Leadership development is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with over $100 billion invested annually worldwide. Yet, a significant gap persists between learning about leadership and applying those lessons in the workplace—a gap we call the "Knowing-Doing Gap."
At Mindflick, we believe that real transformation in leadership is achieved through personalised and practical training. This is especially true in higher education, where universities and business schools strive to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow while also developing their staff to manage teams effectively in an increasingly volatile environment.
Leveraging Elite Sports Insights
Through our work with some of the world's best sports teams, we've learned how to design leadership programs that drive real change when it matters. From managing diverse personalities within teams to navigating challenging situations with confidence, the key to successful leadership development lies in applying lessons from elite environments and making leadership insights practical, relevant, and accessible when we need them most.
This begins with self-awareness—a prerequisite for any current or future leader. Understanding oneself allows leaders to apply their strengths in the most impactful way and adapt their approach as the context shifts. After all, the default approach we take won't work in every situation.
Adapting to different contexts involves recognising the situation we find ourselves in and matching it with actions that better move us toward a specific goal. However, stress and pressure can impair our ability to do this, making the brain more fixed and prompting repetitive behaviors. Leaders must find ways to manage stress and stay primed to handle these situations effectively.
Adapting to change: Preparing for a dynamic future
Yet, managing emotions in high-pressure situations isn't easy. Often, in-the-moment reminders are needed to break free from tunnel vision and assess the scenario. Just as an athlete might have a reminder on their water bottle, we can incorporate these cues into our daily routines. From calendar reminders to notes on our screens, these small nudges can profoundly impact how we lead.
At Mindflick, we go a step further by providing business leaders with access to an app which gives them regular, personalised nudges based on their unique set of preferences. These nudges activate the self-awareness developed through traditional psychometrics, creating real impact when it’s needed most.
The lesson here is that we must update the way we develop our leaders, leaning on insights from the very best, to help us prepare leaders in higher education for future challenges. At their core, both education and elite sports are about unlocking people's full potential. Developing adaptability, awareness, and understanding of others is crucial for success. And so, by heeding lessons from elite sports we can create modern leadership training that elevates performance precisely when it is needed most.
