Some people were dubious about the merits of staging the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Surely they could only be an anti-climax after the 2012 Olympics in London. They were wrong. The Glasgow games have been a spectacular success in a sporting, cultural and business sense. A report by Lane 4, made prior to the Games, looked at what the world of business can learn from the Commonwealth Games athletes. Here, Altitude Acquisitions review this report, and look at how it can be an inspiration to businesses across the United Kingdom.

“I loved watching the athletes competing at the Commonwealth Games”, said Jessie Hughes, director of Altitude Acquisitions. “No matter what background they were from, or what ability they had, they all gave their everything. Every athlete’s goal was different, but they did all that they could to achieve it.”

The report was compiled by Adrian Moorhouse. As a businessman himself, and a former Olympic and Commonwealth gold medallist in the pool, he understands better than most the correlation between sport and business. Two of the factors that he pinpoints are determination and resilience. The example he takes is Sir Bradley Wiggins. Sir Bradley is a cycling legend, but he’s had a disappointing and frustrating year, missing events through injury and then not being selected for the Tour de France. He had just one event to make an impact in at the Commonwealth Games, and it will take all his determination and resilience to win it. Relying on former glories and reputation wouldn’t be enough to secure a medal at the Glasgow Velodrome. By digging deep, he succeeded in winning a silver medal.

The report looks at another important skill that crosses over from sport into business: the ability to handle pressure. Many athletes come into the events as firm favourites, but the pressure can be even stronger when the athlete is performing in front of their home crowd. Positive visualisation and goal setting is vital in this scenario. Block out distractions, and simply focus on what you’re going to achieve, and how you’re going to get there.

“Medal winning athletes don’t achieve success by chance, but by a combination of hard work, attention to detail in preparation, self-confidence and determination”, said Jessie Hughes. “These same qualities will help you become a winner in the world of business. Unless you aim for the gold medal, and tailor all of your training to achieve it, then it will always remain out of reach. Businesses need to be ambitious, and ready to put in the hard work.”

Altitude Acquisitions love hard work. They don’t rest until their bespoke marketing campaigns bring substantial rewards for their clients.