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The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are considered by most as the best even seen. Something that is probably said every 4 years, and if as a French I am glad, I imagine that the LA 2028 will crave for the same title.

The Olympic Games have long been a symbol of peak human performance – athletes pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in all possible sports.

As a coach, manager, sports fanatic and former football coach I learnt a lot from this event and I believe that there are many lessons for business leaders that can be taken.

From the discipline of training to the importance of mental strength, the Olympics offer insights into leadership that can help business professionals elevate their game, just like an Olympian.

 

1. Chasing Excellence: The Relentless Drive to Improve

Olympic athletes dedicate their entire lives to mastering their sport. Every day is focused on becoming just a little bit better – whether it’s shaving milliseconds off their sprint time or perfecting a gymnastics routine. This drive for continuous improvement is something business leaders can relate to, or should.

Just like athletes, great leaders should never stop learning.

If we look at what athletes do:

• constantly refine their skills,
• seek out new strategies, and
• adapt to stay ahead in a fast-moving world, using new methods or technologies. Who has seen Gabriel Dos Santos Araujo, the Brazilian swimmer who won the 200m paralympic ? without arms nor legs he invented a method of swimming inspired by dolphins.

This capacity of adaptation and improvement is key, both for athletes and business leaders.

The business landscape is always changing – new technologies, shifting markets, unexpected disruptions. To stay competitive, leaders must embrace the idea that growth is never done. They must see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and adapt.

 

2. It’s All About Teamwork

We often remember the big individual performances from the Olympics – Usain Bolt’s electrifying sprints or Simone Biles defying gravity. But there’s another part of the Games that’s equally inspiring: team events. Whether it’s relay races, synchronized diving, or basketball, Olympic teams rely on flawless collaboration, trust, and timing.

In business, teamwork is just as essential. No leader, no matter how brilliant, succeeds alone. The most successful leaders create teams where everyone plays to their strengths and works toward a common goal. They understand that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Team sport is often the discipline where we see an outsider getting amazing results, because the teamwork is greater than the addition of it individualities. And on the other hand, having the best players individually is never a guaranty of success without teamwork and winning spirit. The French Handball team has demonstrated that in Paris. Despite having most of the best players at nearly all the positions they had a terrible start, by not playing as a united team.

Great leaders know how to create the conditions of team spirit, so that everyone is aligned and flighting toward the same goal.

 

3. Bouncing Back: The Power of Resilience

If there’s one thing Olympians know, it’s how to bounce back from setbacks. Whether it’s a career-threatening injury, a devastating loss, or a disqualification, Olympians face intense adversity. But the ones who succeed are the ones who learn from those moments, use them as fuel, and come back stronger.

And I would add, it is also how to deal with success. The infamous “post Olympic depression” that Michael Phelps mentioned several times. The American swimmer, 23 times Gold medallist, openly talk about what he felt after his Olympics: “[You] work so hard for four years to get to that point, and then it’s like you’re…at the top of the mountain, you’re like what the hell am I supposed to do?”

And here is talking a winning one, how are doing those who are not ? How can they go back to training and push back again for the next 4 years?

Resilience is just as critical in leadership. No matter how well you plan, things will go wrong. Projects fail. Markets shift. Competitors rise. It’s how leaders respond to these challenges that sets them apart. The best leaders don’t crumble under pressure – they adjust, refocus, and keep moving forward.

 

4. Mental Preparation: Training Your Mind Like an Olympian

Physical strength and talent are, of course, vital to Olympic success, but what many don’t see is the incredible mental preparation athletes undergo. Olympic athletes work with mental coaches to build focus, confidence, and resilience to perform under pressure. They train their minds as much as their bodies.

If you have not had the chance to do so, go watch the interview of Leon Marchand, French swimmer, on how his mental coach helped him to become the fastest swimmer on earth. It is not about technique or physical supremacy (even though we agree he is superior than most of us here !) but about how you face adversity and the possibility of losing.

This is a huge area where business leaders can learn from athletes. Too often, we think leadership is just about strategy and decision-making. But the reality is that leading a team—especially through tough times – requires mental toughness and emotional intelligence.

Great leaders, like Olympic athletes, benefit from coaching, too. Executive coaches help leaders build self-awareness, manage stress, and develop the emotional resilience necessary to lead in high-pressure environments. Leaders who invest in their own mental fitness—whether through coaching, mindfulness, or other techniques – are better equipped to handle the chaos and uncertainty that often comes with leadership.

In the business world, mental preparation isn’t about psyching yourself up for a gold-medal moment. It’s about staying composed, making clear-headed decisions, and leading with empathy even when the stakes are high. Leaders who invest in their mental game will find that they’re not just more effective, but they’re also more capable of leading their teams through turbulent times.

 

5. Diversity and Inclusion: Strength in Differences

One of the most beautiful things about the Olympics is how they bring together people from all over the world. Different cultures, languages, and experiences come together, united by a common goal. It’s a celebration of diversity, and there’s a lesson in that for business leaders, too.

In today’s globalized world, the most successful businesses are those that embrace diversity – not just in the people they hire but in the ideas they welcome. Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives, challenge groupthink, and foster innovation. But diversity alone isn’t enough; inclusion is key. Leaders need to create environments where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to contribute.

A great example from the Olympics is the diversity you see in team sports, where athletes from different backgrounds work together to win. The same goes for business: the most innovative and successful teams are often the most diverse ones. Leaders who prioritize both diversity and inclusion not only create a more dynamic workplace but also set their teams up for long-term success.

 

6. Long-Term Vision: Planning for the Future

Olympians don’t just show up at the Games and expect to win. Years of careful planning, goal-setting, and execution go into those performances. Athletes set long-term goals and break them down into manageable steps – whether it’s qualifying for their national team or hitting specific training benchmarks.

Business leadership works the same way. Leaders must have a clear vision of where they want to take their organization, but they also need to break that vision into actionable steps. It’s about setting long-term goals and making steady progress toward them, even when the going gets tough.

Great leaders keep their eyes on the future but remain flexible enough to adapt when circumstances change. They are like Olympians studying their competition and adjusting their strategy mid-race. By combining a strong vision with adaptability, leaders can ensure that their organizations are prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.

 

Wrapping It Up

The Olympic Games aren’t just a spectacle of physical ability; they’re a showcase of human potential, mental toughness, and collaboration. For business leaders, the lessons from the Games are clear: strive for excellence, build strong teams, stay resilient in the face of adversity, prepare mentally, embrace diversity, plan for the long term, and lead with integrity.

By applying these lessons, leaders can inspire their teams, navigate challenges more effectively, and build a legacy of success – just like the Olympians who leave their mark on history. So, the next time you’re watching the Olympics, remember: those athletes aren’t just showing you how to run faster or jump higher – they’re teaching you how to lead better.

Nicolas Isch

October 2024

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If you want to know more about PeopleSmart and the services we offer reach out to us for a conversation: contact@peoplesmart.fr

After the COVID-19 pandemic, our conventional view of work and employers as central to employees’ sense of value has been challenged. Recognizing the crucial role of organizational belonging in maintaining employee morale, well-being, and productivity and supporting learning and growth, employers are increasingly prioritizing strategies to strengthen the sense of belonging among their workforce. As coaches we can aid implementing the strategies by helping our clients make meaning of their sense of ‘belonging’ and ‘not belonging’ to learn, plan actions, grow and thrive.

 

Why ‘belonging’ matters

People want to belong. Baumeister and Leary say it’s a basic human need for survival and protection. Neuroscience studies show that social interactions trigger the pleasure centres in our brains, while rejection activates pain-related neural pathways. I recall being invited to attend a workshop and joining a large group, where among other developments, the facilitator forgot to assign me to a breakout group. The omission lead to an awkward moment, and while I stayed cool and collected, the sense that it was a signal that I did not belong to the group, was a deeply somatic and physically painful experience.

Some theories suggest that belonging is important for reasons beyond survival, like pragmatic cooperation to achieve common goals or validating our self-concept,,. Social bonds can also reduce uncertainty about who we are, especially during times of uncertainty. This statement reminds me about the time of when I was transitioning from employment to self-employment. Joining a small, virtual group of Christian entrepreneurs, provided me not just with words of encouragement and a sense of shared experience, but also helped me develop a new identity among a group that welcomed me and rooted for me.

Waller, outlined criteria for workplace belonging, saying that feeling like you belong at work comes down to having quality social relationships that make individuals feel valued and validated. The criteria also include a perceived value within the organization, fulfilling growth, competence, and achievement needs, and fostering a sense of capability, credibility, and contribution to the organization. Furthermore, shared characteristics, like age, gender, ethnicity, and educational, professional or social background also play a role in fostering belonging. Pickett et al. highlight that belonging is about both fitting in and feeling unique, while Yakhlef points out that the physical workspace spaces and practices can also impact belonging. Joining the PeopleSmart consultants community resembles the notion for me – I met individuals who like me, relocated a number of times and lived and worked in countries not of their origin, who are passionate about learning and collaboration, while also unique in their professional and life pathways, personalities and approaches, welcoming uniqueness of each other in the network.

In essence, belonging at work is a multifaceted concept that significantly impacts individual experiences and organizational dynamics. It serves as a gateway to social learning, offering opportunities for observation, imitation, and experimentation, while also functioning as a mirror, reflecting not only external perceptions but also shaping our internal self-concept. By understanding the nuances of belonging and implementing strategies to promote inclusivity, organizations, coaches and consultants can create environments where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to contribute to collective goals.

 

The flip side: ‘not belonging’

While belonging fosters learning and development of a stable sense of self, its opposite, the Sense of Not Belonging (SoNB), represents a feeling of being an outsider or not fitting in, arising from perceived deficiencies in relationships or contributions. The sense of not belonging can be built on both subjective and objective perceptions of abilities and competence and can develop from various experiences, ranging from explicit rejection to implicit exclusion, profoundly impacting self-concept and emotional resilience. Waller’s comprehensive conceptualization of SoNB sheds light on its emotional, cognitive, and behavioural dimensions in the workplace. This perception not only undermines self-esteem and self-efficacy but also fuels an internal conflict as individuals attempt to reconcile their emotional responses with distorted perceptions of rejection with the picture of self they had been holding. This internal turmoil can hinder individuals’ ability to express their identities and fully engage in their roles. Factors like how central work is to someone’s identity and their life outside of work can further influence these feelings.

However, at times individuals may come to the conclusion that they are ready to step outside of a group, or that they no longer feel as if they belonged. They may realise that belonging comes with both benefits and costs and that professional and inner growth often involves breaking the boundaries of a group. While this can lead to guilt and feelings of disloyalty, it allows individuals to move to new terrains and gain new perspectives, responses, behaviours, and narratives. One needs to belong in groups to learn and grow by breaking from the groups. At times, the power of perceived non-belonging may lead individuals to a reflection on their values, needs and strengths and become intentional in their career and life choices, paradoxically unlocking the transformative potential inherent in every individual’s personal and professional journey.

Whenever my coaching clients mention they are ready for change or a new role but do not know what that would look like, I encourage them to venture out. I inquire about stepping outside of their “patch” and exploring what other “patches” are in the garden they occupy, or even outside of the garden boundaries, to see what emerges on the horizon. Through cross-functional projects, shadowing, interviews, attending training, or taking career breaks, one can break from a group and visit new groups, and in this way, a new sense of direction, purpose, and identity emerges for my clients.

 

Navigating the terrain: strategies for growth

Belonging involves experiencing entering or being stopped by group boundaries as well as group dynamics, but individuals aren’t powerless. Instead of just trying to fit in, people can actively shape their identities within the organization. This might involve adopting various constructive coping strategies such as seeking a way in which one can add value or reconciliation and integration of one’s experience, which involves reflection, new narrative and action. 

As consultants and coaches we can be incredibly helpful in this process. The experience of ‘belonging’ and ‘not belonging’  can often be emotionally charged and working with a coach, can help take a step back from the experience. A critically reflective conversation with a coach on the experience can lead to a new perspective, energy shift or renewed direction for action. A coach can also help one realised that they can contribute to building their sense of belong by developing relational skills, strengthening their sense of identity, and an appreciation for group social norms and values.  In our practice, as coaches we can guide clients through their inner reflections and interpersonal dynamics, helping them become better managers, professionals, and more intentional human beings. We also help clients adopt constructive coping strategies, fostering personal growth and resilience.

Navigating the complex dynamics of belonging and not belonging is key to professional and personal development. By embracing these complexities and leveraging  such development methods as coaching, psychometric assessments, and relationship-building training, organizations can support employees in becoming more self-aware and capable of thriving in their roles.

 

Diana Samulewicz, in memory of Michael Banks, who was meant to co-author this article.

July 2024

As a football coach for 12 years and a corporate project and people manager in the IT environment for 15 years, I learnt from both environments. They complemented each other, while I could re-use techniques from one with the other.  In this article, you will find some key insights and links between building a sports team and a corporate team.

Turn your group into a performing Team  

The main goal of a manager or a sports coach is to transform the team into a “performing team”: 

a group of individuals whose collaboration, and structure provides a better way to get results for the objectives they have fixed together than the simple sum of its elements.

Define your vision 👀

First, the ultimate aim in both environments is for your team to obtain results. The definition of “results” can differ. The first key here is to define what the expectations are. 

What is the vision? Where do you want your team to be in 6, 12, 24 months? What would be acceptable, great, amazing results?

In the sports environment, the objectives can be

• Ranking: I want us to finish on the podium, battle to stay in the same league or you to be in the top 100
• Figures: have a defined ratio of victories over losses, win all home games, etc..
• Style: to have the best defense, or the top number of goals, or the highest possession, or home runs, etc..
• Values: to have the fair-play title, the least number of suspensions, the most beautiful show, somewhere where people feel good or want to be part of, etc..

In the corporate world, you’ll find similar objectives. To build the best product of the market, win more clients, have a full-scale portfolio, be considered as a fun company to work for, etc…

You’ll notice that those objectives are SMART: 

• Specific, 
• Measurable, 
• Achievable, 
• Realistic 
• Time bound

There are other models to define objectives that you can find online.

SHARE those objectives with your team. Tell them where you want to bring them. Show them the way, that’s what is expected from a leader. If you can explain what your vision is, people will follow you and trust you.

Setup the structure

Once you clarified those objectives, the next step is to define the team boundaries and rules. How will we work and live together?   

In the sports industry, you often read that a player has been sanctioned because he was late for training or did not respect the “locker room rules”. This should be replicated in a corporate team, no matter the size. 

This structure provides protection and permission to your team. The 2 necessary elements for people to express their power and greatness as defined in the Transactional Analysis model (Eric Berne).

Protection because boundaries will ensure that they know what they are NOT allowed to do. As a leader, ensuring that those rules are followed will create the conditions of equality. Permission, because everything that is inside those boundaries is allowed, thus fosters creativity.

Personal example: in my first year as a football coach I defined a simple rule. for weekend games, I would pick priority players that were most present during week training. Sounds obvious but not necessarily at amateur level. 

First game of the season, everyone was surprised: our best player, captain, and striker, was on the bench for the first time ever in our history. 

Reason: the player in the starting 11 had been present at every training, not him. It was a shock for everyone, but no one was above the rules. Even the captain understood. By this simple decision, I had demonstrated that I cared most about the group than about individuals. The boundaries were set and respected. It helped me to get support from the whole team, the attendance grew and we made a great season!

Create the proper atmosphere

After setting rules, the next key element for team building is to bring people together. This is what Dr William Schutz* defines in it dimension of Inclusion. How much people feel that they are part of the team? That they “belong” to the group?

This concept is powerful, and is very much understood by sports coaches, whilst corporate managers often forget this. 

To get the most out of people, to engage them, and ensure they feel part of something bigger. Sports managers often refer to the “group feelings, the ambiance, the mood”.  This can be created by simple moments when they get to know each other. It can also be fostered by having elements of unity (clothes, equipment, etc..). The key here is to maintain them and repeat. If you spot that some elements feel excluded or rejected, act as soon as possible.

Another example of my sports team: we had our own way to say “hello”. A specific handshake that we taught to every new player.

WARNING⚠️: here I am not saying that everyone must be friends, this is rarely possible. The concept is to create an atmosphere, the conditions for every member of the group to feel that they are part of it. It will especially help in tough moments when the team must gather and face difficulties as one.

As a conclusion: 

In every sports industry, there are examples of teams that exceeded the expectations because they were “a team” rather than a group of great individuals, those are “performing teams”. The common points between those: 

• A vision provided by the leader to the group
• A structure with strong boundaries to foster creativity and greatness
• A sense of belonging

You can create the same in a corporate environment. Try it !

 

*William Schutz (1925-2002), American psychologist has introduced the theory of interpersonal relations called “Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientations” (FIRO). The theory explains that there are 3 dimensions that are sufficient and necessary to explain most human interactions: Inclusion, Control and Affection. Those dimensions have been used to assess group dynamics.

 

Nicolas Isch

May 2024

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If you want to know more about PeopleSmart and the services we offer reach out to us for a conversation: contact@peoplesmart.fr