7 Ways Wimbledon is the Secret to Your Leadership Success
Congratulations to the 2019 Wimbledon champions…Simona Halep and Novak Djokavic.
The analogies between sports and business are endless, and Wimbledon, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, is an ideal way to showcase some critical secrets to your leadership success.
Great leaders, like elite world-class athletes, are made not born. Greatness is a goal…it doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen by accident.
Just like training camps for athletes, Women ON Point provides leadership development and training for today’s top executives and high-potentials to get the Next Level. At Women ON Point we help leaders, at every level and in every industry, identify their leadership style and approach, the benefits, the opportunities, and the common characteristics that successful leaders share.
Here are the 7 Ways Wimbledon is the Secret to Your Leadership Success ( 7 “Ps”)…
- Passion – Roger, Rafa and Serena don’t need any more prize money, trophies or sponsorships. After all these years, they still play every game with passion, hunger and the desire to win. You can’t teach or coach passion, but passion will separate the champions from the contenders and will create a long successful career.
- Problem Solving – every tennis player brings a strategic game plan to compete against their opponent. Sometimes the A-game goes according to plan, but most times they need to pivot, to problem-solve and to find a new way to win. Your ability to think through problems and to implement innovative solutions will make or break your leadership.
- Pain – from sprains and strains to blisters and bandages, top players know how to play through pain. The same is true for top performs. The pain is that deep discomfort when you stretch yourself beyond your limits, when you deliver your first presentation in front of the executive team, or when you finally decide to open your own business. Feel the pain and get comfortable being uncomfortable.
- Pressure – managing winning expectations, match points and center courts is what makes a champion and keeps a champion on top. Staying calm under pressure and mastering your mindset and emotions is a game-changer in sports and in business. Leaders know how to rise to the occasion and operate at peak performance under pressure.
- Placement – hitting the ball with all your might is one thing, but “where” you place the ball is what will put you on top of the leader board. It’s the strategy, the soft touch, the finesse and the nuance of the game that allows you to get ahead. As a leader, the critical soft skills account for 85% of your overall success. The ability to influence, not force, others to follow you is what will put you on top of your leader board.
- Perseverance – top players don’t quit and never say die. They bounce back after a defeat, regroup and keep moving forward. They strengthen their resilience muscle and know-how to deal with adversity. The leaders that know how to work through challenges, overcome obstacles and manage stress are the ones that will be raising the trophy.
- Practice – players don’t just show up at Wimbledon and expect to win. They spend endless hours practicing their serve, backhand and a new drop shot so they can perform at their best. Great leaders are no different. They are life-long learners. They read, they invest in their professional development, they attend conferences, they hire executive coaches and they spend endless hours practicing so they can perform at their best.
