The Surprising Similarities Between Sports, Business, and Politics

Sports, business and politics have much more in common than you think

As an athlete first, a political strategist later, and finally an entrepreneur and investor, I have always placed great importance on preparation, which includes analysis of the playing field and the ability to anticipate the opponents’ moves. 

In my CDA method, taken up in several political communication and marketing manuals, the first stage is not coincidentally called “Capire” (Comprehend/Understand). This phase, starting with a precise definition of objectives, involves three main activities: 

1. the analysis of the context 

2. The analysis of actors in the field

3. The analysis of the constituents.

My years as a wide receiver have taught me the importance of preparation, trace execution, and the ability to anticipate the defender’s moves and to displace him. I applied the same mindset when after I stopped playing football due to a knee injury, I devoted myself to the study and practice of martial arts.

I have applied and continue to apply this approach in business creation, investment, and to what can be described as business leadership: to “see your opponent’s move or play before it happens” means to develop the ability to spot opportunities and threats before they become apparent.

This is even more true in an era such as the present characterized by the speed of change that quickly renders obsolete companies and leadership that do not understand in time technological changes and consumer/selector preferences. We live in a fast and liquid society: the speed of change in our economies and cultures is accelerated by the global adoption of new technologies. Digital disruption has quickly rendered obsolete companies that did not understand in time changes that could completely alter the business model.

A classic example in the entertainment industry is Blockbuster: in the mid-1990s it dominated the video rental market with thousands of “physical” stores, but it was wiped out of the market in a very few years, having failed to understand the profound paradigm shift taking place, which made physical rental quickly obsolete in the face of more efficient streaming enjoyment. Which, on the other hand, Netflix, which was born in 1999, in Blockbuster’s heyday, and now boasts 302 million subscribers to its streaming services, has perfectly understood. Blockbuster had an opportunity to buy Netflix, but it did not think they were interesting and snubbed them. Imagine how different the fate of Blockbuster would have been, which instead was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2013.

To Netflix we can add many other giants that have grown at a dizzying pace thanks to the digital revolution and the ability to understand the opportunities arising from the ongoing change (just think of Amazon, Airbnb, Uber to name a few). 

Any company or party/politician that ignores these transformations does so at its own risk. Indeed, it was unthinkable that the ongoing change in society would not touch politics and the functioning of democratic institutions. Politics must adapt to a society that is turning at an ever faster pace, a

context that requires the ability to respond quickly. Parties that have not understood the paradigm shift have found themselves losing voters to new political formations that have sprung up out of nowhere and cannot be traced back to the political categories of the 20th century. 

A radical rethinking of the way of doing politics, responding to citizens’ demands and addressing social and economic problems is needed. Current political leadership seems not to fully understand the changes taking place. The attempt to manage problems through outdated ways of thinking is leading large segments of the population to question the fundamental values of our societies including the form of government and even democracy if perceived as unsuitable to provide effective and quick responses to problems and crises that instead are emerging and spreading quickly and often originate from other parts of the world.

Without ever forgetting that to understand and deal with the current context, which requires capacity to give new answers and to do so quickly, a change of perspective is needed. 

Sports, business, and politics are three different playing fields that can, however, be approached from the same mental and methodological approach. Continued study and strategic approach, ability to read weak signals and trends, differentiation and anticipation of rival moves, effective decision making and quick execution.