We have been carried away by the Olympic spirit here at Susan Graham Consulting. Every night at 8 p.m., you can find us plopped on our couches, cheering on the red, white and blue. (And, okay, occasionally we check in on the events at work, but Susan is cool with it, we swear!)
Everyone at SGC has their favorite events.
Eryn loves watching swimming and gymnastics, two events where the United States has had a lot of success.
Anita played field hockey and softball growing up, so she favors those sports, though she also enjoys cheering on Kerry Walsh Jennings and April Ross in volleyball.
Ali is also a beach volleyball fan. Plus, she’s rooting for golden gymnasts Simone Biles and Aly Raisman.
Carolyn appreciates hearing the athletes’ stories. She was mesmerized by Kathleen Baker’s silver medal swim earlier this week, astounded by how she battled Crohn’s disease. We all agree, it’s inspiring to hear what types of adversity these athletes have overcome.
Patti, meanwhile, has become enamored with cycling. She’s fascinated by the strategy of it. She admires the way the cyclists work as a team to hold space for each other and fend off other teams’ attacks, pushing their leaders ahead for the win.
As for Susan, well, she’s up for watching anything! In fact, she admits she’s staying up “way past my bedtime” to watch the competitions. She may or may not have teared up a few times seeing these determined athletes get their medals.
The Games will, alas, be over in just a few weeks. But the more we thought about how much we love the Olympics, the more we realized the lessons of these Games echo things we preach in business as well.
Teamwork: Even though Gabby Douglas didn’t qualify to defend her title in the women’s individual all-around, she didn’t waste time getting upset. Instead, she shook off her disappointment and delivered A-plus routines to help her team win the gold medal.
Dedication: Michael Phelps came out of retirement to get back into shape and dominate in the pool once again.
Strategy: The cyclists know exactly what each person on the team needs to do to meet their goal.
Fun: Watching the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony, it’s clear these teams are also enjoying this incredible experience, right along with the rest of us.
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Do you love the Olympics? Tweet us at @SGConsulting_PA or connect with us on Facebook to tell us your favorite events. Let’s go USA!
