Monday 19 May 2014

High performance professional

Working with sports for a long number of years, I could see the emergence of many champion athletes. I observed that they all achieved their success using the same components. I call them the Champions' key-factors. They are:

1. Planning: The beginning of everything; success in sport doesn't exist without good planning. Medals won at the Olympic Games were planned at least four years before.
2. Methodology: High performance sport doesn't happen without a methodology. There is method to everything: training, eating, competing, living.
3. Results measurement: Each training session,movement and performance is measurable. An athlete has to frequently measure their performance; it is the attest evolution of the athlete.
4. Focus: An athlete in preparation for the Olympic Games doesn't compete in all of the competitions. They choose those that help them achieve the most success.
5. Fail correction: Fails and weak points of the athletes are corrected during the preparation, and even during the competition. If they don’t do that, their opponent can gain a big advantage.
6. Commitment between athlete and coach: Total confidence in each other; complicity. Give it your all and believe that the other is doing the same.
7. Limits overcoming: An athlete has to really want to achieve success. This inside feeling is the one that will push them to overcome all the challenges and obstacles on their way towards great success.

Wednesday 14 May 2014

Is pure positivity the way forward?

I’m all for having a positive mindset.

Turning problems into opportunities, looking for the best and not being dragged into a negative spiral. All agreed. However problems do occur and the best thing to do is investigate them and fix them as efficiently as possible to avoid it happening again. Well, that is what I thought but this event I attended last night seemed to teach differently. It was based around the evolution of a new Six Sigma approach which uses the ‘Strength based approach’.

The core message of the presentation appeared to be always looking for the positives and strengths of a situation. If a problem arises the key is to not keep digging to find a problem. When we do this, it starts of a negative spiral of thinking which creates a negative mindset. Instead we should be focusing on what went right in the situation and how we can improve. This positivity and energy is what will always take us to the next level.