Working in elite sport: ensuring enjoyment & longevity

Enjoyment takes high priority in what I want from my professional career and there have been occasions working in elite sport and performance when I have failed to find it. Sometimes giving every ounce of physical and mental capacity to support and deliver to those for whom I work, often at the expense of family and friends, can take it’s toll. So, what is it that keeps me coming back for more?

The lessons learned from the experiences and observations whilst navigating the peaks and troughs of elite sport, have allowed me to make some sense of this environment. This has led to developing a strategy to better equip myself to ensure enjoyment, and thus career longevity.  I hope by sharing some of my learnings it can support others working in similar environments.

My strategy or survival pack as it is sometimes called, is personal to me, and has been refined in recent years through leadership and psychology principles.  The contents invariably stays the same but the proportions can vary, depending on what role I am to fulfil and to whom. As if setting out to scale a mountain or sail an ocean, my survival pack consists of a compass (my values), a map (my working frameworks), food/water (recovery /reward strategies), and a first aid kit (self-care and support network).

As with many high-performing environments where attaining results is a priority, it can be a physically, mentally and emotionally demanding place to be. A sustainable model of business success known as the Triple Bottom Line is something I see as relatable and has three main goals: achieving outstanding financial results, inspiring personal relationships and having a cast-iron reputation. ¹ A career in high performance can share the goals of this business model, focusing on relationships and reputation as well as results.  In the context of this I will discuss my survival pack.

I have adapted the first goal of the Triple Bottom Line to outstanding athlete care which is what therapists/coaches should strive for working day to day with athletes.  I see my ability or professional competence as being essential in achieving this, so how do I ensure delivery of this?

Before embarking on this discussion, I will introduce the work of John Blakey ², an executive coach, whom refers to trustworthiness as a key principle in delivering the goals of the Triple Bottom Line and identifies three pillars that uphold trustworthiness: ability, integrity and benevolence.^2,3  Within each pillar he identifies habits which need fulfilling and it is an adaptation of this by which I will present my survival strategy. It could be debated as to why I don’t just refer to trustworthiness and its components, but for me being a therapist/coach has some nuances.

The ability to deliver outstanding athlete care may require the habits of choosing to deliver, choosing to coach and choosing to be consistent.² Choosing to deliver on something, immediately brings accountability which I see as a necessity in my work. It requires organisation to manage execution and delegation of tasks. The ability to sometimes say ‘no’ to engaging in a new task, is a skill in itself, especially if you don’t have the capacity to deliver it to your absolute best.  There have been occasions when I have taken on too much, and although I delivered the tasks in hand, it left me physically and mentally exhausted and took time to recover.  This is where my first aid kit comes in which involves people, places and activities that ground me and allow me to replenish and maintain motivated ⁴, ensuring I peak at right time.  This might include anything from time with my children, going for dinner with friends or planning family holidays, even if it is at the expense of saying ‘no’ to new work.

Another aspect of delivery is around delivering the basics first and that always striving to exceed expectations is not always a necessity. Instead I see it as choosing to deliver smart and selecting those tasks where exceeding expectations is required but remembering todays wow’s are tomorrows unspoken expectations, so it is a journey that never ends!²

Finally within delivery, John Blakey ² refers to the habit of practicing having difficult conversations. I have been fortunate enough to develop this habit through working alongside excellent psychologists which has equipped me well when entering the zone of uncomfortable conversations.  Something I have experienced and potentially just my perception, is how these conversations can differ in giving and receiving depending on the gender balance within the environment. Having spent much of my career in a male dominated environment before working in more gender balanced organisations, bought this to my attention. My compass and map have helped me to stay true to myself when found in compromising situations. These have guided me at certain times to be assertive, where it has been necessary to pursue what I value and want, but without compromising the needs or suffering of others.

Core skills in the habit of choosing to coach have been referred to as: ask, listen, empower.² Skilled questioning driven through curiosity and passion, to better understand those with whom you work can be a catalyst to open up collaboration in thinking. Then comes listening, a skill that can require practice, to extract pertinent information and meaning from conversations. Then to empower, whether that be athletes or colleagues, can help drive interpersonal belief. Finally is choosing to be consistent in behaviour, being reliable and predictable, which in high pressure environments can take alot of self- confidence to not falter. This is where living by my compass, guides my behaviours irrespective of the circumstance I find myself.

The second goal of the Triple Bottom Line refers to inspiring personal relationships, which is at the heart of my philosophy. Working hard on self-awareness and nurturing relationships and support networks, such as family members or professionals colleagues, is something I have always given time to. I belief through understanding myself and my own needs builds my resilience, allowing me to adapt more readily to environments and those in them, and in turn helping to inspire relationships.

Getting to know people outside their work role can help to understand their purpose and beliefs which can inspire relationships through the pillar of benevolence which refers to our concern for the well-being of others.²  Choosing to be kind and empathetic I see as a non-negotiable, and as it is often your actions you are remembered by, this will also complement reputation, the third goal of the Triple Bottom Line.

Bridging the first and second goals I would place the pillar of integrity which refers to the extent to which we ‘walk the talk’.  Consistent behaviour living up to values and standards we set ourselves should imply honesty, openness and being fair.² The competitive nature of working and trying to succeed in high performance can challenge ones compass from time to time. Having someone you trust and respect who will check and challenge your behaviours can be helpful, something John Blakey refers to as adopting a sheriff.² Linked to this is choosing to be open, which at times can bring feelings of vulnerability but in the longer term can enhance fostering relationships.

Finally the third goal, to have a cast-iron reputation in society as a whole ¹, can be attained from delivering results and inspiring relationships. Setting goals that influence your reputation in the wider society in which you operate are recommended. ¹ Something that has helped me, and potentially more so working in gender dominant environments, has been advocacy. Provided you are near to or have achieved a cast-iron reputation, having an advocate or sponsor to put you forward for potential future opportunities can pay dividends.

Discussing these habits in order to fulfill and deliver my strategy for enjoyment and longevity working in sport are all choices that need to be made.  Some habits may come more easily to practice than others but I believe it is important to reward yourself for good habit practice, and this can take whatever guise is relevant to you.  It is similar to physical training, whereby getting physically stronger requires practice or training, and then the need to recover which can be seen as rewarding the physical system. 

Hopefully sharing my strategy or survival pack which has helped me in ensuring enjoyment and longevity whilst working in elite sport, will provide some guidance for others undertaking this journey.

_{1. Jeurissen, R. (2000). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business, Journal of Business Ethics, 23, pp229-31}

_{2. Blakey, J. (2016). The Trusted Executive. London: KoganPage}

_{3. Burke, S, et al (2007). Trust in leadership: A multi-level review and integration, The Leadership Quarterly, 18, pp606-32}

_{4. Appaneal, R N (2020). Textbooks don’t tell it like it is. Tales from working in the field with injured athletes. In R.Wadey (Eds.), Sport Injury Psychology. Cultural, Relational, Methodological and Applied Considerations. (pp. 217-231). Oxford: Taylor & Francis}