Introducing the #OlympicsLeadershipSeries on #DebbieLaskeysBlog

I've been honored over the last year to feature two thought-provoking leadership series that welcomed nearly 50 marketing and leadership experts to my blog. These individuals participated in my #FallBacktoReadingSeries and #SpringLeadershipSeries, and, without a doubt, inspired me and my blog's readers.

With the Olympics upon us, I'd like to announce the launch of another series here on my blog, my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries. I have asked 17 experts to answer the five questions below, and since I've asked them, I decided to provide my answers to kick off the series. I hope this series provides some new ways to think about the Olympics as you watch the competitions.

So, each day as you watch the Olympics during the next two weeks, tune into #DebbieLaskeysBlog to learn how leadership aligns with the Olympics. At the conclusion of the Olympics, I will share series highlights on August 12th; a recap of the Paris Olympics competition on August 13th; and Five Business Lessons from the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 14th.

QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT do you most vividly recall, and why?
DEBBIE LASKEY: As with all winter Olympics, figure skating is a much anticipated sport, and 1980 was no different. However, despite being favorites to win a gold medal, American athletes and figure skaters Tai Babilonia (age 19) and her skating partner Randy Gardner (age 21) had to pull out of the competition at the last moment due to an injury to Gardner. This incident taught me at an early age that sometimes, even the best, most talented among us fall down or fail - but we should not give up on our dreams or working toward our goals.

QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT OR EVENT stands out as either lack of OR evidence of leadership?
DEBBIE LASKEY: I need only mention two names, and the story tells itself: Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. According to Wikipedia, "On January 6, 1994, an assailant used a police baton to strike Kerrigan on her landing knee; the attacker was hired by the ex-husband of her rival Tonya Harding. The attack injured Kerrigan, but she quickly recovered. Harding and Kerrigan both participated in the 1994 Winter Olympics, but after the Games, Harding was permanently banned from competitive figure skating. At the Olympics, Kerrigan won the silver medal in a controversial showdown with gold medal winner Oksana Baiul. She then started touring and performed with several ice skating troupes that included Champions on Ice and Broadway on Ice. In 2017, she was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars."

Despite the injury and ensuing media coverage, Nancy Kerrigan rose above the bizarre drama surrounding this incident to compete, win a medal, all while demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and inspiration. Without a doubt, those are admirable leadership qualities.

QUESTION: What Olympic SPORT demonstrates effective leadership?
DEBBIE LASKEY: Do you remember the film "Cool Runnings?" Do you know where it got its inspiration?

The Jamaica national bobsled team represents Jamaica in international bobsleding competitions. The men's four-men bobsled team debuted in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta. Jamaica returned to the Winter Olympics in the two-man bobsled in 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2014, and 2022. According to Wikipedia, "The team's underdog status as an unlikely competitor in a cold weather sport represented by a nation with a tropical environment quickly gained them popularity. They had little experience in the sport and had to appeal to other teams for basic equipment in order to compete; sporting camaraderie across national boundaries followed."

If something looks difficult or impossible, the Jamaican bobsled team proved that teamwork can lead to unexpected success!

SHARE THIS: The Jamaican bobsled team proved that teamwork can lead to unexpected success. ~@DebbieLaskeyMBA #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What is an important BUSINESS LESSON that we can learn from this international athletic event?
DEBBIE LASKEY: TEAMWORK: Even if an athlete doesn’t win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal, he/she/they is an Olympic athlete. For your business, even if an employee doesn’t make the biggest sale or develop the next iPad, they are still contributing in some way to the overall bottom line or working toward the same goal.

Here's a great example, thanks to Mark Herbert for sharing this story in his book, Managing Whole People, One Man's Journey:

A man went to a hospital in Texas because he wanted to meet a famous heart surgeon. As the man left the hospital, he met an elderly janitor who was mopping the floor. The man asked, "What do you do here at the hospital?" The elderly man replied, "Dr. DeBakey and I save lives together." The elderly man explained that Dr. DeBakey had told all employees that hospital infections kill more patients than disease, so while the elderly janitor was NOT a medical professional, he was doing HIS part to keep the hospital clean.

QUESTION: If YOU competed in the Olympics, which sport would you choose, and why?
DEBBIE LASKEY: I would choose CURLING because it's such an unusual sport and also MOGULS because they make all athletes look graceful. In addition, for moguls, a person is completely defined by his/her/their athletic ability - as a result of the ski pants, jacket, gloves, and head covering, the person's ethnicity/demographics are totally irrelevant. Athletes are judged solely by their ability, which is the entire point of the Olympic competition.

And a final reminder, as you watch the Olympics during the next two weeks, tune into #DebbieLaskeysBlog each day through August 14th. Enjoy the competition of the 33rd Olympiad!

For details about curling, check out this link:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/26/sport/curling-explainer-winter-olympics-beijing-2022-spt-intl/index.html

For details about moguls, check out these links:
https://www.skinewgen.com/what-are-moguls/
and
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-ski-moguls.html

SHARE THIS: Only five countries have participated in every Summer Olympic Games: Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece, and Switzerland. #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #FunFact #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credits: Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee, Sporting News, and Snowbrains.