Your Business needs a Tennis player
In many classes we have mentioned that sports give us values that can be applyed off the court, in real life. We allways think that collectivist sports are the ones that give you more values to create a better envirorment in the workplace. However, in that article, we will show you how a tennis, which is the most individual sports, in which you can't touch your opponent, and speaking with your coach is forbidden, will give you many interesting features that can be used when doing business.Leadership
Most tennis players make thousands of technicals adjustments with long term goals in mind. If we ask randomly to differnet tennis players, all will agree that having the proper technique, although it may take time to master it will give you benefits in the long term if you keep practicing. Another example, are Rafa Nadal, Steffi Graff, or Jelena Ostapenko, are top players that are not affaird to change tactics and step out of their confort zone to win a match.
Integrity
Tennis, from an amateur approach, is a sport in which the players are the referees. And if the opponent says your ball has gone out, in 90% of the cases, although you might think he/she is cheating, you will accpet their judgment without debate. So they need to trust the opponents and themselves and accept your internal and your opponent judgments no matter how bitter, so you develop your character and your ethic in the tennis court.
Do you think tennis give you interesting values for doing business? Do you have any other in mind? Does any tennis player inspire you towards what is has been explained here?
I think it is a very interesting post because Ihave never thought in the relation between business and tennis values. Reading this post, it came to my mind some important names like Roger Federer or Serena Williams whch I believe they inspire these values.
ReplyDeleteApart from those that you mentioned above, I believe tennis give more values that you can apply in your business. For instance, commitment or excellence . The first value is about reaching the highest level which requires a great deal of commitment on the player’s part. Even within a player’s game they will need to make decisions to try new techniques. If we see, any business have to be commited on the decisions that they take if they want to succeed on the market.
Related to excellence, I believe the practice court is the best arena to teach players to strive for excellence. At some point, many players find it difficult to practice with the proper level of intensity. These challenges are similar to the ones that business have to overcome in today's competitive world. In my opinion, it is all about working hard to be the best.
That is 100% true, tennis, and most sports are an analogy to real life. And what I agree with you is in the last sentece you have said, that in the current competitive world, the key is to work hard to be the best. But to be the best you need others. Although tennis is an individual sport, there has been, and it is a lot of people who are behind the tennis player and who is giving them support and help bulding them their values as well. I think that is how it really works.
DeleteAdolfo Artola
Of ourse, even it is an individual sport in terms of playing, I completely agree on the point that to arrive to the top you need a great team working with you like coach, staff, sponsors...
DeleteSo, as we can see even if it might seem it's an individual sports, team working is very important too.
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ReplyDeleteI have always thought that collective sports build good relationships between the players and also important to give you values that you can apply in your real life. But, as always, there is one of the team that amazes us more than the rest and we only focus on him/her. For example, in football when we think about F.C Barcelona in our mind has already appeared Lionel Messi but not the whole team.
ReplyDeleteSo, in this post I realize that tennis players are also very influential people when we talk about his/her character on the pitch, the way of playing… When we think about Federer or Nadal they are so different because one symbolizes strategy and the other strength and the brands take profit of this.
In addition, the brand usually uses remarkable sentences or recreate situations to promote sportive clothes to mean that you can handle the situation or overcome the difficulties.
To sum up, to be promoted by a brand you have not only the best so also be a referent to the people to encourage them to buy your products.
That it true Javier. Being the best is important but sometimes, it is not what matters the most,. However, although there are certain individuals that allways stand out from the rest, don't you think that they need others to be the best?. In other words, does anyone think that Nadal, Federer, Messi and so on are the best because of themselves, or because there is people arround them, even the competence, that makes them better?
DeleteA very interesting and well written post. As mention when you think of the connection betweeen sports and business you usually think of team sports but tennis is very special. The fact that during the game the player can't consult with their trainers forces the players to be very strategical and observant. Because in order to be truly great, a player must be able to adapt their strategy midgame and make the correct decision on the fly.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to think of your feet is a great characteristic to have with you in business. In most industries being able to make quick changes to strategies can give you great competitive advantages. That is why it is actually quite important when applying for a job after graduation that you remember to include your sports background (if existing).
Just like I started, thank you for a great post! It truly got me to think and reflect about tennis/sports influence on the characteristics of a person.
// Herman Fri
DeleteThank you, I agree with you, as we have been told, sports is an analogy of real life and it gives you extravalues that makes you better not only for business if not for real life¿
DeleteAdolfo Artola.
Hey!! Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteI've thought about collective sports as we discussed in class. Values like team work, team building and collaboration are values that can be used when doing business. However, to be honest I've never thought about individual sports. I totally agree about your post and also I do think that Tennis could help you in terms of confidence and it can be a good example of showing that sometimes good consequences are not instantly and take some time to get the reward.
You are right!. Tennis give people that play it confidance, specially when making decisions. Moreover, I think tennis gives you a very important value which is patience; as you said, good consequences take time and effort, and the capacity of having control of your mind.
DeleteSo yes, I agree with what you said!!
Adolfo Artola
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post since it talks about two issues that are important in sports and in business. From my point of view, tennis is a sport that at first glance may seem like an individualistic sport. But as you have said,tennis develop aptitutes as the confidence the player have in the referee.
One fact that has caught my attention, is that 90 % of the cases, the player will accept the decision without protest. That's why, tennis is a sport that integrates people. For example, if we talk about football it is very normal that the player protest the controversial plays and even insults the referee.
So, tennis develops behaviors that are important when in the future we will work in a company.
Very interesting post guys! I would have never thought about a relation between tennis values and business, but this article has made me think about it. I think that tennis players must have an strong personality because, differing to to collective sports, they don't have nobody that supports them when they are having a bad match, for example. So I think, and agreeing with the main topic of the article, that the values that a professional, and also amateur, tennis player has are compatible with the values that a manager needs to have in order to leader the company.
ReplyDelete