Lessons from the Sports Arena

It has been an amazing week for sports lovers. Amongst other events, we have been witness to some of the spectacular matches -be it in the last eight rounds of FIFA World Cup or the Wimbledon.

It was a week when the some of the best names , as I write, Brazil and Argentina, and Roger Federer-as well of the favorites (at least those carrying the hopes of the local crowds) - Ghana (in this case for an entire continent) and the British idol Andy Murray have not been able to muster through...

Are there any lessons that we in business can learn from the events that happen in the sports arena??

Here are a handful of the tweets in my timeline this morning,:

@S_Sivakumar:Every single #Arg strike at the #Ger goal went straight to the goalie or far above the goal bar. Ball possession was of no consequence

@MaheshNBhatt:You cant win matches on the reputation of the past.

Bhuvan_Chelsea

RT: @Des_Kelly_DM: Bonkers fact: If Spain or Germany win the #World Cup the only unbeaten side at WC2010 is New Zealand!

Would I be wrong in concluding

- More than individual brilliance it is the team play that matters!

- It is not so much about skills alone, the temperament is paramount! Sheer youthful energy and persistence paid off for the Germans & the Dutch

- Andy Murray probably won more points in the match against Nadal in the semis, but it was Nadal who won those points/games that really mattered in the end!

- Referees are human and prone to error at all levels- the true champions garner enough spirit to draw from their own reserves and succeed!

-Of the 4 South American teams that reached the last 8 -only one has made it to the last 4 even as all three Europeans stayed on course. The game of football -like all other things, is changing-and only those who adapt -make the next grade??

Of course there is still a lot of room for development for the administrators of the games to think of

1. Consider the meaningless rules that allowed a first round match of Wimbledon to go on for 13hrs over 3 days.. to see the winner lose the next match-on the very next day-as he was too stiff from the marathon!!

2. Despite advances of technology and science..allowing human errors to be perpetuated as tradition! For egEngland being disallowed a goal, or the Uruguay's Hand of God!!

While on the learning's, I think one must read the HBR interview of the Chess Legend Garry Kasparov that explores the rich territory of chess as an analogy for business strategy!!

Cheers-have a great week ahead!!

PS. There is still room for superstitions... FIFA is interestingly hinged around Paul the Octopus & Mick Jagger, World Cup angel of death. )!?