Leadership and Sports

Sports has never been my forte - but has been a passion for me. I am a keen follower of sports from both the armchair and also keen competitor in my hobby sports - golf and running among the key ones. I strongly believe that sports people who succeed in their discipline and interest has what it takes to be successful in other aspects of their life purely because they have the passion to win.

Competing in sports teaches us how to win and lose. In every competition, there is only one winner. The sportsperson who goes home with the trophy, the cash, the title. No one remembers the runner ups or the participants. Yet, unlike life events which sometimes hinges on uncertainty and also arbitrary judgement of victory, competitive sportspersons compete to win. And in every competition, with one winner, there are many losers. Learning how to lose means knowing there is always one place better we can do the next time. And when you are there, there is always the one you cannot win, the element of time, name or history.

The greatest aspect of sports is the arena of camaraderie. In all the races I've ran in since I took up competitive running again, I have never been so comfortable to see all races, age, religion and the regular smile when we meet on the road and the camaraderie amongst friends after races. I suppose the adrenaline of sports enables the participants to have a "high" all the time, a positive high and one which transcends barriers.

The final and most important aspect of competitive sports is discipline. This is by far the most under-rated area for the athlete or sports person. Whilst there is always the motivation of money or reward at the end of competitive sports, the majority of us indulge in casual competition or non-victorious sports. And yet, we continue to strive to train, and practice for wanting to be more skilled or successful the next time around. And regardless of level or age, the victor is the one who is most disciplined to train and help himself or herself. Discipline is the science to achieve excellence in anything we do.

Leaders of organisations take note, ensure the people you hire has not only a mix of excellence and social interest in sports, but your organisation has the environment to encourage and enable the employees to participate in ongoing sports events. There is no better platform for the foundation of leadership and the recognition of the leaders who excel in sports.