August 1st 2014

‘Tis the season

Think like an athlete, become more engaged!  

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the FIFA World Cup having come to an end, 2013/2014 has been a big year for sports. In particular, Ottawa has had the chance to host many well-known events including the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships last spring and the Canadian Figure Skating Championships earlier this year. As a sports fanatic myself, I’ve taken the opportunity to get involved where I can; volunteering for some of the hosted events while lacing up the blades a couple of times a week, to do my best Sidney Crosby imitation.
From an early age my parents had me in hockey even before girls my age were playing. Having fallen in love with the sport and now continuing to play into my thirties, hockey to me is more than just a hobby. It’s an escape; a chance to spend some time with like-minded individuals even if only for the beer. My teammates come from different backgrounds and have a variety of careers underway – some doctors, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, but we all have one thing in common – our love for the game and the desire to be active in a fun, competitive environment. It’s amazing  how so many different people of various skills and ages can all come together with one universal goal (to win, of course); giving it all we can, whether we succeed or not, and then doing it all over again the following week.
This brings me to my point: could it be that sports teams and in particular athletes are what we strive for when we think “employee engagement”? I’ve had a lot of experience working within the engagement space; examining data from engagement surveys and reading literature on the topic. Interestingly, the characteristics our engaged employees display are actually the same characteristics that our athletes demonstrate each time they’re on the field, ice, court or in the pool. Athletes are actively exhibiting the same behaviors we look for in highly engaged employees.
Here’s how:

  • Effective Communication. Without successful communication between coach / player, and player / team, there would be no consistent strategic plays. Think of the final minutes of a hockey game when the coach calls a time-out with the score board reading 2-1; why is this moment so critical? To execute any strategic play, people must talk, listen to and understand one another. The same rings true in business.
  • Similar Goals. All athletes have one thing in common – they want to win. Rarely does someone who doesn’t want to win, actually win. Although the term winning can mean different things to different people, each athlete has a goal (think personal best) they wish to attain. Engaged employees create goals and work hard in achieving them and the goals of the organization.
  • Mentor. Most athletes have a coach or someone they can count on to offer feedback, support and advice. Although this individual may often be in the background, they contribute to the success of the performer. This principal applies to mentorship programs or one-of-a-kind managers.
  • Loyalty. Have you ever met a Leaf’s fan? I know a few. It doesn’t matter how often they lose, fans who are fans follow their teams, no matter what the outcome. Loyal employees are already engaged to a certain degree. Athletes are loyal to their sport and their teams. Win together, lose together.
  • Strength and Persistence. This is probably one of the most amazing characteristics of an athlete, resilience. No one is the best forever. It takes courage to get back up after a fall, learn from your mistakes, and try again, but the ability to do so is essential to success. Setbacks in the workplace happen, engaged employees find the motivation and desire to dust themselves off and move forward.
  • Stimulate Confidence. An athlete wouldn’t be an athlete if they weren’t confident in their abilities. Confidence stimulates team confidence. Engaged employees are trusted by their managers, have confidence in their abilities, and believe in their organization’s mission.
  • Love It. Ask an athlete what makes them get up each time they fall down and they’ll tell you it’s because they love what they do despite the challenges. If you love your job, chances are, you’re already highly engaged.

After considering the points above, I propose the following: thinking like, or even being an athlete, can actually make you a more engaged contributor in your organization.