by John McDonald
One of the most entertaining aspects of the Winter Olympics is that we often find ourselves cheering for unknown athletes competing in largely unfamiliar events. And although these athletes and their sports grab the world spotlight for only a short time, they often make lasting impressions.
The latest example from PyeongChang was Duluth, Minn.-native John Shuster, who on Saturday led Team USA’s curling team to their first-ever gold medal.
Although Shuster seemingly came out of nowhere to lead the U.S. team to victory, he is actually quite well known on the world curling stage.
Among his accomplishments is serving as U.S skipper (team captain) on four world championship teams that never finished worse than fifth in any of the prestigious tournements.
But in the Olympics, where he served as U.S skipper for the past three Winter Games, he had struggled mightily.
Olympic pain and failure
In 2014, Shuster captained the U.S. team to a second-to-last finish at the Sochi Games. Four years earlier, in Vancouver, his U.S.-led team finished dead last.
And as the 2018 PyeongChang Games unfolded, history seemed destined to repeat itself when Team USA lost four of their first six matches.
Interviewed from PyeongChang, Shuster admitted that the sport he loved had begun to cause him pain. And he knew something had to change.
It wasn’t until he resolved to get back to simply having fun that he and his U.S. teammates went on a five-game winning streak to earn the nation’s undivided attention and its first Olympic curling gold medal.
Bowling over negativity
Reading about Shuster’s turnaround, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a tale from my own athletic past.
From 2011 to 2012, I played junior hockey for the Odessa Jackalopes in the North American Hockey League.
One January day in 2012, as I sat on the team bus headed back to Odessa, I pondered our team’s six-game losing streak and what appeared to be a lost season. My thoughts turned to the horror that would surely be our Monday morning practice.
Although the bus was quiet, I could feel the same negativity from my teammates.
And as one of the team leaders, I felt a change was needed. So as the bus was fueled in another no-name West-Texas town, I joined a few teammates and talked to our coach.
We told him that the team needed to start having fun again.
And that Monday, much to everyone’s surprise, the coach took us bowling to help blow off some steam and have fun.
Our bowling was nothing to write home about, but we did end up turning our hockey season around; making the playoffs in the process.
Lessons for business owners
It’s a lesson that I think about a lot and one that business owners would do well to consider.
Remember that as a leader, everyone in the organization looks up to you for guidance. And when things don’t go well, it can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
Under such pressure even the things you enjoy can become a burden.
When that happens, resolve to have some fun again.
Get out of the office by planning a fun event or finding a volunteer opportunity. You’ll be surprised at how quickly those activities can heighten everyone’s confidence, make them more coachable and heighten their creativity.
Remember, being a leader is more than just directing the ship. It’s also setting the tone for an office
So, whether you’re a curling skip or a business owner, remember this new golden rule: bring some fun and positivity and others will surely follow you to bigger and better things.
As a credit coordinator at Sage Business Credit, John McDonald describes himself as a “numbers guy.” But he admits the best part of his job is more personal: rolling up his sleeves and working on behalf of Sage’s clients to help them grow and add value.