Sep 09

Roger Federer and Executive Learning

In about an hour I will sit down to watch the US Open tennis final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. More than watching the tennis, per se, the match takes my mind to thought about learning. For me, it’s a chance to witness two accomplished professionals challenge themselves and each other to perform at the tippy top of their skill range, manage their energy in the face of intense, prolonged requirements and a lot of external distraction, and continually rise and respond to every challenge thrown at them.

US Open tennis is a fantasy for me. I am a twice-a-year hacker who can’t seem to do more than scatter balls around the court in random patterns no matter where I intend them to go. So, I don’t watch tennis for tips on playing tennis. I watch it and think about where in a domain that matters to me like coaching business executives (for you, perhaps, managing a team, or changing some behavior that is causing problems for you and others) can I witness excellence in real time and learn from it on the spot?

When I say learn I mean witness the tangible, real-world mature use of the right combination of skills such that progress is made toward desired results and that the way the person goes about trying to achieve results honors important values and is motivation-enhancing. Those are high standards for executive leadership.

What the US Open tennis pros show me is what can be achieved when natural interest and intelligence for an activity is combined with the relentless improvement of required skills over time. When I watch Federer hit a ball at an angle that my imagination couldn’t not conjure moments before, I think about my clients. Who in their everyday work environments strikes just the right note in a meeting, expresses their ideas with just the right force, appreciates someone for effort despite falling short of the goal, fires someone and leaves them with their dignity. Who is relentless as an underdog against big odds? Who are my clients watching and learning from? Who are their Federers?

When I watch a Federer opponent mishit shots throughout a match, I wonder who I, personally, watch make mistakes continually. (Sometimes it’s me.) Who do I know who keeps going against the best in her field, persistently trying to make the big shots, over and over. Who do I know who is an expert at challenging himself to do more and better each and every day? Who is calm under pressure, wise in his use of energy and still immensely powerful? Who do I see frittering her energy away on harmful judgments of other people not yet fully realizing she is robbing herself of vital energy to do great things?

Do I learn from what I see? When I am Federer’s fantasy opponent, what makes me keep doing things that are unproductive? What skills do I consciously (or unconsciously) use that enable me to land seemingly impossible shots against all apparent odds? Where am I insane, doing the same wasteful things over and over, expecting different results? And, when I finally realize I have been insane, what experts can I learn from academically and watch in person to help me develop new skills so I can get better, more productive and happier?

Yeah, the US Open is fun for thinking about skill development, execution, failure, persistence, insanity, competition, and mastery. These are big and worthwile subjects. I just hope it’s a nice long match.

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