As the World Cup nears its conclusion, it’s impossible to avoid news coverage of the event – especially from my home base in Europe. Most stories are merely game recaps, nothing unusual or unexpected. And then, one of the classiest acts comes out of a story of loss.
Japan captured the hearts of the world when it lost to Belgium. Its fans didn’t respond by trashing the stadium, but instead by cleaning up the trash in the stadium. The Japan players didn’t just pack up and leave, but took the extra time to clean up their locker room to spotless condition, then leaving a “thank you” note in Russian for their hosts.
What we do when we’re on top is one marker of our character. But how we respond – and the actions we take – when we’re on the bottom is a much stronger indicator of how we may react under pressure or in difficult circumstances.
Japan’s actions at the World Cup offer many lessons to us in business, including:
- Winning isn’t the marker of success. No individual or team will always be the winner. Whether determining the path for project delivery, identifying the “next big thing” for product development, or modifying long-held processes, one approach will rise to the top while others fall to the bottom and are ignored. Wise “winners,” however, will look to other ideas to build up and strengthen their own approach.
- Character should be rewarded as much as winning. It takes a good deal of character to set aside personal disappointment and belief to support the “winner” in achieving ultimate success - even saying "thank you" for lessons learned during the process. Those who realign their own dreams and ideas to pitch in and help the overall idea succeed deserve recognition for their contributions as much as the lead “winning” team.
- Always remember, others are watching. In today’s always-on, always-connected world, someone is always watching. How we behave and take action out of personal disappointment will color how others perceive us and influence the opportunities we are given for future success.
How have you been disappointed in your career, yet rose above to help others win? How did this ultimately influence your own success?
Photo by Tom Grimbert on Unsplash
As Globoforce’s Vice President of Client Strategy and Consulting, Derek Irvine is an internationally minded management professional with over 20 years of experience helping global companies set a higher ambition for global strategic employee recognition, leading workshops, strategy meetings and industry sessions around the world. He is a leader in the WorkHuman movement and the co-author of "The Power of Thanks" and his articles on fostering and managing a culture of appreciation through strategic recognition have been published in Businessweek, Workspan and HR Management. Derek splits his time between Dublin and Boston. Follow Derek on Twitter at @DerekIrvine.
As a tennis player, our culture of sportsmanship provides that we shake hands when we finish. This sportsmanship was displayed at the end of the Wimbledon match played on Wednesday between Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Delpotro. Although Rafael won, he went over to a dejected Juan Martin and gave him a hug, supportive words, and walked off together.
My sport provides that guidance in my career. I have been laid-off and be professional to ensure work was done and the business did not suffer.
It has influenced my success in that I mentor others to do the same and I am recognized for my values. Knowing that win or lose, I can be proud of my actions.
Posted by: Camille | 07/12/2018 at 02:50 PM