The Most Powerful Performance Enhancing Drug there is
Recently I was asked onto a Panel to share some lessons from sport with leaders from professional services firms. Insight that would be particularly useful at this current time.
I was delighted. There were so many things I could talk about, so many insights to cover. From concepts such as ‘playing the ball at your feet’, and ‘controlling the controllables’, through to what the latest research shows about the mindset of elite athletes, and how that applies across into the situation being faced by so many business leaders at the moment.
Then I was told I would have only 5 minutes!
My face dropped, and I had to quickly reset.
I decided that I should focus on one area only, and that this should be communication. And specifically the use of language.
I wanted to convey how important the use of language is, particularly in these times when most people are having fewer interactions, and when these are taking place in a very different form.
I broke my comments into two main areas: immediate interactions, and longer term messaging.
Rio, cricket and Eddie Jones
For the former, I set the scene with a story from Rio.
August 19th, 2016. It’s the women’s hockey final. GB are in this gold medal match. For the first time ever. Their opponents are the Dutch, world leaders over a sustained and consistent period of time. The match starts well for Great Britain, but they soon find themselves 2-1 down. One of the players look across to her team mate and sees that her head has gone down. She has a split second to say something to that player. Something that will enhance her performance, rather than diminish it. Fortunately, due to the huge amount of work the squad had put into communication, and use of language, the word that she uses in that split second communication hits the nail on the head, has the positive impact intended, and the recipient’s head comes back up. (The exact word of course is a trade secret……)
And of course GB ran out as winners after an epic penalty shoot-out.
I then moved on to cricket. A well known coach, recently appointed by the ECB, stood up to make his first address to the squad in front of him. He opened with the fact that he was going to be introducing a new performance drug. The most powerful drug known to mankind. He went on to outline the performance edges that could be achieved from skilful and consistent use of this drug: increasing self-esteem; creating a dramatic boost in confidence; reframing and transforming meaning; and changes in behaviours and attitudes. Best of all, the drug is free to use, and has no side effects…..
So what was this coach talking about? Words.
As a final sporting story to share on this, I referenced Eddie Jones, England Men’s rugby coach. Jones recently shared the following on a podcast: “every conversation you are having with a player you are either adding to their performance or taking away from it.”
So how much time do you spend thinking about the words you use? Really considering the impact your words might have, and the outcome you want to achieve?
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”
As a tangible example, consider this. I have three sons who play a huge amount of sport. One favourite is cricket. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have heard the following instructions being delivered as a player walks out to bat: “Don’t get out first ball.” “Don’t lose your wicket cheaply.” “Don’t lose concentration.” Research shows that what actually tends to land in the brain is the negative: getting out first ball, losing concentration etc. And this creates fear, and negativity. How much more effective is it to turn this around, and instead deliver: “Stand tall”; “Focus”; “Concentrate”. A simple shift of emphasis, that can have a dramatic impact on performance. *
Longer Term
I then went on to look at the second aspect: communication in the longer term. I wanted to make the point that in these uncertain, volatile times, delivering a clear, consistent message, on a sustained basis, is particularly important. There are some really good examples from the world of sports leadership, such as Sport England’s consistent language on tackling the ‘stubborn inequalities’ around levels of physical activity in England, CIMSPA’s sustained messaging on supporting and professionalising the workforce in the sector, and UK Coaching’s current focus on the duty to care for the 3 million coaches in the UK. Each of these organisations (and leaders) are providing clarity, both internally and externally, in these difficult times. They are consistently repeating a well-formulated and ‘sticky’ message, aware that it takes constant repetition, to different audiences, over a sustained period of time, to really hit home.
Having clarity is one thing. Delivering that clarity through consistent and sustained messaging is the next level. And it’s this that can drive understanding, confidence, and action.
As ever, for more information or support on this area, do start the conversation by contacting us here
*One of the best books I have read on this topic is Drop the Pink Elephant by Bill McFarlan