Sports and the Workplace
February is a month full of big sports moments - the Superbowl, the NBA Allstar game, and the NHL Allstar game. This is a time of year when the hype of a crazy Christmas and the New Year has passed, and people are looking for distractions to fill the time. People rally around their teams and show overwhelming support for them, and it brings people together in a way unlike any other.
Pride
People are prideful about the sports teams that represent their city. They are often talked about nationwide and provide countless hours of discussion, debate, and entertainment. There is a reason why sports talk shows are successful both on television and over the radio. People are passionate and whether it is about our favorite team or player, we all feel as if they represent us. Larger market teams have national following; however, never underestimate the support a city will give to a successful small market team. When times are good everyone in an area or city band together, share big moments, and come together as one. It does not matter if you are rich or poor, what your heritage is, or what your religious beliefs are. Fans of a certain team or certain player unite together to cheer on their teams and show pride in their successes and share in the sorrow of loss.
The Workplace
Professional sports teams are all about working together to win a championship. Everyone must do their job to be successful and everyone is reliant on others. The same can be said about the workplace and this is the reason why sports analogies are often used. No one shows up to work to fail or make mistakes, just as no one shows up to lose a sporting event. Both in the office and on the field, people are forced to or choose to work together, support each other, and overcome obstacles. That is why you often hear recruiters or prideful employees talk about their work teams. All of us are proud of our successes and are embarrassed by our mistakes, and working together as a team allows us to share the oy of success and the burden of failure. It does not matter if you sell cars, furniture, services, or whatever other profession you might be in, a solid team always outperforms a group of individuals who work with their own priorities and agendas. Allstar players and Superbowl MVPs cannot win or have the success they do without the support of those around them. So, next time you need help, or you see someone at work struggling, do not be afraid to step up and involve the entire team. Together a team can accomplish great things.
Having Fun
The other major impact sports have in our lives is the entertainment value it provides. We bet on sports, we discuss sports, we come up with a wide variety of games based on what happens in a big game, and it allows us to throw some crazy parties. From fantasy games, to betting games, to simple water cooler talk, sports can have a huge impact on our daily routines. They provide a relief from the stresses of a major project and can be used as a topic of discussion when trying to get to know new clients and coworkers. Some of us even continue to play some sort of organized sports to stay in shape and some of our companies sponsor teams. Sports bring people together and if you do not take the outcome too seriously you can have long debates with coworkers who support rival sport franchises. If your office needs a team building activity to develop chemistry, you can join a league and create a work team. This gives you the opportunity to work together without having the stress of deadlines or management review.
The ways sports effect our daily lives cannot be understated. We must embrace them and use this common bind to help bring us together with our coworkers. The analogies between the commercial workplace and the sports world are endless. Embrace the team mentality, support your coworkers like they were members of a sports team, and you will find success together.