I watched an incredible tennis match at the French Open this week on Thursday evening when in a very tight four set game the British tennis player Jack Draper beat a resurgent 38-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils, who played incredible tennis hitting the lines and 20 forehands at over 100 mph. Not surprisingly almost all of the French crowd were vociferously on Monfils’s side. Extraordinary match. In the interview afterwards they asked the winner what it was like playing on Court Philippe-Chartrier for the first time in front of such a packed partisan crowd. These are difficult interviews at the best of times after you have just spent 3 or more physically demanding hours on court and the usual answers are something about their game or thanking their opponent, team and the crowd. Instead Draper responded with something much more inciteful: he said in effect “this is why we put in all the hard work to play tennis at this level and appear in front of and entertain crowds like these”.
It struck me listening to these admirable sentiments and as I transition from my in-house to consultancy role how important this attitude is in professional life as well as the sporting world. The real reward for us I suggest is not just earning a livelihood, doing the deal or achieving professional (or life) goals important though these can be. It is rather carrying out our professional roles to the absolute best of our ability even or perhaps especially in difficult and trying circumstances – and enjoying and appreciating the opportunity to do this in and of itself. Of course, we are not “playing” in front of 20 thousand partisan fans but nevertheless the stakes for ourselves, our business or our firm in high profile deals can be critical. Profitability, promotion or equity partnership may depend on continuing success. But as Draper suggests this is not the be all or end of it – enjoy and relish the occasion.
AI proposes that “Focusing on enjoying the work itself, rather than solely on the outcome, can lead to increased engagement, satisfaction, and even productivity. It's about finding joy in the process and the development that comes with it, rather than solely chasing the final result.”
This can enhance our ability to perform well at the highest level in the sporting or professional worlds. See this Forbes article The Most Important Ingredient For Employee Engagement—And It’s Not What You Think which suggests fun or enjoyment at work “positively impacts productivity, creativity, and overall job satisfaction”. It suggests that “The human brain is wired to respond positively to fun. When we experience enjoyment, our brains release dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and learning.”
And this Boston Consulting Group article Enjoying Work Matters More Than You May Realize which based on surveys concludes that while “Employees who enjoy their work are 49% less likely to consider a new job than employees who don’t” nevertheless “Most company leaders simply aren’t thinking deeply—or strategically—about whether their employees find their work interesting, rewarding, or fun.” Their conclusion is “that joy and retention have the same top two blockers: motivation and support. With a better understanding of what employees need—similar to the depth of knowledge that companies seek about their customers—leaders can start to design programs and policies that flip the script. Joy looks different for everyone.”
I know it is easy to dismiss this all as a bit light-hearted and not really a topic for our “serious” and driven business world, but it does seem enjoyment and appreciation of work really matters. See this University of Oxford article Happy workers are 13% more productive which says “Research by Oxford University's Saïd Business School, in collaboration with British multinational telecoms firm BT, has found a conclusive link between happiness and productivity.” “We found that when workers are happier, they work faster by making more calls per hour worked and, importantly, convert more calls to sales”.
So what can we as legal, commercial, finance or technology professionals learn from top tennis players? One attitude that seems key is an ability to cultivate a mindset where they do not just tolerate but actually relish stressful situations. Instead of viewing pressure as a negative, players at this level see it as an opportunity to learn and to show their skills and mental fortitude. See this Insights White paper Mental toughness in tenniswhich has some great quotes from leading tennis players and others on the topic. It proposes that “under these ‘threat conditions’ a negative physiological response occurs where reduced blood flow to the brain and muscles results in poorer decision making, reduced control over thoughts and emotions and ultimately performance suffers as a result.” A positive mental attitude turns this into a challenge or even an opportunity. Serena Williams highlights this when she said “Venus told me the other day that champions don’t get nervous in tight situations”. I think that rather they perform even better, an admirable trait I have certainly seen in top business leaders and professionals who seem to thrive in tough situations which they actually do appear to enjoy.
This topic is perhaps more time focused for a professional sportsperson as by definition their active careers are more limited with Monfils nearing the end of his and Draper at the start. But actually, it is the same for all of us. You can only play so many tennis matches even in a long sporting career. However, there is also a finite number of major transactions you can carry out in a professional working lifetime though this is usually longer. So even in the darkest of late-night hours online or in a law firm office trying to unravel some negotiation Gordian knot, it is worth appreciating like top sports people how fortunate we are to have the opportunity of such rewarding careers and learn to enjoy them in the moment while we can.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.”Steve Jobs.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein.
“Courage is grace under pressure.” Ernest Hemingway.
It struck me listening to these admirable sentiments and as I transition from my in-house to consultancy role how important this attitude is in professional life as well as the sporting world. The real reward for us I suggest is not just earning a livelihood, doing the deal or achieving professional (or life) goals important though these can be. It is rather carrying out our professional roles to the absolute best of our ability even or perhaps especially in difficult and trying circumstances – and enjoying and appreciating the opportunity to do this in and of itself. Of course, we are not “playing” in front of 20 thousand partisan fans but nevertheless the stakes for ourselves, our business or our firm in high profile deals can be critical. Profitability, promotion or equity partnership may depend on continuing success. But as Draper suggests this is not the be all or end of it – enjoy and relish the occasion.
AI proposes that “Focusing on enjoying the work itself, rather than solely on the outcome, can lead to increased engagement, satisfaction, and even productivity. It's about finding joy in the process and the development that comes with it, rather than solely chasing the final result.”
This can enhance our ability to perform well at the highest level in the sporting or professional worlds. See this Forbes article The Most Important Ingredient For Employee Engagement—And It’s Not What You Think which suggests fun or enjoyment at work “positively impacts productivity, creativity, and overall job satisfaction”. It suggests that “The human brain is wired to respond positively to fun. When we experience enjoyment, our brains release dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and learning.”
And this Boston Consulting Group article Enjoying Work Matters More Than You May Realize which based on surveys concludes that while “Employees who enjoy their work are 49% less likely to consider a new job than employees who don’t” nevertheless “Most company leaders simply aren’t thinking deeply—or strategically—about whether their employees find their work interesting, rewarding, or fun.” Their conclusion is “that joy and retention have the same top two blockers: motivation and support. With a better understanding of what employees need—similar to the depth of knowledge that companies seek about their customers—leaders can start to design programs and policies that flip the script. Joy looks different for everyone.”
I know it is easy to dismiss this all as a bit light-hearted and not really a topic for our “serious” and driven business world, but it does seem enjoyment and appreciation of work really matters. See this University of Oxford article Happy workers are 13% more productive which says “Research by Oxford University's Saïd Business School, in collaboration with British multinational telecoms firm BT, has found a conclusive link between happiness and productivity.” “We found that when workers are happier, they work faster by making more calls per hour worked and, importantly, convert more calls to sales”.
So what can we as legal, commercial, finance or technology professionals learn from top tennis players? One attitude that seems key is an ability to cultivate a mindset where they do not just tolerate but actually relish stressful situations. Instead of viewing pressure as a negative, players at this level see it as an opportunity to learn and to show their skills and mental fortitude. See this Insights White paper Mental toughness in tenniswhich has some great quotes from leading tennis players and others on the topic. It proposes that “under these ‘threat conditions’ a negative physiological response occurs where reduced blood flow to the brain and muscles results in poorer decision making, reduced control over thoughts and emotions and ultimately performance suffers as a result.” A positive mental attitude turns this into a challenge or even an opportunity. Serena Williams highlights this when she said “Venus told me the other day that champions don’t get nervous in tight situations”. I think that rather they perform even better, an admirable trait I have certainly seen in top business leaders and professionals who seem to thrive in tough situations which they actually do appear to enjoy.
This topic is perhaps more time focused for a professional sportsperson as by definition their active careers are more limited with Monfils nearing the end of his and Draper at the start. But actually, it is the same for all of us. You can only play so many tennis matches even in a long sporting career. However, there is also a finite number of major transactions you can carry out in a professional working lifetime though this is usually longer. So even in the darkest of late-night hours online or in a law firm office trying to unravel some negotiation Gordian knot, it is worth appreciating like top sports people how fortunate we are to have the opportunity of such rewarding careers and learn to enjoy them in the moment while we can.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.”Steve Jobs.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein.
“Courage is grace under pressure.” Ernest Hemingway.
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