Why you should approach training and development the same way a professional sports team would

It’s currently the Euros - in case you don’t follow football - and after the Lionesses made a comeback from a rocky start it was emphasised that the team weren’t doing a single thing differently.

You heard right.

The team is staying the course which is focused on their training. There are many examples in professional sports of players who are considered the GOAT.

What do the greats all have in common?

Natural ability? Check.

Passion? Check.

Grit? Check.

But what makes every player go from phenomenal to GOAT?

Training.

What does professional sports have to do with business?

"In work, when people think about training, whether they mean to or not, they think about it like the first aid courses and the mandatory training and the stuff that you do once, kind of forget, and a year, three years later have some sort of a refresher. Whereas a professional athlete, you are training for the things you always do. We're training them in the very stuff that they should be doing all the time... that's the very stuff to train them in the most to get the highest skill level."

Benjamin Herman, Associate Client Partner, Pareto

Just like sports, there are many lessons that can be gleaned from how athletes approach training to how businesses should consider and invest in it.

The world is constantly changing, which we hear all the time. But equipping not just your teams, but also your high-performers is an absolute non-negotiable to stay afloat and make it through the volatility and uncertainty that has become the norm.

One area that sports excels in, is its investment in high-performers. Some businesses falter here as their focus for training sometimes shifts to its under-performers.

This is not to say that training should only be available to certain people, but neglecting investment in your top-performers can have a devastating long term impact on your organisation.

We recently ran a poll which showed that half of businesses are doing a mix of training for under-performers and high-performers, with 8% of respondents not investing in training at all. 

Does this reflect how you’re currently investing in your training? We’d love to hear from you.

Why invest heavily in training for high-performers?

"I grow most in the areas I'm already strong because I'm already enthused about it, because I'm already excited about it, because I got a chance to be world class at it.”

Benjamin Herman, Associate Client Partner, Pareto

By investing in people that drive results, you stand to retain employees that have the following traits:

• A growth mindset

• They’re match fit

• They move beyond the status quo

What do all the sporting greats have in common? 

They are more dedicated and are often the first to look for ways to improve and will readily seek feedback to be better. You want to build a culture that encourages the right training and development to help these individuals get even better.

“Your sales superstars are the engine of your company's growth, just as champions in professional sports are continually honed, it's a mistake to assume that simply 'hitting targets' means they're okay.”

Shelley Gallagher, SVP of Talent Development Solutions, Pareto/Randstad

And the risk if you don’t?

Silent cynics (which is what high-performers that are neglected can become) can lead to disengagement, dissatisfaction, and ultimately, them leaving the company. High-performers need to be stretched, challenged, and given attention.

But what are the pitfalls of focusing training solely on under-performers?

"In business, we are still wrapped up in a schoolyard mentality of let's look for the weaknesses when we decide what we train on. Now, how does that make people feel when you invite them to training? Well, right. I'm going to go and be told for a day about what I'm rubbish at. It's not what I want."

Benjamin Herman, Associate Client Partner, Pareto

This schoolyard mentality doesn’t bolster team resilience, it focuses on the wrong areas and can mean:

• Managers often spend disproportionate time on under-performers (more air time, harder to manage).

• The misconception that high-performers "will be okay" because they're hitting targets.

But what if high-performers could achieve even more with additional investment?

What can I do to invest in training for my high-performers?

"My job as a leader is to see what's best in people, create the environment that lets them be that and be more of that. At a level one, because everyone's safe to be themselves. At a level two, because there's enough of a feedback culture that people are challenged to be the best of themselves most of the time. And at a level three, to orchestrate that crossover through things like shared training that is very experience-based that allows us to pull out the patterns that are letting people be their best."

Benjamin Herman, Associate Client Partner, Pareto

These are some approaches where you could invest in your high-performing employees:

• Tailored development plans

• Mentorship and coaching opportunities (both virtually and when you can be in-person)

• Access to advanced training and new technologies

• Providing stretch assignments and new challenges

• Regular feedback and recognition

• Pre-meeting preparation that’s 1-1 with your high-performers to ensure they feel seen and valued

“Great leaders never underestimate their sales superstars. Overlooking their development starves your pipeline of future leaders and innovative sales strategies. Through targeted coaching, nurture their ambition, challenge them to achieve even greater heights, and watch your 'good' sales team evolve into a 'great' one.”

Shelley Gallagher, SVP of Talent Development Solutions, Pareto/Randstad

Investing in your high-performing talent is a strategic business investment. These individuals are often highly adaptable, help build a culture of excellence (while achieving one themselves) and retaining them is crucial.

If you want to have a chat with Pareto about how you can invest in your teams to encourage sustainable growth and talent retention, get in touch with us today.