Feb. 25, 2010 at 3:46pm

4 Reasons Why Being a Boss is Not an Olympic Event

Why sports analogies are often wrong for business

Posted by Kurt Jacobson in What We're Up To
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Conventional thinking can be counter-productive. We use sports analogies such as winning and losing. But in business, winning and losing aren’t absolutes, they are degrees. A particular financial institution doesn’t get 100 percent market share or 0 percent, but some degree of share.

I like what Wally Bock says in his Three Star Leadership blog.

And as a boss, doesn’t the following make you feel good about your role in business?

Summer games or winter games, it doesn't matter. When it's time for the Olympics, it's also time for a spate of articles about how much we can learn from the incredible athletes who compete in the games.

But if you're a boss, beware. There are four reasons why being a boss is not an Olympic event.

1. Winning isn't everything, or even the only thing. You have to accomplish the mission. But you also have to care for your people. That means keeping them safe and helping them grow.
2. You don't get to practice more than you play. In fact, with the exception of the occasional class on a specific topic, you don't get to practice at all. Being a boss is a performance art where learning and doing intertwine.
3. You don't belong to just one team. In business, you belong to several teams at once. And, just to make it more fun, you may compete with another team on one activity at the same time you're also cooperating with them.
4. There's no closing ceremony. Every triumph is the gateway to a new challenge. Every time you come up short, you must learn from it. Every time your team changes, you have to adjust.

 

Boss's Bottom Line
Being a boss may not be an Olympic event. You may never a get a gold medal or even a gold watch. But if it's right for you, being a boss is one of the most rewarding pursuits in the world.

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