Thu, June 10, 2010 - 3:54:44

What World Cup Soccer Can Teach You about Business

Tomorrow, soccer fans and teams from all over the world will gather in South Africa to kick off the FIFA World Cup.  Despite the common belief that Americans just don’t like soccer, the Wall Street Journal reports that other than South Africans, Americans have been purchasing more tickets to the event than anyone from any other nation. This news piqued our own interest—and it got us thinking about what business people could learn from the world’s most popular sport.

Getting to the goal takes many little steps. When working toward a professional objective, it can be tempting to try to rush your way through or skip seemingly unimportant little steps in the interest of time.  But, as we’ve discovered, the best way to reach your end goal is to get there one small step at a time. Sure, you might encounter a few obstacles along the way, but by thinking small and taking challenges on one by one, you’ll be better equipped to handle them.  And that means little missteps won’t become enormous disasters.

In order to score, sometimes you have to pass the ball to the other guy. In soccer, you have to learn how to play as a team and the same is true in business.  Even if you’re the David Beckham of your office, you can’t do all of the “scoring” all of the time, so in your next meeting give your teammates the opportunity to speak and let the other guy be smarter.  After all, you already know what you know, so why not find out if anyone else has a better idea?

Hurting people doesn’t help. If you’re a soccer fan, chances are the event you remember most about the last World Cup wasn’t Italy’s big win; it was Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt heard ‘round the world. Although it may have felt gratifying in the moment for Zidane to attack his opponent, his actions resulted his expulsion from the game—and that may likely have cost France the win. The same holds true in business. While acting on your angry impulses might make you feel more powerful in the short term, it will only leave others with an unfavorable impression. And that can hurt you for years to come.

Talent will only get you so far.  As we like to say, it’s important to practice until you’re “letter perfect.” No matter how talented you are naturally, taking the time to hone your skills and prepare for an important event, such as a client presentation or a job interview, can boost your confidence, heighten your performance, and help you tackle any unforeseen challenges.

Posted by Linda and Robin