Javelins have been thrown, pucks have been hit and waves have been surfed. It is safe to say the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are now in full swing.
With the world of competitive sports on everyone’s mind, you can’t help but be in awe of Olympians. They get far on physical ability, however what makes them truly elite, is their champion mindset.
They epitomise excellence, perseverance, and peak mental performance, however, this mentality is not confined to the sporting arena.
This ‘Olympic Frame of Mind’ is highly relevant to the workplace. Like a work setting, the Olympics are filled with people from all walks of life, with different hopes, dreams, and anxieties, all wanting results.
We see a correlation between the mindset of an elite athlete and a successful employee. They share several cognitive and behavioural patterns that contribute to high performance and success.
Goal Setting and Achievement
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Elite athletes set clear and specific goals. With a variation of short-term goals, to help them feel accomplished and motivated, and long-term goals to give them direction and purpose, athletes maintain a steady focus on achieving them. Their strict training regime and competitions are all directed towards achieving these objectives.
“Selfishness is an attribute that is key to success” – Dame Laura Kenny. The British five-time Olympic gold medal winner stressed the importance of being 100% focused on your discipline. Unwavering commitment and determination to achieve the goals set out is the definition of an elite athlete mindset.
Workplace
Strong leaders help their team set clear goals and focus strategically on achieving them. Effective goal setting is crucial for project management and your employee’s personal career development.
Breaking down larger goals into actionable steps is a crucial skill needed to succeed. This involves prioritising tasks, maintaining productivity, and helping set achievable targets.
Managing Stress
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Just like us, elite athletes feel pressure and deal with pre-big-event nerves. However, they have developed the ability to use these feelings to their advantage. Olympians treat stress as a tool that spurs high performance.
By developing plans to deal with anticipated stressors, such as pre-competition routines, breathing exercises or listening to music, they control their interpretation of stress, turning it into a positive feeling that pushes them to succeed in high-pressure environments.
Workplace
Pressure at work is normal, however too much pressure can create stress and prolonged exposure can lead to burnout and mental and physical problems in a team.
Incorporating physical activity, whether it is encouraging colleagues to host a walking meeting or setting up a Cycle to Work scheme, getting moving and outdoors boosts mental well-being and wards off stress.
By inspiring your team and leading by example to take scheduled breaks and use up your holiday allowance, you will show your employees that your organisation prioritises balance, leading to a healthy, happy and motivated work culture.
Resilience and Adversity
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Adversity and failures are a constant during an athlete’s journey. Overcoming injuries, setbacks, criticism and losses is a part of the elite athlete’s journey.
Their ability to embrace adversity and view setbacks as an opportunity for personal growth is what makes them the gold standard.
Workplace
Resilience in the workplace doesn’t just offer individual benefits, it creates a ripple effect on the whole team.
Resilient team members maintain a positive attitude during challenging times, adapt to change better and can bounce back from failures and learn from them.
Creating a work culture that empowers employees to be emotionally strong and adaptable, will make them succeed in the face of adversity.
Teamwork
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Have you ever watched your favourite athlete win gold and only thank themselves in the post-win interview? Victorious Olympians often give appreciation to their team, coaches, family and friends who helped them on their journey.
Elite athletes understand the importance of teamwork, whether it is cheering on fellow teammates, or seeking feedback from their coach, they understand true success comes from collaboration.
Workplace
Effective teamwork is fundamental to achieving organisational goals. Teamwork allows employees with diverse ideas and experiences to combine their skills to create exciting new concepts and ideas.
Working together improves efficiency, boosts job satisfaction and helps foster a culture of creativity. Creating a shared purpose within your organisation and encouraging open communication within the team is essential for building relationships and growing success.
Psychological Safety
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Psychological Safety is the belief that you can speak up with ideas, and questions, take risks and make mistakes without risk of punishment or humiliation in a group setting. This creates a safe space where athletes are encouraged to give and receive constructive feedback.
Successful Olympians work fearlessly towards improving their skills, team coordination and overall performance without worrying about judgement.
Olympians who do not fear failure are happy to experiment with new training techniques and team strategies. Feeling safe that you will not receive negative repercussions for failing, gives those athletes the advantage, as they are quicker to adopt innovative ideas that may help them win over their competitors.
Workplace
Psychological safety at work is the shared expectation held by the team that leaders will not embarrass or punish their colleagues for sharing concerns, taking calculated risks or asking questions they may deem ‘silly.’
When your team feel psychologically safe, you will unlock the full potential of their talent, leading to greater organisational innovation. When staff fear embarrassment they are less likely to share creative ideas, respectfully disagree with their unique knowledge and team projects become less collaborative.
Prioritising psychological safety in your workplace will produce a more robust, dynamic and inclusive organisation.
How We Can Learn from Olympians
The mindset of an elite athlete offers invaluable lessons that can be integrated into the workplace. Prioritising beneficial skills such as goal setting, stress management, resilience and teamwork, will elevate employee performance and well-being in your organisation.
By encouraging your team to adopt an ‘Olympic Frame of Mind’, you will drive success, innovation, and a supportive environment that champions both individual and team achievements.
If you want to create a positive work environment where employees can develop these skills, we provide tailored people development programmes across the UK.
Explore our courses and programmes to reach your ‘champion mindset’: Change Formation Programmes.