An outsider’s view of elite and professional sport tends to assume that these environment are constantly engaged in ‘pushing the envelope’ in the relentless pursuit of better. The situation in reality tends to be quite different. Conventions and the pressure to conform to what others are doing have a powerful pull. Paradoxically the resistance to exploration and barriers to innovation are often more pronounced the highest level. Especially within professional sport those involved are acutely aware that their position is highly prized and job security at a premium. These conditions are naturally not conducive to taking risks or moving beyond the tried and tested. All of this helps to explain the abundant examples demonstrating that opportunities remain to gain significant competitive advantages and even some easy wins
The Evolving Role of Coaches and Coaching Beyond Sport
The Last Dance is a very recent example that illustrates how a glimpse into elite sport at ground level has the power to enthrall so many. In particular, the world of sport and coaching holds a fascination for leaders in business and commerce. Sport serves as a metaphor for much in the business world and the language used in meeting rooms across all sectors tends to be rife with sporting references. The growing use of the terms ‘coach’ and ‘coaching’ within organisations and different professional realms seems to be the latest example of this phenomenon. Or might there be more to this development?
Fostering Diversity of Thinking
Divergence of opinion has traditionally been viewed in less than positive terms: when x and y don’t see eye to eye on a particular subject, this is generally seen as problematic. By extension, we hear of the virtues of assembling a group of ‘like-minded’ individuals. Organisations typically promote compromise and conformity as virtues to foster harmony and unity within the group. Contrary to this, the wisdom of crowds illustrates the benefits of aggregating judgements from a broad and disparate group of individuals. To further strengthen the case for diversity of thought and experience, ‘cognitive diversity’ is in fact found to be the major factor that differentiates successful teams and organisations. In this Informed Blog, we explore the paradoxical ways diversity and divergence are conceptualised, and see what lessons we can take on a group and an individual level in the context of sport.