Business and Sport

Most of us probably realise the connection between business and sport. There are so many overlapping areas and models from sport that can be transitioned into the workplace. We generally work in teams and we have team leaders. Sports teams have a captain. Sports teams have goals and visions in the same way that our company/organisation might have. We might wear our corporate identity in the same way that sports teams identify themselves, and so on.

One area that is rapidly growing in the corporate and business world, that has been around for much longer in sport, is that of coaching. Sports coaching we tend to associate with technical skills and tactics, but there are other areas of coaching within sport that are developing. Many top sports people and teams, have their own life coaches these days. 'Business' has been a little bit slower in adopting coaches as part of their developmental strategy. Coaches exist to help executives find solutions. They are part of a growth industry that can really help organisations to reach their goals.

The coaching business is not without its own problems in either sport or the business world. The pressure for success at professional sport level is enormous. Success, and even more so, lack of success is highly visible. Management turnover rates can be high in certain sports. So, who coaches the coaches? We tend to concentrate on the teams and the individuals as part of the team. This is probably different in the business sector, not that sport is not a business these days. Coaching is beginning to be provided at all levels. Decision makers are realising the importance of support through coaching.

A recent review from Harvard Business Review on executive coaching highlights that 87% of coaches, from a sample of 140 coaches, reported that they were dealing with derailing behaviour. 81% act as a sounding board on strategic matters (Ed Batista www.edbatista.com).

Food for thought!

Iain

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