Right from our childhood days, most of us must have loved to play or follow some form of sport, whether it is football, badminton, running or cricket, right? After all, any sport not only freshens up our minds amidst our mundane routines but also teaches some invaluable lessons in life.?
And those lessons are applicable in other spheres of life too, whether you are a salaried person or a self-employed one doing business or a profession. A testament of the same are 10 high-profile CEOs who have been shaped by the sport they played or had an interest in.
Mark Cuban, Owner of NBA's Dallas Mavericks, founder of Broadcast.com and Cost Plus Drugs.?
Sport of choice-Basketball
While Mark Cuban didn't actively play basketball, he does own an American professional basketball team?Dallas Mavericks, due to which he has learnt a lot about life.?The key to success, whether in sports or business, is to be always learning, and be thinking about how to apply those lessons to do better in the future, he had once shared.
One of Mark Cuban's favourite mantras comes from NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki, who is also a Basketball Hall of Famer.?The basketball legend had told Cuban ¡°How you do anything is how you do everything.¡±
Cuban?explained that this nine-word?mantra is powerful because it applies to every field, from sports and sales to computer programming and creative writing. ¡°Whatever it may be, you¡¯ve got to keep doing it and doing it. And it¡¯s by effort. The more you do it, the better you get at it", Cuban had said in an interview.??Mark Cuban carried that lesson into his professional and personal life,?and taught it to his three children?¡ª who ¡°are so tired of hearing me say that,¡± he noted. For him, the mantra is shorthand for a longer message: Shortcuts are rarely worth it, and getting the little details right usually pays off.?Click here?to know more.
Cuban had also founded the American cable television channel AXS TV, of which he is the former CEO.
Also Read:?List Of Startups In Which Virat Kohli Has Invested
Stephanie Linnartz, CEO of Under Armour
Sport of choice- Running
¡°Sports can empower all of us to achieve excellence in every aspect of our lives. We are all athletes, pursuing our own greatness in everything that we do. Personally, I¡¯ve always been an avid runner as the sport has kept me grounded throughout my life and focused on what¡¯s up ahead, rather than behind.?
¡°I¡¯ve adapted this simple lesson of focusing on the now not just into my professional life, but also into my?Under Armour?teammate¡¯s mindsets as we constantly look to focus on how we can succeed in the long-term rather than focusing on the short-term. As we¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s a marathon, not a sprint¡±, she shared, as per Fortune report.?
Lara Abrash, Chair,?Deloitte?US
Sport of choice- Softball?
¡°One lesson I still carry with me (on and off the field) is you don¡¯t have to be the best, fastest, or smartest person in the room to become a leader or to achieve success. Good leaders often find success in assembling the right team, developing a vision and strategy, aligning and empowering team members, and executing together to reach a shared goal.
¡°Sports have been invaluable in shaping my business philosophy, and I¡¯m a fierce advocate for those playing to win in any arena.¡±
Artie Minson, CEO of LeafLink and former President of WeWork
Sports of choice- Cross country and basketball
¡°I was the co-captain of my high school cross country team where I learned the importance of running as a team and that the amount of hard work and effort you put in on the practice runs when no one is watching is what determines the outcome at the race. I also played basketball in high school and learned the importance of playing to win. If you just play offense or just play defense you will lose, it¡¯s the teams that play both offense and defense well that win.
Job van der Voort, CEO of HR unicorn, Remote
Sport of choice- Cycling?
¡°It¡¯s more than just physical exercise; cycling was a crucible forging my independence, autonomy, and self-reliance. I was my own team, the only one I could rely on to get on the bike, to keep pedaling, rain or shine. This daily commitment to myself and my personal growth shaped me into the CEO I am today.
¡°Just like in solo sports, in the boardroom I trust my instincts, make swift decisions, and hold myself accountable for the outcomes. The most profound lesson I¡¯ve learned: if you seek consensus with all your decisions, you will very slowly land in mediocrity.¡±
Dr. Sian Beilock, President of Ivy League College, Dartmouth
Sports of choice- Soccer and lacrosse
¡°My biggest lesson from my days as an athlete came from my biggest disappointment. As a teenager, I was a promising goalie playing in the Olympic development program, with big dreams to join the national team. With the national coach watching, I played the worst game of my career.
¡°I¡¯ve seen how easy it can be to perform worse than expected ¡°or choke¡± when it matters most¡ªfrom important presentations to crucial team meetings¡ªand learned that one key is knowing how to bounce back.¡±
Bill Hinshaw, president and CEO, Karuna Therapeutics
Sport of choice- Baseball?
¡°Leadership is about motivating and inspiring people¡ªjust like on a sports team. When employees are tired, the CEO must be energizing. When the employees are negative, the CEO must be positive. When employees are pessimistic, the CEO must be optimistic.
¡°And finally, when employees are stressed, the CEO must be calm. It¡¯s no different than leading a sports team as a coach or player.¡±
Jon Cook, global CEO of the world¡¯s largest ad agency VML
Sport of choice- Football, basketball and baseball
¡°As a kid, I gravitated to team sports and there¡¯s so much even today that I draw from those experiences. That high you get when you win alongside others¡ªwhether they¡¯re your teammates or your colleagues¡ªis truly out of this world.
¡°The way I see it, the importance of bringing a team together and being a unifier will never get old. Being an effective leader is about working together to achieve. Winning will always be fun, of course, but it¡¯s about making sure everyone succeeds collectively, playing to their individual strengths while motivating and trusting each other implicitly.¡±
CEO Wayne Berson of BDO USA
Sport of choice- Rugby
¡°Unlike American football a key element of rugby is that there is no forward passing. To advance, the team must hand the ball off to each other many times. No single standout player can carry the whole team. Instead, everyone must carry their weight; You quickly learn the importance of ¡®we before me¡¯ and the need for a roster that features each vital skill.
¡°I approach business the same way. I look for a collection of peers with diverse skills that complement each other¡ªand, importantly, people who understand the value of unity.¡±
Also Read;?6 Money?Lessons?You Can Learn From The Game Of Cricket
Mark Anderson, CEO of NYSE-listed tech company, Alteryx
Sport of choice- Hockey
¡°Playing hockey helped shape my life and my face¡ªmy nose was broken seven times. Apart from teaching me to keep my head up, it taught me that trust and confidence in the players around you and understanding that each one will play a critical role in seeing the play through is crucial. This is especially important for the plays outside of your own comfort zone.
¡°Whether through delegation or automation, have the confidence to pull back and create space for others to participate and manage situations so the company can make that goal.¡±
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