News & Events

Regarding the athletes participating (dare I say, 'competing') at the Olympics in Vancouver, I find it very interesting when an athlete is interviewed following their event. The vast majority of athletes, whether having just won or not, almost always refer to a contentment for having done their best, having achieved their personal goals. These goals were set years beforehand and have been the guiding path for them since. A personal best, whether it yields a gold or a 32nd place result overall, is what they strive for. The interviewers from the media try their best to get them to admit a dissappointment or a shame for having 'let down the nation' but they consistently don't measure success against the expectations of others...thank heavens! 
 
 
 
P.S. Go Canada Go!

People in our business cannot look at major sporting events, without thinking about the Achievement vs Competitive thinking styles. Human Synergistics research shows that successful people (including athletes) score low on Competitive (9 o'clock) and high on Achievement (11 o'clock). I have seen nothing in these Olympics that would dispell those findings. 
 
 
 
Take for example, Jennifer Heil from Canada. At the time of her race, Canada had yet two win an Olympic Gold Medal on Canadian soil. (Canada was blanked out in the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary and the (1976 Summer Games in Montreal.) A lot of pressure was placed on Jennifer to be the first. She finished second in the Moguls. Afterwards, she was interviewed by a very "Competitive" broadcaster. 
 
 
 
Despite the broadcasters repeated attempts to get Jennifer to admit disapointment, regret, anger and other negative reactions, Jennifer held to her "Achievement" thinking style. She continued to hold that she did the best she could; she was pleased and proud of her performance; and, she thanked her coach for everything. Finally, the head of the Canadian Olympic Broadcasters had to clarify: "Jennifer did not lose Gold - she won Silver." 
 
 
 
Jennifer Heil does not have her sense of self worth wrapped up in winning and losing. In a competition such as moguls, you can only do the best you can - you cannot control what the other athletes do.

Alan and Colin, thanks for your comments here and offline! The Winter games are over but the excitement still lingers on.  
 
Vancouver BC was a grand host city and major kudos to John Furlong and his team for producing an awesome 2010 Winter Olympics! Arriving from Ireland over thirty years ago, a customs agent offered John a warm and specific greeting: "Welcome to Canada—make us better." Helping to contribute to a better, stronger Canada is one of Furlong’s most resolute personal goals, believes the Games can be a real nation builder, and stated, “All Canadians must feel these Games belong to them. This is not about a few of us but about all of us.” A resolute believer in teamwork, John credits his leadership style to the lessons he learned as a young athlete: “Leadership is first about being a good example and finding a way to contribute to the success of your team mates and it’s never easy. I’ve tried to take the lessons of athletics—effort, fair play, integrity and inspired teamwork—and incorporate them into the culture of this organization.” 
 
Again, congratulations to all athletes who remind us that the essence of the Olympics is to have taken part fairly and to have done one's best.  
 
-Kalani