OLYMPICS LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Ian Golding

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 Ian Golding, based in Chester, England. Ian is a renowned Global Customer Experience Specialist. Having spent 17 years working in the corporate world, over the last 12 years, Ian has helped organizations in 60 countries understand how to operationalize the science of customer experience. He is also the first person authorized to teach the Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) accreditation. Ian's many articles and book "Customer What?" have been read by thousands of professionals around the world.

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?

IAN GOLDING: For me, it will always be the British 400m runner, Derek Redmond, at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (Spain). Derek 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.

QUESTION: What Olympic MOMENT OR EVENT stands out due to EITHER a lack of OR evidence of LEADERSHIP?

IAN GOLDING: 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.

QUESTION: What Olympic SPORT demonstrates effective and/or inspirational leadership?

IAN GOLDING: Any team sport at the Olympics is a great demonstration of inspirational leadership. As a Brit, I am always inspired by rowing – especially those who continue to compete in a team event at multiple Olympics. Sir Steve Redgrave won five consecutive Gold medals in team events – truly inspirational.

SHARE THIS: Any team sport at the Olympics is a great demonstration of inspirational leadership. ~@ijgolding #OlympicsLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What is an important BUSINESS LESSON we can learn from the Olympics?

IAN GOLDING: I'll give you two! 

One: Never give up! You have to have the resilience to keep going, whatever is being thrown at you. 

Two: To become an Olympic athlete takes years of hard work and dedication – success does not happen overnight!

QUESTION: If YOU competed in the Olympics, which sport would you choose, and why?

IAN GOLDING: It would have to be field hockey – the sport I played to a high level when I was a LOT younger!

My gratitude to Ian for sharing his leadership insights and for being a part of my #OlympicsLeadershipSeries.

Image Credit: Getty Images via Cycling News.

Meet Derek Redmond:

https://derekredmond.com/brand-ambassador

Connect with Ian at these links:

Website: https://www.ijgolding.com

Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/ijgolding

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iangolding

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ijgolding

Book "Customer What? The Honest and Practical Guide to Customer Experience" on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Customer-What-practical-customer-experience/dp/1527222160