely believe in yourself and your ability to succeed, nothing will stop you – Brian Tracy

No one performs better under pressure – Some people have the courage and accountability to make decisions under pressure, and those are the ones who shine in times of crisis. Statistics, however, tell how athletes’ performance drops during matches compared to daily practice. It drops further in the matches that matter the most. Back to the AO men final, Nadal and Medvedev had a spectacular match. But statistics show huge fluctuation in their first serve quality, depending on the level of pressure each player was under at different times of the match.

Individuals might deliver faster when under pressure, but never better. We need to be careful of cutting corners and impacting quality when performing under pressure.

Multi-tasking reduces focus on the main task– Keep your focus on your game. Don’t argue with the referees. Mobiles are not allowed during practice, not even during breaks. And there are lots of other instructions to keep the focus of players on the most important context, their game.

It usually seems like we are working on several things in parallel. In reality, we are shifting our focus from one thing to another and not giving 100% attention to any of our tasks. It reduces productivity, impacts outcomes, and increases the probability of fatigue. Do I need to say that fatigue, poor sleep, and poor diet affect the game as well? Try to avoid them.

Success is the outcome of perseverance and resilience – Routine practice is not the easiest nor the most enjoyable part of sports. Losing matches after weeks of hard training can be devastating. But it is winning championships that matter in the end. Winners, individuals, and teams have the perseverance to practice over and over again, to improve their game. Impediments are learning experiences for them, and they use them as steps to reach higher levels of performance. Athletes know that you can only get better by practicing hard and being well prepared for each match.

Successful professionals consistently work on their personal development. They practice their role, each in their own way, and arrive at events well prepared. They look to failure as a step closer to success.

And last but not least, Humility, work ethics, and generosity are what inspire people around you– Including your opponent. Legend athletes like Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, and others have been respected by everyone inside and outside the court, including their opponents. Their work ethics made them cross-nations role models. They have had an influence on many individuals of all ages. Humility is the common attribute of the most inspiring leaders of all time, across borders, professions, and industries.