What does it take to be a champion in business? Top performance coach Amana Walker, MD of Walkahead Ltd, explores the idea.

 

Amana says: "I don’t know how much of the Euros you watched; I mean, football isn’t everyone’s thing.

The truth is, it isn’t mine - but performance is.

In fact, performing at the highest level is the focus with most of the people I coach so I watch football – and all sport, to look at how the best are performing under pressure, and when it matters the most.

The question for me is less about skill (because at that level, you have it), it’s much more about the drive to succeed and how you are handling what’s going on around you and more specifically, what’s going on in your head.

Because that is the difference between winning and losing.

And it’s what champions are made of.

But being a champion isn’t just about participating in the big events, such as the Euros or more recently, the Olympics. In fact, we can all be a champion in our place of work if we choose to be, and I’ve seen this happening many times over.

The thing is, very few people are – they just don’t push themselves that far.

That’s not because they don’t want to be though, I mean most of us come to work and want to do a cracking job, and some even want to be the best at what they do.

That might be you.

But being a true champion, even in the workplace, is hard work, and it takes far more than the majority of people can deal with. That’s nothing to do with capability, and that’s the sad thing about it, I’ve seen thousands of people who all have the potential needed to be at the top of their game. But they’re not.

So, what does it take then, to be a champion at work?

Well, here is a snapshot of a few of my top tips for you.

Know where you’re going

No one reaches the top of their game, without knowing what they are aiming for.

It’s not quite enough to say that you want to ‘be the best’, you have to get much more specific than that. What do you want to be the best at? What’s your measurement going to be? How are you going to get there? What help might you need?

And what is your ‘deadline’ (because champions aren’t prepared to wait forever).

Never be afraid to set big goals, because if you want to be at the top, you absolutely have to. Aim high and stay focused on where you intend to be.

Commitment is not an option

The thought of setting out on an exciting journey gives you that momentum you need; I’ve seen plenty of outstanding athletes (Premiership footballers, elite golfers) start out with as much commitment as you could shake a stick at.

It’s not just about hard work, it’s about hard work when you don’t feel like it. It’s about keeping going when you’d rather not. And it’s about picking yourself up when you’re down.

Commitment takes resilience and that’s not as straightforward as we’d like it to be, but without it, you could be a good performer, but you won’t be a champion.

Commitment is about staying the course, and not giving in.

Go one step further

Champions are famous for setting new standards – their own standards. That might be a new move in sport, or developing their own unbeatable style, or discovering a way of being even better than the best.

In your business, staying one step ahead (of your competition and your customers) is a must, and who could disagree with that? But surprising them with something new, or something that no one else’s doing – or has even thought of, is what it’s really about.

How can you go (and keep going) one step further than anyone else?

Get creative.

Consistency

One of the toughest things for any elite performer, is staying consistent.

They’ll win the Premier League – and then have to do it all again the following season. They’ll win a gold medal, and then have to train even harder to beat the competition and win it again.

Consistency at work is where you’ll stand out as a champion. When trading and the market conditions are tough, or you have staffing issues that hold you back, or when changes in the workplace force you to look at new ways of working, you still have to find a way of staying out in front.

Of course it’s human nature for performance to drop – sometimes dramatically. And that’s okay, as long as you are aware of it, and have a plan.

Being a champion is about overcoming the obstacles quickly, to regain your position at the top if you happen to slip.

Self-belief

It’s no exaggeration to say that every top performer I’ve ever worked with (in business and sport) has had a confidence crisis. It’s a moment (often many) where they don’t believe they can do it anymore or a time when they think they’re no longer good enough.

Anything can knock your confidence; it can be performance related such as going through a period when you’re not doing as well as you know you should be. It can be a new kid on the block who looks like they are going to take your place at the top. It can be ‘life’ related, when there’s stuff going on in your personal/home life that results in your eye no longer being on the ball.

That is the life of a champion. But here’s where the difference is: They know what’s happening, they can rationalise, take time out and then ask themselves important questions like these:

How good do I want to be?

How badly do I want it?

What am I prepared to do about it?

And against the odds, they dig deep and find their self-belief – and that drives them forward leaving many other talented people behind.

How rock solid is your self-belief – is it strong enough to make you a champion against the odds?

The desire to be at the top has to be so strong, that when you have hiccups (and failures) along the way, nothing will hold you back from getting to where you want to be.

That’s the life of a champion ...and we’re all capable of being one.