Do Athletes Make Better Employees?

An age old debate in the business world has often been whether or not the value of being an athlete has anything to do with competency and ability in the world of business. Do athletes make better employees than those who are not? Are the skills and abilities learned in the athletic world a comparable and instructive tool by which women and men become more prepared for the competitive world of business? You have all seen the NCAA commercials where athletes from various universities talk about 'going pro' in fields other than sports. So what qualities, if any, prove to be helpful in transferring from the athletic world to the 'real' world? Here's a few thoughts:

1. Discipline: To be an exceptional athlete, you must be disciplined. You must commit to training your mind, body and heart to a focused and concentrated effort. The discipline of an athlete does not take place over night, but is developed over years of practicing his/her craft.

Translation to the business world: Employers expect their employees to be punctual people with integrity and honesty. Good employees follow rules and work diligently to accomplish the tasks they are given.

2. Teamwork: Must sports have some sort of team element to them. Even in track and field or swimming, there are relays and team points that include a team as a whole in competition. Athletes learn the importance of others having success around them. They learn how to empower and encourage others to succeed so that the can succeed.

Translation to the business world: No great business was ever built by one person. Even Donald Trump needed other people supporting him to get him where he is today.

3. Competition: Good athletes know how to compete. Good athletes love to compete. Good athletes thrive on competition, the exhilaration of a challenge and the feel of performing under pressure and coming out on top. Athletes learn how to win and to lose with grace and character.

Translation to the business world: Our society is built on a competitive business model. Being able to outwork and out-innovative the competing business is crucial to a companies survival in our market.

In conclusion, athletes have the 'opportunity' to develop these important skills of discipline, teamwork and competition, in their athletic fields. However, not all athletes develop these skills. As such, it is difficult to say with certainty that 'all athletes make better employees than non-athletes'. Certainly men and women can develop these important business skills outside of the athletic world. However, an exceptional athlete who has developed these skills will have a profound and positive affect on any business because they have learned these skills in the world of sports.

We'd love to hear what you think. Let us know in the comments section.

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