Using sports values in the workplace

-- ST ILLUSTRATION: ADAM LEE

THE Clipper round-the-world yacht race that made a stop here last month may be just another jaunt on the high seas for some but it has been a proving ground for Keppel FELS senior engineer Darryl Tai.

Mr Tai, 30, believes the invaluable experience he gained sailing in what is the world's longest sailing race has also helped him navigate the workplace.

'The treacherous seas pose different forms of challenges and bring about the most unexpected conditions,' he noted about the the first leg from Britain to Brazil that he crewed last year.

'Out at sea, you need to be creative and fast in handling different situations. For example, the constant change in wind directions means that you need to continually tack the wind shifts in your favour.

'It is the same in managing people. Depending on circumstances, we need to know when and what approach to use in managing different individuals at the appropriate time.'

Mr Tai also noted that the environmental challenges onboard a racing yacht - working in confined spaces, the lack of sleep and keeping watch every few hours - build fortitude and resilience that can be applied to the workplace.

So, if you think that sport has nothing to do with the workplace, think again.

Sport teaches us the value of working as a team, of creativity; it helps boost morale, forge bonds among colleagues and enhance a person's employability.

'The challenge of ocean racing is a voyage of self-discovery for the individuals who take part,' said Mr William Ward, chief executive of Clipper Ventures, which organises the Clipper race.

'They often emerge better equipped to take on the modern, dynamic and fast changing business environment."

Mr Jan Kusters, an executive board member of De Lage Landen, a global provider of asset-based lending, said it saw the ingredients for building a successful enterprise in the Clipper Race platform.

These are 'lessons to learn like showing a 'can do' mentality, creating one shared goal, stepping out of the comfort zone, achieving something extraordinary and working with others in teams'.

'There are no enemies in sailing; you cannot be against a certain team or boat, which gives it a positive vibe. And it inspires people," added Mr Kusters, who is also chairman of the Dutch association of lease companies.

Many crew members also develop both leadership and team-building skills following the rigours of working on board the yachts, he said.

Of course, any other competitive sport experience can help contribute to success at work.

Mr Lim Shyong Piau, managing director of Invesco Asset Management Singapore, is more inclined to hire sportspeople, whom he defines as those who have committed a meaningful part of their lives doing something competitive like sport.

They demonstrate focus and determination, have a fighting spirit and the ability to pick oneself up after a failure, and can deal with pressure and discipline (or fair play): 'In other words, the two attributes that I always look for - mental fortitude and fire in the belly', he added.

Every firm needs explorers and those who prefer to operate in an orderly environment, and sportspeople are more likely to be the explorer, seeking the next competitive advantage, the next frontier, or the next new idea and can thrive in uncertain environment, said Mr Lim.

Indeed, sport instils discipline and helps us stay focused, said life coach David Tay, who used to coach competitive swimming in a school.

'Most people who take up a sporting activity usually have a goal in mind - be it for a competition, or to finish a race, or simply staying healthy... and these are goals we work towards.'

The key really lies in the process of reaching those goals. 'Sport becomes a means to an end,' said Mr Tay.

'During the process, we develop discipline (following the training programme religiously and getting up on time, etc), patience (knowing that it will take time to reach our goals), and an understanding of our own strengths and weaknesses, and how to work with our pluses and resolving the minuses.'

These basic attributes will inevitably be transferred onto our work life, added Mr Tay.