In the realm of performance and well-being, the stories of Chris and Brandon offer compelling insights into how sports psychology can bridge the gap between the athletic and corporate worlds.
Chris, an accomplished golfer, has navigated the pressures and highs of professional sports with notable success. His journey, marked by moments of self-doubt, anxiety, and the stress of financial instability, led him to seek the expertise of a sports psychologist—me. As Chris’s coach, I introduced him to various evidence-based strategies that significantly improved his mental resilience and performance on the golf course.
- Fostering intrinsic motivation.
- Fostering a process focus
- Breath work
- Journaling
- Exercise
- Imagery
- Goal setting
Brandon’s story unfolds in a different arena. As a manager at a sports academy, his days are split between coaching duties and a plethora of administrative tasks. Recently, he has encountered challenges that mirror those faced by athletes like Chris: stress, loneliness, and symptoms of burnout, compounded by sleepless nights and procrastination. In my dual role as Brandon’s boss and the director of the sports academy, I’ve implemented several traditional corporate strategies to support his well-being and performance.
- Created a company vision and mission for him to follow.
- Started to have social events that include alcohol and food.
- Began educational team meetings that take place 7.30am on a Monday morning.
- Increased his bonus.
- Increased his pay.
- Given him additional roles and responsibilities.
The contrast in approaches I used with Chris and Brandon raises critical questions about the universality of psychological well-being and performance enhancement techniques across different professional fields.
Incorporating Sports Psychology into Corporate Well-being
The different treatment strategies for Chris and Brandon underscore a crucial question about the application of psychological principles for achieving happiness and peak performance, irrespective of the professional domain. The interventions for Chris focused on psychological empowerment, equipping him with the mental toughness needed to navigate challenges with resilience and determination. Adapting similar strategies for the corporate environment, as seen in Brandon’s case, suggests a paradigm shift in how employee well-being and performance enhancement are approached.
This comprehensive perspective on employee well-being acknowledges that the same principles enabling athletes to excel under pressure can help employees thrive in their professional lives. Adapting sports psychology for the workplace involves personalized, evidence-based strategies that consider both the mental and emotional aspects of work.
Practical Applications of Sports Psychology in the Workplace
Adapting sports psychology principles for corporate environments entails interventions like those employed for athletes, could become more common business practice for companies who want to place the health and wellbeing of their employees as the foundation to their performance.
My consulting work helps business inject the following into their culture:
- Intrinsic Motivation: Encourage employees to find personal meaning in their work, beyond external rewards.
- Process Focus: Teach employees to concentrate on controllable aspects of their tasks, easing anxieties about outcomes.
- Breath Work and Mindfulness: Implement stress-reduction techniques usable during the workday.
- Journaling: Foster a habit of reflection for personal growth and managing stress.
- Physical Activity: Advocate for workplace wellness programs that incorporate regular exercise.
- Mental Imagery: Use visualization techniques to enhance confidence and prepare for work-related challenges.
- Goal Setting: Assist employees in setting and achieving meaningful and intrinsically motivating goals.
Replacing the team pizza lunch with a culture and support system that focuses on the psychological empowerment of employees will lead to workforce that is ready overcome the challenges that life throws at them as well as work.
The rise of the administrative athlete would not only lead to a rise in wellbeing at work, it would also lead to a rise in long term sustainability and profitability.