The Olympics and Leadership

What did the Olympic Games in London teach us about team leadership and the importance of maintaining strong leadership through business coaching in order to be successful? Plenty! The Summer Olympics captivated millions around the world, as teams competed for the prized gold medals. Take a hard look at the teams and individuals who competed in your favorite events. Olympic competitors are among the top athletes in the world, yet they didn’t get to compete in the Olympics just because they were the top in their sport. Each of the tremendously talented athletes had to rely on the hard work of a strong team leadership with a common, focused goal, working together to make it to the top.

As in the Olympics, leadership teams in business need to have a shared vision and shared goals for the organization which can be taught by a business coach. As taught in business coaching, true team leaders have clear accountabilities and take initiative over their departments, while also remaining open and honest about all issues within the business.

Having effective leadership doesn’t just mean that one person is in charge. Even the television coverage of the Olympics shows that it takes much more than just a coach and an athlete to get to the games, as we see when the camera cuts to the family, friends, training assistants and others who have helped the Olympic stars get to where they are today. Getting to the top requires a strong support system that offers encouragement, while also providing effective team leadership and the drive to move the team toward the shared vision, and ultimately, the gold.

Can the leadership team in your business win you the gold? Have you selected the right people for your leadership team? If not, it may be time to start looking within your company or even outside of it to find the right leaders. Take your time and choose your leaders wisely and once you’ve got the right people the right seats, let them take off toward the finish line and move your business to the top of its game.