Each day during the 33rd Olympiad, I’ve had the honor of featuring an inspiring expert in my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries. Each day, either a leadership expert, a marketing expert, or a technology expert shared insights as to how leadership aligned with the Olympics. With the competition now history, it’s time for a series recap.
But first, make a note on your calendar to swing by my blog tomorrow on August 13th for a recap of the Paris 2024 Olympics competition and on August 14th for five business lessons from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
ERIC JACOBSON (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1988 – American swimmer Greg Louganis struck his head on the springboard during the preliminary rounds.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: American swimmer Michael Phelps earned 28 Olympic medals (23 Gold), was a five-time Olympian, and demonstrated leadership during and after his Olympic pursuits.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Any Olympic TEAM sport has the capacity to demonstrate effective and/or inspirational leadership.
Business lesson from Olympics: Several provided, here are two: fair play and respect for others.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Marathon Road Running.
JAMES STROCK (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1980 – the highly anticipated ice hockey confrontation of the United States and the Soviet Union.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: 1936 – the Summer Olympics in Berlin constituted the backdrop for extraordinary, extreme events of leadership, and leadership failure.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Whether competing in an individual capacity or as part of a team, effective and inspirational leadership is the foundation for superhuman endeavor.
Business lesson from Olympics: Dedication and focus; resilience amid failure; adaptability amid kaleidoscopic circumstances; individual self-control; the capacity to serve as part of a team; and a sense of being part of a larger enterprise and community that require tending to, sometimes at considerable personal cost.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Racewalking.
SIMON PORTER (UK)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 2012 – During the opening ceremony of the London Olympics with what appeared to be the Queen jumping out of a helicopter.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: To bring any of the Olympics to fruition is an amazing example of leadership.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Rowing.
Business lesson from Olympics: Training, commitment, and perseverance lead to success.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Canoe slalom.
MELANIE BELL (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1996 – Our ability to recall details is so tied to where we watch something like the Olympics, who we were watching with, and what stood out or not. I was with my family in Ireland, during the 1996 Olympics that took place in Atlanta, and we spent a lot of time in pubs watching the Olympics.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: 2016 – The debacle that has been dubbed "Lochtegate," when a group of American swimmers said they had been robbed at gunpoint while enjoying a night out in Rio – but they lied about what happened.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Every single moment! Every Olympic moment is so infused with inspiration. But if pressed to pick one, ice hockey.
Business lesson from Olympics: Watching the competition has to do with the emotional connection the Olympic brand has with its audience. I will gladly watch sports I've never played and don't follow simply because the athletes are the best of the best.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Synchronized swimming.
MIKE FOX (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1984 – Standing on the field at Dodger Stadium during the Gold Medal Presentation for baseball was a great moment for baseball fans around the world.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: Today, we see players from many countries in Major League Baseball, but few realize that the promotion of baseball around the world began in 1956, when Walter O'Malley took the Dodgers to Japan. Walter's son, Peter O'Malley, picked up the torch to promote baseball around the world.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Baseball because it takes 9 players to interact with a variety of skills to be able to play a game that, at any moment, the unknown can occur.
Business lesson from Olympics: Many countries depend on the Olympics to fund and promote their sports.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Baseball.
SHEP HYKEN (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1980 – when the US Olympic hockey team won the Gold in Lake Placid, New York.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: same event as above.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: All Olympic sports represent effective leadership.
Business lesson from Olympics: Do your best – every day.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Hockey.
AMANDA HAHN-PETERS (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: The Olympic Movement goes way beyond winning medals. In fact, there are 10,000+ athletes (as of 2021) who compete at the Summer Olympics and only 339 events to medal in. At its core, the three main values of Olympism are excellence, respect, and friendship.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: When two-time Olympian Simone Biles withdrew from the Women's Gymnastics team and individual all-around competition in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, citing mental health concerns, her decision to withdraw represented a courageous act of leadership.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Rowing.
Business lesson from Olympics: If you want to be successful, surround yourself with a great supporting team.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Gymnastics.
CLAUDIA VACCARONE (SWITZERLAND)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: Summer of 1980, the Olympic Games in Moscow: Italian high jumper Sara Simeoni won the Gold Medal affirming her previously set world record.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: The Olympic Committee sparked outrage in the summer of 2021 at the Tokyo Games after banning swim caps designed specifically for natural hair. The International Swimming Federation rejected an application to certify products from the Black-owned brand Soul Cap, which created inclusive swim caps for people with dreadlocks, afros, and other natural hairstyles. This was a dreadful mistake, failing to acknowledge the diversity of athletes in swimming, their right to comfort, and the importance of representation of all body/hair types, especially for young audiences worldwide! The ban was eventually lifted, and the caps are allowed today.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Volleyball.
Business lesson from Olympics: The Olympics are a reminder that the principles of dedication, teamwork, adaptability, and integrity are just as essential for achieving athletic greatness as for excelling in the competitive arena of business.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: I swim, bike, hike, and do stand up paddle and yoga regularly and would love to compete in any of those sports, in a category suitable to my age.
REBECCA HEROLD (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1988 – in a qualifying event for the springboard competition swimmer Greg Louganis hit the back of his head doing a dive with multiple backwards somersaults. His head was bleeding. A doctor quickly gave him stitches, and he continued when it was again his turn. Even with that disastrous first dive, he finished third in the qualifying round and returned the next day to win the gold medal. And then he went on to win another gold medal in the platform diving event! However, following this event, the world found out about that he was HIV positive – and he was harshly criticized for continuing on in the competition, and even participating at all..
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: Same event as above.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Weightlifting.
Business lesson from Olympics: It takes planning, practice, setting goals, and dedication for an athlete to win a medal…Business success also requires planning ahead, practicing necessary key skills, setting goals, and being dedicated to staying the course.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Race walking.
SUSAN FRIESEN (CANADA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 2010 Olympics in Vancouver (Canada): Sydney Crosby's overtime goal that beat the USA team in Hockey.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: 2020 Olympics – when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief had been turning a blind eye to doping and financial scandals, especially perpetrated by the Russians. The IOC has put revenues from TV and corporate sponsorships above the safety of the athletes.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Rowing.
Business lesson from Olympics: Like the Olympics and in business, the best leaders use conscious cues to shape their culture and act consistently.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Figure skating.
IAN GOLDING (UK)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (Spain): when Derek Redmond, the British 400m runner, suffered a hamstring injury in the 400m semi-final. Despite the pain, he continued the race limping, and with assistance from his father, managed to complete a full lap of the track.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: Team pursuit track cycling! I always think this is a great example of collective leadership – where a team of four professionals work together with a collective goal, supporting each other to the very end.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Any team sport at the Olympics is a great demonstration of inspirational leadership.
Business lesson from Olympics: One: Never give up! You have to have the resilience to keep going, whatever is being thrown at you. And two: To become an Olympic athlete takes years of hard work and dedication – success does not happen overnight!
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Field hockey.
ANTHONY GAENZLE (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: Michael Phelps winning over and over again the last two Summer Olympics was amazing to watch.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: When the US Olympic basketball team went from Dream Team to afterthought, it really showed a lack of leadership. There were no clear leaders on the team that helped the players gel nor inspired them to play hard. As a result, the US Olympic basketball team, despite continuing to send NBA stars, has been in decline.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Gymnastics.
Business lesson from Olympics: The Olympics, while still very popular, lost a bit of steam when they went to the every-other-year format. Staggering the Olympics with Winter one year and Summer two years later, despite individually maintaining the four years in-between dynamic, has resulted in "Olympics overload." That four-year build-up added a lot of anticipation by creating scarcity and a sense of urgency.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Basketball.
JERRY ANGRAVE (UK)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal (Canada): David Wilkie swimming the 200m Breaststroke.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: Led by Lord Seb Coe, the organization of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London stands out as a result of his bringing together all the sporting bodies, all the infrastructure, all the volunteers, and all the testing…that left an indelible legacy.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Any or all of them.
Business lesson from Olympics: Stay on the front foot and keep pushing. Have a plan but assume there is always at least one of your competitors who has put in a few more minutes training every day or has thought about the execution of their plan in a better way.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Swimming.
RUSSEL LOLACHER (CANADA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (Georgia, USA): I was glued to the TV for Donovan Bailey's historic 100m sprint. It was over before you knew it! Bailey ran the 100m in 9.84 seconds to become the fastest man alive to date. It was inspiring. It was a moment for Canadian sports to show what was possible. Canadians weren't just great at what we were expected to be great at. We could show the world another side of ourselves that they hadn't seen — with an exclamation mark!
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (Japan): What do you do when you are competing with a friend for the highest Olympic honor in your sport and you keep tying each other? Well, if you're Mutaz Barshim of Qatar, you ask to share it. After two-and-a-half hours of competition between Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi for gold, they posed a simple question and were granted it… The typical response to a tie is a "jump-off" until one wins gold, the other silver. But when Barshim asked to share, the official responded, "It's possible." Rather than forcing a competition that neither athlete wanted, the Olympics embraced sportsmanship, which is what the event is supposed to be about.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Ice hockey.
Business lesson from Olympics: It's a journey with many milestones and setbacks along the way… In business, it's no different. We are continually playing the long game in regard to building and fostering relationships, leveling up our skills, learning from our failures, crafting resiliency, establishing the right mindset, and more. Both Olympic and business journeys start with visions and missions, and both are long journeys to those hopeful realities, only possible based on the quality of their leadership.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Soccer (football everywhere else).
MICHAEL BRANDT (SWITZERLAND)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo (Yugoslavia at the time and now Bosnia and Herzegovina): the figure skating performance by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean to Maurice Ravel's Bolero. The British are generally not that great at winter sports, and figure skating was, at the time, dominated by the Soviet Union. So, the fact that Torvill and Dean won a gold medal was in itself spectacular. But the actual performance itself was flawless in its execution and remains, today, absolutely breathtaking to watch.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: The greatest lack of leadership in the Olympics surrounds the manner in which the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) initially dealt with doping issues.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: It's the spirit, unity, and leadership within teams that bring out the true essence of sportsmanship and success in the Olympics, rather than the sport itself. The Fijian Rugby 7’s team's journey to gold at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) is a perfect example. Their story is not just about just winning; it's about overcoming adversity, embodying national pride, and showcasing the power of collective effort and leadership.
Business lesson from Olympics: The Olympics demonstrates again and again the importance of building a strong team culture.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Sailing.
MARK C. CROWLEY (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled AND lack or clear leadership: I have two. First, at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, when Dick Fosbury decided to high jump by scaling the bar with a backward flop instead of the traditional scissors approach. This instantly taught me that existing paradigms can be changed and aren't set in stone. It obviously had an impact on me! And second, my dad was an older man when I was born. He was the Minnesota state champion in the pole vault and had hoped to make the 1936 team, but he got hurt and didn't qualify. However, he and a friend (who went on to become a judge on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals) stowed away on the US ship (set for the 1936 Olympics) from New York to Germany. My father saw Jesse Owens run under the gaze of Hitler. And, my father snuck into Hitler’s box and stole an Olympics flag. I had it hanging in my room as a kid.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: Gymnastics.
Business lesson from Olympics: That people from all countries and backgrounds can come together and be united by their sports — not ideologically at odds with one another. We surely need the Olympics for this.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Basketball.
ALLAN PRATT (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1992 – at the Barcelona Summer Olympics, the opening ceremony flame cauldron was lit by a flaming arrow.
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: Michael Phelps has become the face of the Olympics with his record-setting 28 medals (23 Gold).
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: The relay race including the passing of the baton demonstrates inspirational leadership.
Business lesson from Olympics: The "pass the baton" concept is a useful business lesson because good leaders delegate so that all employees can shine. If leaders don't pass the baton, or delegate, then no one can shine.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Swimming.
DEBBIE LASKEY (USA)
Olympic moment vividly recalled: 1980 – American figure skaters Tai and Randy had to pull out from competition at the last moment due to injury – but they were still heroes!
Olympic moment/event = lack or clear leadership: 1994 – American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by competitor Tonya Harding’s ex-husband and others – Kerrigan demonstrated leadership in an extremely difficult time.
Olympic sport demonstrates effective leadership: 1988 – Jamaican bobsled team.
Business lesson from Olympics: Teamwork.
Personal choice of sport if an Olympic athlete: Curling and moguls.
I hope you enjoyed this unconventional way to analyze Olympic history while simultaneously learning about the events and athletes that compete during this amazing event. Remember to visit my blog tomorrow and Wednesday for more Olympic-related stories, lessons, and highlights!
Image Credit: Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee.
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