With the eyes of the world on Paris, France, for the 33rd Olympiad, which events are you looking forward to? Do you know that the surfing competition will take place 9,770 miles away from Paris in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, an island in French Polynesia? In the spirit of previous leadership series here on my blog, I've asked 17 leadership and marketing experts to respond to five questions with the hope that both the questions and answers lead you to think about the Olympics in new and interesting ways.
For today's post, I'd like to introduce Shep Hyken. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Shep is a customer service/customer experience expert, award-winning keynote speaker, researcher, and New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. As the Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations, Shep helps his clients create amazing experiences for their customers and employees.
Before we begin, here are my two favorite quotes about the Olympics:
"In baseball and in business, there are three types of people. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened." ~Tommy Lasorda (Team USA Baseball Manager in 1984 and Olympic gold medalist)
"You have to believe in yourself when no one else does — that makes you a winner right there." ~Venus Williams (Team USA Tennis, 4-time Olympic gold medalist)
QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT do you most vividly recall, and why?
SHEP HYKEN: I remember when the US Olympic hockey team won the Gold in 1980 - and even more exciting, won their game in the semi-finals against Russia, who was a four-time defending champion and the favored team to go all the way. I've always been a hockey fan, since the St. Louis Blues became part of the NHL in 1967, when I was VERY young. I was with friends at a hotel in Colorado that weekend. While we cheered the US team as they won, I had no idea just how big the game was. Back then, the team was mostly amateur players. Only a few had minor league experience. Today, the top professionals in the sport participate in the Olympics. It's a different "contest." I still remember the feelings of jubilation and excitement when the US team won. Little did I know, that Sports Illustrated would name what is referred to as "The Miracle On Ice" as the top sports moment of the 20th century.
QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT OR EVENT stands out due to EITHER a lack of OR evidence of LEADERSHIP?
SHEP HYKEN: As my favorite Olympic moment was the "Miracle On Ice," it should surprise you that I'm a fan of the US coach that year, Herb Brooks. While the movie ("Miracle On Ice"), was a dramatic depiction of Coach Brooks and his coaching style, there was a lot of truth to it. I know a number of players that played for Herb. After beating the Russians in the semi-finals, the US team still had to play for the Gold. They did, and they won. The "big game" was against the Russians. Often in sports, after winning a big game, teams lose their next game. It took a lot of mental effort to play on to win the next day. Everyone had their part to play, and the coach had to make sure that the words he shared in the locker room found their way to the ice during the game.
QUESTION: What Olympic SPORT demonstrates effective and/or inspirational leadership?
SHEP HYKEN: All Olympic sports represent effective leadership. These athletes are performing at the highest level. They need to feed off of each other's energy. They need motivation and direction from their coaches. Regardless of an individual sport or a team sport, they all represent a level of leadership we can admire and learn from.
SHARE THIS: All Olympic sports represent a level of leadership we can admire and learn from. ~@hyken #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog
QUESTION: What is an important BUSINESS LESSON we can learn from the Olympics?
SHEP HYKEN: If an athlete does their best, yet still doesn't win, that doesn't mean that they were a failure. If we draw the parallel between that scenario and business, you'll find salespeople that put their best proposal together, and still may not get the business. Or the customer service representative that does everything they have been taught to do (and sometimes more), and still don't make their customer happy.
The key is to do your best - every day. Show up to work, just as an athlete shows up to compete, planning to give your very best effort. Try to be better than yesterday, every day. It doesn't matter if you are or aren't. If you have that kind of work ethic, nobody can fault you for delivering anything less than your best.
QUESTION: If YOU competed in the Olympics, which sport would you choose, and why?
SHEP HYKEN: Going back to my original answer about "The Miracle On Ice," I would love to play hockey. I still play three to four times a week. Hockey is a hobby, a passion, and a major part of my life.
My gratitude to Shep for sharing his leadership insights and for being a part of my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries.
Image Credit: Samantha Gades via Unsplash.
Read more about the Miracle on Ice:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice
Connect with Shep at these links:
Website: https://www.Hyken.com
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Hyken
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shephyken
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shephyken
Check out Shep's previous appearances here on my blog:
FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Shep Hyken (October 2023)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/10/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring.html
Does Your Brand Walk in Your Customer's Shoes? (May 2019)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2019/05/does-your-brand-walk-in-your-customers.html
Summer Reading Recap: Business and Fiction (August 2018)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/08/summer-reading-recap-business-and.html
Who Does Your Brand Talk to in Social Media? (May 2014)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/05/who-does-your-brand-talk-to-in-social.html
How Does Your Business Create Social Media Circles? (April 2014)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/04/how-does-your-business-create-social.html
Customer Service vs. Customer Experience: Does Your Business Know the Difference? (February 2014)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/02/customer-service-vs-customer-experience.html
Customer Service vs. Lost Business (October 2013)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2013/10/customer-service-vs-lost-business.html
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