Howzat! – Lessons in sport equal lessons in business / Jeff Deighton

Jeff Deighton of insight engineers writes …

As some of you know, I spent a lot of my spare time over the last few months doing the English Cricket Board Level 2 coaching certificate and with the test series against the West Indies under way (1:0 after Lords), I found myself musing on the foundations for success in team sport and business.

I may not be a good cricketer myself, but I found the theory and practice behind my winter’s coaching certificate had a lot of commonality with my market research day job and delivering valued projects and presentations for our international clients, what the ECB would label as the ‘training to win’ phase.

In particular, the ECB 4Cs of mental fitness are relevant to success in business and keeping focused if problems arise or mistakes happen:

• Control: having control of the situation as well as self-control and staying calm
• Concentration: keeping focused and alert
• Commitment: being prepared to work towards situations and personal goals
• Confidence: being positive and maintaining your nerve (through challenges)

You may not need to go through the same coaching certificate to be a good market researcher and being a good market researcher does not mean you will be a good cricket coach, but I can testify that both help the other!

Along this journey, you also find out a lot about yourself and how to handle the ebb & flow of events. Focusing on concrete steps in the process versus the desired outcome better helps achieve the end result.

Now what was that about you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

insight engineers