Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about leadership didn’t come from a boardroom or a classroom—they came from the field. Growing up in the UK, I was an avid athlete. I played football (soccer) and tennis competitively, and I held my high school’s record for the 100-meter high hurdles. Today, I still play golf (to a single handicap) with the same passion and focus I had back then. Looking back, I realize that the discipline, mindset, and strategy developed through sports have shaped how I lead teams and build businesses across continents.

In both sports and business, success comes down to preparation, teamwork, resilience, and the ability to adapt under pressure. The environments may look different, but the principles are remarkably similar.

The Power of Preparation

In athletics, you quickly learn that talent only takes you so far. The real edge comes from preparation. Every successful athlete knows that what happens in competition is a reflection of the hours spent training, analyzing, and perfecting technique when no one is watching.

Business leadership is no different. Before any major decision—whether it’s a new investment, a market entry, or a corporate partnership—I’ve always believed in doing the groundwork. Preparation means studying the landscape, understanding risks, and anticipating potential challenges. It means equipping your team with the right information and tools before asking them to execute.

I often tell my teams that the best strategies are like training plans: you build up gradually, learn from each stage, and enter the “competition” ready to perform at your best.

The Discipline to Stay Consistent

Athletes know the importance of consistency. You don’t achieve results by training hard for a week and then taking a month off. Improvement comes from showing up day after day, even when motivation is low or conditions aren’t perfect.

That same discipline applies to leadership. Successful business leaders don’t rely on quick wins—they build sustainable habits that drive long-term success. It’s about maintaining standards, keeping commitments, and setting the tone through consistent effort.

When I was leading teams across Africa for multinational corporations, consistency mattered even more. Different markets, time zones, and business cultures meant that the only constant I could control was my own commitment and reliability. Over time, that consistency builds trust—and trust is the foundation of every effective organization.

Teamwork and Trust

Sports teach you very quickly that no one wins alone. Even in individual sports like tennis or golf, there’s a team behind every success—coaches, trainers, supporters. Collaboration and communication are what allow individuals to perform at their peak. The scoreboard is also pure and doesn’t always tell a story. Hard work does not always equal positive outcomes.

In business, I’ve found that the same principle holds true. A leader’s job is not to have all the answers but to bring together people with different skills and perspectives and align them toward a shared goal. The most successful teams I’ve led have been those where everyone felt ownership of the mission and where trust was built through openness and accountability.

When I think back to my time captaining teams in school or working with cross-border teams later in my career, I see the same thread running through both experiences: great teams don’t just play together—they believe in one another.

Handling Pressure and Adversity

Every athlete faces moments of intense pressure—whether it’s a penalty kick in the final minute or a long put to win a game of Matchplay in Golf. Those moments reveal character. You can’t avoid pressure, but you can learn to handle it.

In leadership, the same truth applies. Business brings its own version of high-stakes moments—economic downturns, shifting markets, or difficult negotiations. The key is composure. Staying calm and decisive under pressure gives your team confidence and allows you to think clearly when others panic.

Sports taught me to see setbacks not as failures, but as feedback. You analyze what went wrong, make adjustments, and come back stronger. In business, that mindset has been invaluable. Whether it’s a missed opportunity or a project that didn’t go as planned, resilience is what allows you to recover and move forward.

The Role of Strategy

In competitive sports, strategy is everything. The best athletes aren’t just fast or strong—they’re smart. They study their opponents, understand their own strengths and weaknesses, and adapt their approach accordingly.

That same strategic thinking is central to business leadership. Every market I’ve worked in has required a different approach. What works in New York may not work in Nairobi. Strategy means aligning your actions with your long-term goals and adjusting your tactics as the situation evolves.

In both sports and business, the difference between good and great often lies in anticipation—the ability to read the game, think ahead, and position yourself for success before the opportunity fully appears.

Leading with Humility

Sports also teach humility. No matter how good you are, there’s always someone faster, stronger, or more skilled. That realization keeps you grounded and hungry to improve.

As a leader, humility is what keeps you open to feedback and learning. It allows you to surround yourself with talented people and give them space to shine. Some of the best decisions I’ve made in my career came from listening to team members who saw things from a different perspective.

True leadership isn’t about being the star player—it’s about being the coach who helps others succeed.

Bringing It All Together

The lessons I learned through sports continue to shape how I lead and make decisions today. Preparation, consistency, teamwork, resilience, strategy, and humility—these principles form the backbone of both athletic and business success.

I often think of leadership as a long-distance race, not a sprint. It requires endurance, focus, and a deep sense of purpose. Sports gave me that foundation, and business allowed me to apply it on a larger scale.

For anyone aspiring to lead—whether in business, community, or life—my advice is simple: treat leadership like training. Put in the work, learn from every setback, and never stop striving to be better. Because at the end of the day, both in sport and in business, success belongs to those who prepare with purpose and compete with heart.