Now listen, I understand that you might be thinking “how exactly can we associate anything from sports to the business world”? Well, you would be surprised by how many similarities there are between the two worlds.

Playing any kind of sport is a lot of fun and playing on a team with your friends can make it even more fun. In business, you will likely spend more time with your co-workers compared to that of your family. It’s important that you make these connections with your co-workers so that you can have just as much fun in the workplace as you would playing in sports.

Think of it this way…

Teamwork Is Everything
In sports, it is not just each player's individual score that determines the final result, but also the combined scores of all teammates. If one player isn't performing well, the other team members must make up for the deficiency in order to win. It is much the same in business. When working on a team project, each member is responsible not just for their own work, but for the completion of the project as a whole. You'll need to be prepared to pick up the slack as needed to keep your project on course.

Scheduling Is Important
From practices to tournaments, it is important that every member of a sports team must be on the same page in terms of scheduling, and business is no different. Between company-wide meetings, team meetings and individual projects, your employees have a lot on their plates, so it is important to provide detailed schedules to help everyone manage their work efficiently to ensure everything is completed on time as expected.

Team Changes Are Sometimes Necessary
In sports, it's never easy to say goodbye to a teammate, but sometimes this is necessary to ensure the ongoing success for your team. For example, a teammate could get injured, or a scheduling conflict could arise. In the business world, an employee could resign or get fired, or the scope of your project may change, resulting in the need for different team members. When making changes to your work team, be sure to keep the rest of the team informed as to what is going on to avoid false rumors getting started and your team feeling blindsided.

Momentum Is Real
In sports, many players talk about momentum. When your team is performing well, the energy that provides makes it easier for the rest of your team to succeed. Similarly, poor performance can be demoralizing and hurt others' ability to perform well. In business environments, it can be easy to get caught up in minor setbacks, causing them to snowball into much larger issues. When this happens, take a few moments to step back and look at the big picture. Even a brief pause can be enough to break negative momentum so that you can turn it around.

Of course, the world of business isn't always like sports, but there are always lessons everywhere. Managing a sports team of any kind, shares many similarities with managing a work team, but there are many differences as well. Take inspiration from all areas of your life but be sure to keep in mind that what works for other teams you are a part of may not necessarily work for your work team. Experiment with different techniques and tactics to find what works best for you.

It is two completely different worlds, but when you look at it, they are very similar. It requires teamwork, effort, time management and of course adaptability. If you are successful in these aspects you can excel in either world.

I would love to hear what you think. Can you think of any other similarities that can be made between sports and business? Do you think they are comparable fields? Have your voice heard in the comments below.