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 Anthony Gaenzle, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Anthony is VP, Strategy and Content at Synapse Marketing. Additionally, he works as a personal brand consultant for executives, business owners, and others through Gaenzle Marketing. He is a two-time published author and digital marketing influencer. He has helped brands both large and small grow and thrive across multiple industries through strategic marketing campaigns and leveraging a powerful network of influencers.
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?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: Michael Phelps winning over and over again the last two Summer Olympics was amazing to watch. We really enjoyed the drama that played out. We watched as a family, and that constant pursuit of greatness inspired us to watch and cheer on Phelps together as a family.
QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT OR EVENT stands out due to EITHER a lack of OR evidence of LEADERSHIP?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: 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. I think (hope), in the 2024 Olympics, that will be different. It seems like they are building another dream team, so if a leaders emerges, it should be great to watch.
QUESTION: What Olympic SPORT demonstrates effective and/or inspirational leadership?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I find gymnastics to be an interesting sport. While it's largely individual, even in the team events, the gymnasts exhibit leadership in stepping in to lift up their teammates when a routine doesn't go as planned. There are clear stars, but ultimately, the gymnasts work together as a team to combine for the win. The coaches, I feel, are great for guidance, and they are solid managers, but the leadership I truly see is in the interactions between the gymnasts, both in good and in bad moments.
SHARE THIS: There are clear stars in gymnastics, but ultimately, the gymnasts work together as a team to combine for the win. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog
QUESTION: What is an important BUSINESS LESSON we can learn from the Olympics?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I think 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.
QUESTION: If YOU competed in the Olympics, which sport would you choose, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: Basketball, hands down. It's just always been my favorite sport. So much drama. Wild point swings. Last second buzzer-beaters. You can't beat it. I'm a fan of most sports, but there's something special about basketball.
My gratitude to Anthony for sharing his leadership insights and for being a part of my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries.
Image Credit: Brgfx on Freepik.
Read more about the OLYMPICS SWITCH TO 2-YEAR ROTATION:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/10/15/winter-summer-olympics-switch-to-2-year-rotation/
Read more about the 1992 Olympics USA Basketball Dream Team:
Connect with Anthony at these links:
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Anthony-Gaenzle/e/B096WJ3DZ6/
Websites: https://www.gaenzlemarketing.com and https://www.synapseresults.com
Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/AnthonyGaenzle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonygaenzle
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonygaenzle
Check out Anthony's previous appearances here on my blog:
SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Anthony Gaenzle (April 2024)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2024/04/spring-leadership-series-featuring.html
The Importance of Branding (May 2022)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/05/the-importance-of-branding.html
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