The Tribune

By IAN FERGUSON

This weekend brings another level of excitement to the islands of the Bahamas as we host the IAAF World Relays 2015. The Bahamas has for the past 60 years demonstrated to the world that, as a small archipelagic nation, we are a force to reckon with in sports. We continue to show the world what it means to deliver ‘World Class’ in sports, producing professional athletes in basketball, baseball, football, swimming, track and field, golf and sailing.

Perhaps the progression of these athletes, and the path to excellence they have achieved, gives those of us in business and enterprise some insights. Today we ask simply: What must we do differently, and better, if the world is going to again mark the manner of our bearing?

The lessons which provide us with a roadmap toward greatness begin with these four points:

1. Discipline

Just as the athlete must train, rehearse, maintain their diet, manage weight, avoid harmful substances and remain mentally fit, so too must businesses. They have to exercise these same disciplines to compete on the world stage.

Consistent training, trimming excess fat (unskilled and negative employees), and uplifting and upholding policies that are friendly for both internal and external customers will prove beneficial for the successful company

1. Goal Setting

Athletes have personal bests, and each day they aim to remain healthy and skilled enough to improve on these. Sadly, most businesses in our corporate environment do not have a record of their best season or the factors that might have contributed to this success. Step one, then, on the road to ‘world class’ in business is documentation (financial-employee performance-customer satisfaction).

1. Perseverance

Every athlete knows the sting of defeat. Even the best have tried and failed at some point in their career. In order to be World Class, businesses must be resilient enough to get up, dust off and try again with a revised strategy. Determination has to be the order of the day.

1. Specialisation

Few professional athletes try to play more than one sport competitively. It just doesn’t make practical sense. They find their lane and they stay there.

Historically, successful business models typically point to companies who, for the first 50 years of their existence, remained in a one or two-product environment before branching into new areas (still related or connected to the original).

My final thought on finding ‘World Class’ in business is that we must recapture the genuine Bahamian hospitality that truly made us a unique and well-sought after people. It requires us to love people again and respect each individual, no matter how different or difficult they may be. Be safe Bahamas. Enjoy the Relays.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.