Watching Olympics past midnight

Rohantha ATHUKORALA

If any of you are sports enthusiast I am sure the most difficult working week would have been the last one. Watching the Olympics past midnight, as most of the blue ribbon events are in the evening UK time and then being at the office by 8.30 makes life tough. To me, the Olympics was not about the medals and the camera flashes but the story behind the people who won the medals. The amazing human resource development that has happened over time.

In my view the London Olympics was not as extravagant as the Greek Games or the Bejing games that cost the country a 40 billion dollars but the athletes sure made the event memorable. Incidently the London Games will run a bill to Great Britain in the rage of 19 billion dollars. Which is sure to make a dent on a economy that is in a double dip recession.

A point to note is that the Greek Olympics cost the country around 12.5 billion dollars and shaved two percentage points from the Greek GDP growth. Be that it may, let me capture the lessons for career development from the London Games.

Olympic Lesson 1: Brand Bolt

The games sure had winners but a brand that stood out of the crowd was Hussain Bolt. Not because of his talent to run fast but the personality that he projected to the world. He was loads of fun with his iconic hand gestures and strong engagement with the crowd.

We may not be able to run as fast at Michael Bolt or Swim like Michael Phelps but the fact of the matter is for some area of work we are one of the best in Sri Lanka. Whilst we focus on our work,lets also spend some time to build a personal brand in the market place. The key thing to remember is that first you must agree the brand position that you want to carve out, so that all the communiqué falls into a given entity. If not, you are doing more harm to the brand than building it. The brand Donald Trump did not happen by accident but a careful orchestrated game plan. The next job you get or the invitations you get by the business community is based on the brand image you have built today.

Olympic Lesson 2: Sanchez outcry

There were many emotional moments at the Olympic Games but the one that really captured my attention was when the 35 year old Dominican Republic athlete Felix Sanchez broke through from the crowd in the last twenty meters with absolute passion and then he broke into emotion when he removed his number from his vest and underneath it was a picture of his grandmother. He had carried it right across the race. By the way he came one before the last in the Beijing games in 2008.

HR Pick Up 2: I guess everyone has a story for their outstanding performance. The challenge is for us to find the hidden buttons in our team members so that we know insights to peoples performance and especially when the killer instinct fades away. Lets accept it Sri Lankan's get motivated due to emotional reasons than rational reasons like extra pay or promotions as per the Hoftedes model of motivation.

Olympic Lesson 3: Gatlin issue

When the US sprint star Justin Gatlin was banned for four years for taking drugs for enhancing performance, he returned and made a statement that he will prove to the world that he is not a cheat. In Athens he won the Gold in the 100m blue ribbon event and at the London Games he won a Bronze cementing that he can win with his own will.

HR Pick Up 3: This holds ground when it comes work life too. Todays poor performerce can be motivated to drive for outstanding business achievement provided there is a leader who believes in a team members skill and talent. All what is required is that thread of trust and beliefs. The question is are we as leaders having a business ethos to go that extra mile to harness that hidden talent. In my experience of people management, I have seen how a youngster from Matara, moved up from being a Medical representative to be a General Manager of an organization.

Olympic Lesson 4: Federer fall

When a reporter asked the legendary tennis ace Roger Federer, whether it was the Olympics or the 7th Wimbledon title was important. The answer was very clear-Wimbledon. Obviously Federer had a career plan and he was focused to it, even though the world was waiting for the London Olympics. Federer's overall performance at the Olympics was not all that hot and in went on to get thrashed by Andy Murray to win 6/1,6/2 and 6/4.

HR Pick Up 4: Corporate life is the same. Each of need to have a career plan and this plan must be based on our personal objectives than on what the world wants us to be. The latest ethos coming out is a concept called Corporate Athletism which is giving a new definition to a business executive. It hinges on four pillars of Work, sports, relationships and God. It's worth googling this idea themed Corporate Athletism.

Olympic Lesson 5: Gail Devers

The Olympic hurdler Gail Devers was battling a bigger challenge than the Olympics. She was suffering the Graves decease, a thyroid disorder that causes ones weight to drop. At one time Gail Devers was just 89 pounds and lost her hair during that time. But she faught back and todate she has won 3 Gold medals in two Olympics.

HR Pick Up 5: Its all about the courage to pursue ones career. There can be many challenges that one is faced in their own life but the will to win is what sets the man from the boys. I yet remember after having won the Best Marketer performance in a multinational organization I was asked to do a stint on the field. Within six months I got a call from my Managing Director to come back to office and take up the challenge of leading the strongest brand in the company Dettol. I later on moved on to head a global multinational and toady work for the United Nations. I guess life all about not giving up.

Olympic Lesson 6: Coe factor

The biggest Peace event of the world is the staging of the Olympics. When Sebastian Coe was given this challenge the EU was heading towards a recession and the British economy in a catch 22 situation. But together with the support of each and every citizen Sebastian Coe has pulled out one the best the Olympics in modern history that some call it the 1st Social Media Olympics. His reputation was put to test when at the pre games opening trials, he wanted the secret of the make believe Queen mother coming down on a parachute to be off the media. The country believed in him and stood upto this promise.

HR Pick Up 6: Corporate life is also similar. It all depends on the trust that one has built within the organization that drives outstanding team performance. I yet remember of a 20 million dollar project that we had to deliver but it involved working across a tough terrain and community support. As a team we delivered the project without any collateral damage which I guess is all about the trust that one can garner in an institution.

The author is the Head of National Portfolio Development, Sri Lanka and Maldives at the United Nations (UNOPS) is an alumni of Harvard University, Boston. The thoughts expressed are his own and not the views of any organization he serves in Sri Lanka or internationally.