5 Things Business Executives Can Learn From Olympians

Few things encapsulate the essence of success, hard work, perseverance and dedication quite like the Olympics. As a result, there is much to learn from the Olympic movement when it comes to business – with a motto like “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Faster, Higher, Stronger), the ethos of the Olympics is perfectly suited to the corporate world.

At Champions Olympic Speakers we have combined a list of five characteristics shared by both business and Olympics.

1. Teamwork

Nobody who makes the hallowed podium and carries a medal around their neck has reached that position on their own. Teams of people who brought together their individual skills, passions and experience and collaborated generously equally share in that moment of triumph. Likewise, lasting business performance comes from management that encourages leadership and teamwork at every level. Within your organisation, it is just as important to acknowledge individual strengths and contributions and to share the glory.

2. Desire

Becoming the best in the world at any chosen discipline is a long, hard road, and yet there is a passion and a drive that sits at the heart of every Olympian, due to their desire to reach their goals. Some make it and continue to work hard to break more records, some don’t make it but still continue to try. The observation here for business is that clarity and emotional strength are the keys to success, as well as caring about your end goal and having the physical and psychological strength to reach it.

3. Communication

With a workforce of about 210,000 as well as athletes and audiences from around the world, there were plenty of things at the Olympics that could, in theory, go wrong. Yet this potential problem was averted through clarity and consistency of communication. At the heart of every successful business, too, are leaders who hold dear the value of effective communication; not only with their workforce but also with their clients, prospective clients, service providers, even their competitors.

4. Preparation

For every Olympian, the walk to the starting point of their event is one of the hardest things they will do in their life. Years of culmination and hard work have led to this moment, during which they will put their skills to the ultimate test. However, Olympic athletes are perfectly placed for this moment, because they will be not only physically prepared but mentally and psychologically ready too. Preparation is key in business too – from delivering vitally important presentations to putting contingency plans in place.

5. Hard Work

It’s all well and good having the right mindset, the right preparation and the right people skills in place, but ultimately, you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and get down to some serious work if you are to succeed. Just like athletes will have to run dozens of miles every day, or carry out hundreds of javelin throws, or swim hundreds of lengths every week in a bid to get to the level where they can compete with the best in the world, so will you have to put plenty of hours in and just get down to, well, business. The more you put in, the more you get out.

Book an Olympic Speaker

To enquire about any of our Olympic speakers, or to check out our full selection of individuals with Games experience, contact Champions Olympic Speakers today by completing the online form or by telephone on 0207 1010 553.