Catching the Olympic Spirit

For the past several days, like many others around the world, I’ve been totally caught up in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Watching the awe-inspiring display of talent is an amazing demonstration of the potential that lies within the human spirit. The pride and commitment to excellence demonstrated by athletes from every country has been inspiring to me. As an American it is uplifting to see our athletes demonstrate a picture of what America truly stands for at our best. It’s a pleasure to be represented by Kobe, Labron and the rest of the Redeem Team, as well as all of the American swimmers, gymnasts, beach volley ball players and all others who represent the pride of who we are as a people. This could be said of all the athletes from around the world as well.

What has been even more meaningful to me is the respect and admiration shown by these great athletes, from every corner of the globe, for one another. Regardless of race, color, creed, gender, age, language or country, there has been an overwhelming sense of the recognition of their oneness. The competition is fierce and the pride in the country being represented is apparent in each competitor. However, that doesn’t negate the respect and acknowledgement of what each individual brings to these games. For this moment in time, we have set politics and our differences aside. The athletes from all over the world have set an example of how much more alike than different we are. It would be a great improvement in the world if we all carried this attitude beyond the athletes and the Olympic games.

I recently returned from Nashville, Tennessee, where I was presenting to a group of union and management representatives. They are faced with competing in a global economy, which requires a significant change in how we interact and engage with our work force. The pride and commitment to being all that we can be, demonstrated during the Olympics, is an example of what is possible. If we could capture a small part of that in our organizations and our work force, we would be hard to beat.

We live in challenging times. These Olympic athletes are a shining example of how to compete with dignity and respect. It’s encouraging to get beyond politics and recognize how great we are, and can be, as a people. The preparation, the training, the respect, the teamwork and the pride in representing your sport and your country make these Olympics something special. If we would all commit to carrying a bit of this spirit back into our lives, our homes, our jobs and our communities, it would make a huge difference for the betterment of our world.

Be at peace. Gordy