With remote work becoming the norm in the workplace, individuals from different parts of the world need to work as a team—all without seeing each other in person.
And despite companies constantly seeking ways to improve the performance of remote teams, not many people have thought of training them like professional sports teams.
But why not?
Professional athletes have always been a model of discipline, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
In this article, we’ll go through 10 invaluable lessons remote teams need to learn from professional athletes.
Athletes need to keep their bodies in tip-top shape, yes. But they also take their mental well-being just as seriously. They partake in meditative practices, use visualization techniques, and have sports psychologists aiding them.
After all, too many people forget that our minds and bodies are codependent. (Our brain is literally a physical organ!) Neglect one, and the other suffers.
Companies should encourage employees—and make it conducive for them—to take time for physical activity, prioritize sleep, and maintain a healthy diet. Much like a professional athlete would.
Behind every star athlete is a coach striving to bring out the best in them. (Well, actually, any professional sports theme or athlete has a coach).
As talented as athletes may be, they still need a coach’s external perspective and objective feedback. They ensure that athletes stay disciplined, all while helping them strategize against opponents.
Every worker needs a coach that does the same for them. In fact, research shows that businesses with strong coaching systems are 50% more likely to perform better financially.
And part of a coach’s job is to ensure that athletes train hard, consistently, and smart. The most effective training programs focus on incremental progress and consistent repetition and are tailor-fit for the athlete’s goals.
The occasional generic workshop or sporadic online courses most companies give their employees just aren’t enough for this. These are simply too inconsistent, ineffective, and inefficient.
Like athletes, they need structured learning paths, skill development plans, and regular assessments to keep on improving.
Many people forget this, but, as mentioned, many athletes’ training programs actually involve a lot of numbers and analysis.
They need to track statistics, measure performance, and optimize strategies—all this needs objective analysis.
And so remote teams need to engage in data-driven performance-tracking systems as well. From project management tools, productivity analytics, and key performance indicators (KPIs), companies can ensure that their remote teams are on the right path to improvement.
But elite athletes don’t train 24/7. They prioritize rest and recovery just as much. After all, scientifically speaking, it’s during rest when muscles are rebuilt to be larger and stronger after a weightlifting session!
Overworking and overtraining leads to burnout and reduced performance—or even permanent injuries. So remember that work-life balance isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a requirement for optimal worker performance.
Having things like flexible schedules, clear boundaries, and no-meeting days is crucial not only for productivity but also for long-term job satisfaction.
In team sports, even the most talented of athletes can’t win championships without good team synergy. That’s why the best teams invest in team-building exercises, communication drills, and even bonding activities.
Remote teams need these, too. This is especially true, given how members don’t usually see each other in person and may have a hard time establishing rapport with one another.
So be sure to hold virtual team-building activities, video check-ins, or even casual offline meetups if possible.
And part of good team chemistry is the ability of each individual member to play a specific role. This is why sports teams are comprised of different positions with different responsibilities on the playing field. Not everyone can be scoring the ball every single time.
Everyone will have their strengths and weaknesses. Having people play around them is key to overall team success.
The best sports teams are ones that adjust based on their opponents, unexpected injuries, evolving game rules, and playstyle trends.
It’s the same with business. Consumer demands are always changing, technological innovation occurs almost constantly, and natural disasters (like COVID-19) can cause economic upheavals at any moment.
Remote teams who are flexible, resilient, and willing to learn new skills to keep up with—or even outpace—their competitors will come out on to.
The best athletes leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance their natural performance. Take, for example, Lebron James, widely considered to be this generation’s greatest basketball player.
He’s infamous for going as far as using hyperbaric oxygen chambers for his physical conditioning. The result? He’s still playing at an elite level at the age of 40. Most players have long been out of the NBA by that age.
It’s the same for remote teams. Collaboration tools can ensure that they’re on the same page. Tinkering with their iPhone VPN settings ensures that they stay safe online, allowing them to work with confidence. And AI can boost their efficiency exponentially by streamlining tedious tasks.
Above all, what separates the very best athletes isn’t always their physical talents. Often, it’s actually their mindset.
They embrace challenges, stay hungry and competitive despite losses, and strive for excellence day in and day out.
For remote teams, this mindset can be a literal game-changer. Encouraging resilience, cultivating a growth mindset, and celebrating wins—big or small—allows people to stay motivated to strive for success.
Businesses' remote teams and professional sports teams may seem worlds apart. But both are essentially trying to do the same thing: to outplay competitors.
So train hard, stay consistent, work as a team, be adaptable, and stay hungry. It’s the only way anyone can win in any competitive realm.
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