Does playing a team sport make you a better fit for business? Many CEOs and hiring managers seem to think so. To be successful in business you’ll need to know how to function in a team environment. In business school every project, case study and competition I worked on was in group setting. In each one of my classes whether it be Finance or Marketing my professors would stress the importance collaboration.
Well in sports you need to have the same methodology. As a former athlete I agree with this notion. In high school I played point guard for our junior varsity team and for several AAU teams. When playing a highly competitive sport one quickly learns that no matter how individually talented a player is – you simply can not do it all yourself. For example, Dave Bing a former NBA All-Star, Hall of Famer and successful businessman turned politician has credited his time spent on the court to his success as an entrepreneur.
The skills acquired on a football field, basketball court or baseball diamond can be easily transitioned to the business sector. It’s important to remember to have trust in your teammate or colleague when things are the line, regardless if you are the go to person or the supporting cast. As a product marketer I rely heavily on my team and other business functions to get things done, and my ability to function well is due to my early foundation of sports activities as a youth.
In my opinion, the best leaders are those that recognize the need to be surrounded by talented individuals to achieve a common goal that is beneficial to all stakeholders; and I believe sports is the perfect undertaking to learn such a skill-set.
