What does a top athlete need to be really successful? What does his trainer contribute? And what does all that have to do with the leadership of a team in companies?
Yesterday it was a pleasure for me to meet a former professional tennis trainer; this meeting made me realize a few exciting analogies between the trainig of top athletes and the leadership work in companies, which I would like to share with you.
How does the top athlete achieve his result?
- The top athlete has a good coach.
- The training plan must be adjusted to the particular athlete. What is the individually best training rhythm? When does an athlete need breaks (… for the greatest development happens in the breaks …)? For how long? Which times of the day are best suitable for which training work (… e.g. technique exercises rather in the morning, since they demand highest concentration …)?
- The athlete lets himself be inspired and carried away by his trainer.
- The athlete knows that his trainer keeps up and strengthens his motivation (… and every sportsman or –woman is motivated by different things…).
- The trainer adopts his style of communication to his sportsman or –woman to achieve the best possible result. Direct criticism may result in stimulus in some of them, in others it may be experienced as hampering and may result in deterioration of achievement.
My experience tells me that these factors are identical with the skills of a successful leader. What are your experiences? How do you lead your team members to achieve top results?
