Hopefully we’re all supporting our home nation and the other athletes from around the world in this year’s Olympic Games, taking place in Paris. It’s been a riveting first week with some incredible displays of resilience from team Great Briton. Did you know that 8 of the GB athletes are from non-other than Greater Manchester? 

Evidently, we produce first class talent in our city region, and the same can be said in business. With over 124,000 Greater Manchester born businesses leading the way in innovation, technology and sustainable business growth. Many of these successful businesses will tell you the key to longevity is the ability to adapt and overcome, whilst adopting a learner’s mindset and always looking for opportunities of education. So what can we learn from the Olympians on our screens?

7 key values that make the difference   

The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of athletic achievement, where dedication, discipline, and excellence converge. Olympians embody qualities that are equally applicable to the business world. By studying the habits and mindsets of these elite athletes, business professionals can apply similar values into running and growing a business.  These values can be simplified to 7 key areas:

• Commitment to Excellence
• Goal Setting and Vision
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Discipline and Consistency
• Teamwork and Collaboration

Businesses that perform well in all 7 areas will reap the rewards and often win their own form of Gold medal; be it a King’s Award, a Good Employment Charter certification or the investment you need to take it to the next level. 

Businesses rarely get there all on their own 

But just like the Olympic Athletes, businesses rarely get there all on their own. You need a community of support around you, to constructively critique your past performance, and coach the best techniques inspired by those who have come before. Building a world class team of support can be the difference between making history and being just another competitor. As the Business Growth Hub, we are proud to be that support system for over 90,000 businesses in GM, here for those that ask for help to become the best possible business they can be. 

Whilst comparing the Olympics and our Business Ecosystem, we can’t ignore the links between the impact of investment in both sport and business. Prosperity, in both realms, removes barriers to opportunity. Providing resource and funding where its most needed to turn ideas and raw talent into rewards. 

UK Sport was established in 1997, following many years of poor performance in the Olympics from team GB. The sporting body transformed the funding landscape of our country by tripling the governments previous £5Million a year commitment to Olympics preparation. Results were undeniable as the team moved up the leader board from 36th in 1996 to 10th in the year 2000. Proving that investment in talent was vital to compete with the rest of the world.

If you liken that to business, a company's greatest asset is often its people. Investing in talent—through hiring, training, and development—is crucial. But so is investment in technology, research and development, and infrastructure to stay competitive. 

The more regional investment we receive to fund and support business, the more a company can afford to invest in their people and resources. Thanks to UK Shared Prosperity, Greater Manchester has a share of the £2.6 billion budget allocated to local investment. Funding ideas and skills, directly where it's needed, with the autonomy to work with those that dream of Gold.