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 Simon Porter. I met Simon back in 2014, when we were both members of the IBM Midsize Insider blog community. Based in London, England, Simon is a multicultural leader and business builder who is passionate about the workforce of the future. He has broad experience in all aspects of channels, marketing, sales, and deal making; and is a leading influencer in cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things - enabling businesses to adapt to disruption. And he will be in attendance at the Paris Olympics!
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?
SIMON PORTER: The London Olympics opening ceremony in 2012 with what appeared to be the Queen jumping out of a helicopter plus a history of the UK’s achievements made me proud to be British - and the event was a reminder of how broad the Olympics is, that it is not just about elite professional sports but a culture and movement.
SHARE THIS: The Olympics is not just about elite professional sports but a culture and movement. ~Simon Porter #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog
QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT OR EVENT stands out due to EITHER a lack of OR evidence of LEADERSHIP?
SIMON PORTER: To bring any of the Summer or Winter Olympics to fruition is an amazing example of leadership. The London Olympics was a great example by Sebastian Coe to regenerate an area of East London into what remains even now an area of continuing sports activity for the wider public with a legacy of fantastic venues.
QUESTION: What Olympic SPORT demonstrates effective and/or inspirational leadership?
SIMON PORTER: I rowed at school and know how physically challenging the sport is - even more so to get the maximum out of each crew member in such trying circumstances. To lead a crew and to do this at five successive games in the way that Steve Redgrave did is awe-inspiring.
QUESTION: What is an important BUSINESS LESSON we can learn from the Olympics?
SIMON PORTER: Training, commitment, and perseverance lead to success.
QUESTION: If YOU competed in the Olympics, which sport would you choose, and why?
SIMON PORTER: I was a white water canoe fanatic at university so would love to be at a standard to be able to compete at the Olympics in canoe slalom. I chose this partially due to my passion for the sport but mainly because it is so important in my opinion to continue having the Olympics as a beacon for the broadest range of sports - and not just the professional sports that are seen on TV every day of the week.
My gratitude to Simon for sharing his leadership insights and for being a part of my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries.
Image Credit: BBC.
Read more about the memorable Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics:
How Queen Elizabeth II Ensured Famous James Bond Scene Was Authentic (Newsweek)
Queen Elizabeth's famous James Bond scene for 2012 London Olympics was 'incredible', says Daniel Craig (Scottish Daily Express)
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/celebrity-news/queen-elizabeths-famous-scene-james-27962459
Connect with Simon at these links:
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simonlporter
Twitter/X: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simonlporter
Details about the IBM Midsize Insider blog program:
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/how-influencers-have-ignited-ibms-content-marketing/
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