A day before entering the ring, the Argentine world middleweight boxing champion Segio “Maravilla” (“The Marvel”) Martinez, said in an interview “I’m not even fit to tie Monzón’s shoelaces […]  In Argentina, when you speak of boxing, the first name that comes to mind is Monzón.” 

Sport offers us a rich and intuitive window into the world of leadership and team dynamics – a leader’s success or failure is public and his/her style is on display for all to see.  What can executives and aspiring corporate leaders learn from sports?  In every race, game and match, athletes compete in mind, body and spirit to out wit, out pace and out hustle the opposition.  These efforts serve as testaments to what is humanly possible, offering insight into what it means to be a valiant teammate and memorable leader. 

With the Olympics upon us, nearly 10,000 athletes from 204 countries are set to compete in 300 events, and the opportunity to learn leadership lessons from the intensity of international competition shouldn’t be missed.  Who will make their way into the history books and how?  Keep your eye on the following storylines that have the potential to serve as memorable case studies for how to both lead teams and seize opportunity.