Bringing a championship mindset to business leadership

When leading a team, belief in oneself and in successfully achieving the ultimate goal is a must.

While it may not always be so easy, it is essential for leaders to build this mindset that they can make it to the top, inspiring their team in the process.

Marc Berghoff, a Malta-based Leadership Coach and Human Resources (HR) Consultant, on Thursday said that these are crucial qualities for effective business leadership.

His reflections came after he attended a class from best-selling sports author and speaker Ross Bernstein, who throughout his career has interviewed hundreds of successful athletes and analysed what makes them champions.

During the class, he shared key insights from greats of their respective sport, such as Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Tom Brady, and Wayne Gretzky.

“But it was the story of Tony Dungy, a former NFL coach I’d never heard of, that really resonated with me,” Mr Berghoff said.

He remarked that this was primarily because there are plenty of leadership lessons to learn from him. “Dungy coached what used to be one of the worst teams in the league. But that didn’t stop him,” Mr Berghoff added.

Instead of seeking to find the best athletes for his team, the coach opted to create a squad made up of the right people. These were players that either used to be great but had gotten injured or overshadowed by others, or players that did not have the best performances but he “knew could shine again.”

Mr Berghoff said that Dungy’s mission was to bring these players together, make them a union, and “nurture every single one of them until they became their best version.”

At the end of the day, champions are not born with a trophy in their hands. No matter the competition or setting, those who successfully collected the most reputable awards have often had to overcome numerous challenges through years of hard work. This is where the championship mindset comes in.

The championship mindset is built on self-belief, a desire to not dwell on negativity, and to also have a goal of personal growth.

The HR Consultant said that Dungy put all his effort into these qualities, being fully dedicated, passionate, and having the perspective that he can grow his players, and consequently he ended up transforming the team.

Mr Berghoff linked this to business leadership, saying that this can also take place at the workplace.

“Start believing in the people you recruited. Find ways to make them shine again and create a Super Bowl-winning team with the right players,” he said.

He added that these experiences are what lead one to remember that “becoming a champion is a continuous journey of growth, passion, and humility.”

Mr Berghoff is highly experienced in HR training and leadership coaching. He is an Executive/Leadership Coach and HR Consultant at HX-Solutions, as well as Mentor at The Mentoring Club. He is also a Vistage Chair at Vistage Malta and an Impact Executive Coach and HR Advisor at UP Your Level.