Why Companies Should Hire Athletes

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Why do you want to work here?

All standard interview questions, but what if hiring managers added another one to the pattern:

Do you have any experience playing sports?

Athletes, both competitive and leisure, whether as individuals or as part of a team, bring soft skills, traits and values that are difficult to represent or quantify on a resume, but proven qualities of successful professionals. In fact, research shows that 95% of Fortune 500 CEOs played sports, as well as 13 out of the last 19 U.S. Presidents. In this article, I will refute athlete stereotypes, present research studies that authenticate the value proposition of participating in sports, highlight common characteristics that make athletes unique and parlay these qualities to the benefit of business organizations.

You’ve seen this image before. The jock in the back of the classroom; a specimen of physical perfection, but not very smart, disinterested in academics and has difficulties carrying on conversations about anything other than sports, dating, social life and pop culture. Typical characteristics include being conceited, self-centered, over-privileged, aggressive, and short-tempered. The historical origin dates back hundreds of years to when Greek and Roman athletes were criticized for spending an inordinate amount of time preparing for competition, while neglecting intellectual development. Philosophers at the time even characterized these individuals as useless and ignorant, with dull minds. However, in today’s world this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The “dumb jock” stereotype is just that, a stereotype. It carries no scientific basis. The suggestion that athletic success and academic success are mutually exclusive is a fallacy. Indeed, research shows that the vast majority of student-athletes outperform the general student population. For instance, Dr. Roger Whitley of East Carolina University, conducted a study called, “A Comparison of the Educational Performances of Athletes and Nonathletes” that validates this assertion.

Specifically, research found that athletes outperformed non-athletes in measurement of GPA, attendance, discipline, dropouts and graduation rates. “The most surprising aspect of the study was not that athletes as a whole do better, because there was a lot in the literature to suggest that was true, but it was how much better athletes did. The difference was just unreal and the trends are consistent. The analyses of the data for the three-year period show a marked consistency in the performances of both athletes and non-athletes and those ‘dumb jocks’ were and still are doing better than the non-athletes,” said Dr. Whitley.

Beyond the scope of structured academic sports, leisure athletes who participate in activities such as marathons and triathlons, likewise acquire benefits that positively impact their careers and make them better employees. CV-Library, which is a UK job site, conducted a study to see how training for the London Marathon can influence a runner’s work life. The study found that 87.7% of runners believed that the routine of training for a marathon improved their overall productivity at work. Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library said, “Any individual who commits to running a marathon is clearly motivated by personal success, and this level of dedication is likely to influence their working life; a fact that should be positively channeled by employers. As staff spend months honing in on a goal, dedicated to meeting their targets and consistently improving, this change is often seen in the working environment too, as they become better, more productive employees.”

The idea that soft skills, such as leadership, teamwork, decision making, and resilience have more to do with success in life than hard skills such as talent, knowledge, experience and intelligence is a controversial, yet viable notion. Most people agree that you can train someone to perform a job, but it’s difficult to teach work ethic, attitude, motivation, leadership, empathy and social skills, among other traits that are vital for a successful career, positive work culture and sustainable, long-term business growth. The qualities that athletes bring to the job not only boost individual productivity, but simultaneously increase harmony and collaboration with fellow colleagues, given diverse environments and the need to interact with many different types of personalities at work.

Several studies conducted over the last several years substantiate the assertion that athletes excel in business:

94% of women in the C-suite played sports, with 52% at the university level, according to a study by Ernst and Young and espnW. In the same study, 74% of respondents said a sport background can help accelerate a woman’s career, and 61% believe sporting involvement has contributed to their own career success.
A Cornell University study found that people who played high school sports got better jobs with better pay, and that those benefits lasted a lifetime.
A study called “Does Involvement in Sports lead to a Productive Employee?” found that employees who participated in sports had higher performance evaluation scores. They recommended a mandate that staff must be involved in at least one exercise program.
A research study by The Atlantic, found that former student athletes earn between 5% and 15% than their non-sports playing peers.
A study published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine showed that two and a half hours of exercise per week led to increased quantity of work and work-ability and decreased absence.
Two recent studies published in the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies found that the 43 percent of high school students in the United States who have played sports tended to have more leadership, self-confidence, and self-respect.
Former student athletes are more likely to be engaged at work, involved in their community, and driven to meet goals, according to a study by the NCAA in association with Gallup.
Using data on CEOs of S&P 1500 companies from 2001 to 2011, the Social Science Research Network, determined which CEOs in each year had run a marathon and matched these findings with each company’s market value compared to its book value from that same time period. They found that companies with CEOs who were marathon runners were 5% more valuable than companies led by CEOs who didn’t.

10 Reasons Athletes Will Help Your Business Win

1. Drive

“No matter how good you get, you can always get better. That’s the exciting part.”

– Tiger Woods

Won 14 Major Golf Championships and 79 PGA Tours (2nd all time)

Athletes practice rigorously and tirelessly, with unrelenting dedication and precision in pursuit of their goals. Self-motivation and relentless ambition, along with grit and fortitude, pushes them to continuously improve and perfect their craft. Always hungry and never satisfied, athletes do not believe in limits or ceilings and strive to maximize their full potential.

Employees with great drive and passion are more committed and engaged. Purpose-driven and motivated by intrinsic value over extrinsic value, these employees help drive sustainable, long-term performance. They believe, support and live the company’s mission, vision and values, which reverberates throughout the workforce and helps build a strong corporate culture.

2. Time Management

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

– Yogi Berra

18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series Champion—more than any other player in MLB history

Athletes excel at prioritizing their time. Managing a sport or exercise training schedule alone is an arduous task. Then try adding work, school, family, social life, etc. and you add layers of additional complexity, time restraints and conflicting responsibilities. It takes strict planning, organization and prioritization to maintain a well-balanced life while pursuing athletic goals.

Undoubtedly, employees with great time management skills are more productive, focused and efficient. Today’s dynamic and fast-paced workplace often demands multiple responsibilities, simultaneous projects, numerous teams and diverse reporting lines. Strong time management skills are essential to prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines and strategic planning.

3. Work Ethic

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.”

– Muhammad Ali

Nicknamed “The Greatest” – one of the most prolific boxers in history

There is no magic pill in sports. Just like anything else in life, it takes countless hours of time, practice, preparation and personal sacrifice. Without a strong work ethic, even the most talented and gifted athletes in the world are rendered ordinary. Athletes train for tens of hours per week, month after month, for performances that sometimes last only a matter of minutes and decided in mere milliseconds.

Is a strong work ethic more important than talent or skill? That’s certainly debatable, but while it’s possible to acquire knowledge, it’s very difficult to teach behavior and attitude. Employees with strong work ethics are proactive and productive. They arrive on time and take on work outside of their immediate area of responsibility. This type of behavior leads to ancillary benefits as it reverberates to other employees throughout the company, inspiring them to work harder.

4. Discipline

In the end, it’s extra effort that separates a winner from second place. It takes desire, determination, discipline, and self-sacrifice. Put all these together, and even if you don’t win, how can you lose?

— Jesse Owens

American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1936 games

Whether it’s waking up at dawn for early morning workouts or putting in the time after a long day, athletes have unrivaled commitment and focus. The battle is won not on game day, but in the tough training sessions and strict diet leading up to it. Success is the result of consistent hard work and discipline, behind the scene and outside of the spotlight.

Discipline in the workplace relates to the ability to focus, organize and be productive. Moreover, it means demonstrating ethical behavior, meeting standards of conduct and adhering to company rules. Establishing a climate of discipline ensures accountability, reliability and consistency.

5. Mental Toughness

“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.”

– Laird Hamilton

World renowned big wave surfer behind many surfing innovations

Aside from physical talent, athletic success is driven by mental fortitude. No stranger to long, tedious work on journeys toward distant rewards, they frequently overcome obstacles, whether its injury or other setbacks, such as overtraining or subpar performances. Athletes are adept at understanding and controlling their emotions. This helps them remain calm and perform well under pressure, no matter the circumstance. They know how to block out noise and distraction, think clearly and make good decisions in times of adversity.

Pressure and stress in the workplace comes in all forms and directions – from individual workload, peers, competitors, suppliers, buyers, and more. In addition, business environments are fluid, often unpredictable and quickly changing. Great employees are confident in their abilities and visions, able to block out the pressure and perform under difficult circumstances because they are flexible when obstacles occur and opportunities arise.

6. Teamwork

“Individual commitment to a group effort–that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

-Vince Lombardi

Considered the greatest football coach in history, who has the NFL Super Bowl trophy named in his honor

Whether on organized teams or as part of a sport-specific community, athletes appreciate and value the role that support networks play in pursuit of their goals. They understand roles and responsibilities, as well as when to take the lead and when to follow, given the unique strengths of each team member because they have high levels of emotional intelligence. They recognize how important trust, respect, adaptability and effective communication is for amicable team dynamics.

Teamwork in the workplace is essential to maximizing productivity and efficiency. Hiring employees who have strong teamwork skills quickens the five stages of team development because they are more apt to collaborate and work together, given previous team-related experiences. The chance for interpersonal conflict diminishes with emotionally intelligent team members because they put the benefits of the team ahead of personal interest or gain.

7. Always Learning

“Skill is only developed by hours and hours of work,”

– Usain Bolt

Nicknamed, “Lightning Bolt,” won nine gold medals at sprinting in three consecutive Olympic Games

Athletes are committed to continuous learning and self-improvement, gained through experience and feedback. The process requires having enough humility to admit mistakes and failures, as well as a thick skin to absorb criticism. Learning encompasses more than individual ability, technique and skill, it means studying the game or course, location, conditions and opponents, in order to develop an effective strategy to beat the competition.

In today’s information and technology age, the speed at which companies and employees must adapt to new developments is infinitely faster. These days even a master’s degrees is turning into a commodity and academic curriculums are lagging behind real world trends. Continuous learning is vital to retaining a competitive advantage.

8. Goal Oriented

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”

— Bo Jackson

Only athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both baseball and football

Athletes know how to set SMART goals, develop a strategy, set priorities, visual success and achieve results. They thrive on setting the bar high and creating challenges that test their mental and physical limits. Constantly assessing where they stand as it relates to their objective, athletes adjust tactics if necessary, but always keep their eye on the prize.

Setting clear goals in life and business builds motivation, provides clarity and sets direction. Goals act as a vision for the future and a measurable reference point that helps employees stay on course while holding them accountable.

9. Resilient

“No matter how tough, no matter what kind of outside pressure, no matter how many bad breaks along the way, I must keep my sights on the final goal, to win, win, win — and with more love and passion that the world has ever witnessed in any performance.”

– Billie Jean King

American tennis great, who was ranked No. 1 in the world six times

Athletes have an innate can-do attitude and internal locus of control, or the belief that they can influence events and their outcomes. This means accepting praise or blame, instead of placing it on external factors. If one avenue is blocked they find another way – always moving forward in pursuit of victory. When faced with struggle, they work harder and smarter, dedicating extra time or effort to overcome weaknesses because they have grit and the will-to-win.

Resilient employees are able to handle daily stressors at work with calm and ease. Instead of deflating and regressing during times of change, challenge or adversity, they grow and thrive by seeing obstacles as opportunities. Having the will-to-win in business means having the desire to do something great every day and meeting it with a high standard for excellence. It means coming up with creative, out-of-the-box strategies and solutions in order to achieve an objective or overcome a problem.

10. Learn from Failure

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

– Michael Jordan

Considered the greatest basketball player of all time, won six titles with the Chicago Bulls

Even the greatest athletes in the world fail – its part of the lifestyle. What makes them unique is their ability to learn and bounce back from mistakes, disappointment and loss quickly and effectively. A positive, open and optimistic attitude, fortitude by mental toughness, helps them channel setbacks to fuel future performances.

Good employees are not perfect employees – we are all human and susceptible to mistakes. However, good employees take ownership and responsibility, instead of deflecting or ignoring problems and issues. They reflect on failure and learn from it rather than dwelling on it.

Of course there are caveats to making generalizations about athletes. To be clear, hiring an athlete will not always guarantee a good hire and many of the qualities described above are also found in musicians, writers, artists, or anyone who displays passion, pride and enthusiasm towards mastering a skill. However, it certainly stands to reason that discussing sports can offer new revelations about job candidates that may otherwise be unknown. Including the “whole person concept” during the hiring process may open a window that sheds light on a candidate’s latent soft skills, giving human resource managers a better understanding of their character, while serving as a key differentiator that may help facilitate hiring decisions.