The olympic CEO

As the olympic games are approaching an end, I start reflecting how healthy is the games. Not talking about the health that sports brings. There is thousand of studies that proofs that is the right thing to do. I was wondering about the need to become super heros, medals holders, super athletes, and the winners.

There is nothing wrong to be a winner. And we always need a challenge to advance in life. My point is, when is the time to recognise that some lines should not be crossed? As any sports competition, it will always be only 1 winner, and in the Olympics, 3 of them: the gold, silver and bronze medals.

The pressure that is built is enormous before the games, and even worse after the games.

Mark Spitz, the Michael Phelps of the 1970s, won seven gold medals and set seven world records in the ’72 Munich Games. In his comments during an interview, Mark said:

“I know I say I don’t want to swim before every event, but this time, I’m serious. If I swim six and win six, I’ll be a hero. If I swim seven and win six, I’ll be a failure.”

In 2020 Tokyo olympic games, a very controversial discussions start when Simone Biles claim her mental health inability to compete and she was bombarded from both sides, literally. Does that support her condition showed compassion and those that call her a failure and excuse, since high performing athletes must always win.

A disease called Post-Olympic also hit athletes heavily after the games. After long time training, going throughout the qualifications and competing, they end up suffering the imposter syndrome.

Caroline Silby, a sports psychologist and former competitive skater, spent 14 years training to make the National Figure Skating Team. “Some athletes go through a period of time … where they feel like an impostor,” she says. “They recognise that with a blink of an eye the result could have possibly turned out differently. … The instant idolisation of their achievements can lead to intense and constant worry about rejection, criticism, and being ‘found out’ that they aren’t as good as everyone thinks—or that they themselves think.”

But my intention today is not to talk about athletes, but better from CEOs and their positions. We can call them the Olympic CEOs. They have to work hard to get qualified for the position, show they can perform at very stressful conditions and stay as number 1, always whatever it happens.

The CEO pressure is a real thing and the loneliness of the position make them be very like a high performance athlete. CEOs are build to be seen as super heros, the saviour of the company, the one that has the superpowers and know all the answers. But is not like that, they are also humans.

I don’t know any CEO that doesn’t have fears, or are always on top of any subject agenda, that feel fully supported in their personal or professional life and live a fulfilled life. And asking for help is something fully unacceptable.

We may have create the image of the CEOs as described above some years ago. Nowadays, it is ok to say, I don’t know, I need help, how can we do differently, what are the options we have and many other ways to show vulnerability, and create a psychological safety environment. And that is a signal of strength not weakness.

Michigan-born swimmer Allison Schmitt. After winning five medals, three of them gold, and setting a world record in the 2012 London Games, sank into a hole from which she couldn’t emerge.

“We’re taught we can push through anything … and we’re always told to not ask for help.”

CEOs, leaders and all high performance doers have to remind that the skills and personality traits that they possess, that pushed them and propelled them to such excellence in the domain they master, are transferable. If they find something else that they love, then they can transfer all of that passion and work ethic, grit, and resilience and creativity and adaptability into their next phase of interest.

Stay focused in your passion and wining may be something nice. But plan beyond the games is what makes a difference in life.

Ask for help and show your vulnerability. When you discover that is ok, you will end up asking why haven't done that earlier.