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As athletes celebrate Team GB’s most successful Olympics in a century, in retail we can learn lessons from their strength found in teamwork.
As the sun sets on a truly remarkable Olympics and the crowds disperse from the vibrant city of Rio, spectators of all ages across the world will now reflect back in awe at the achievements of the greatest athletes on Earth.
Usain Bolt, who many dub the saviour of athletics at a time when the sport has come under scrutiny in the face of an ongoing doping crisis, stole the show once again as he completed an unprecedented ‘treble treble’ on the track.
In the pool, the great Michael Phelps secured his record 28th Olympic medal, while all eyes turned to the gymnastics arena where a new star was born, 19-year-old Simone Biles, who leaves Brazil with an amazing four golds and a bronze.
British victories
However, the true highlight of the games for us Brits will be the performance of Team GB, who claimed 27 golds, 23 silvers and 17 bronzes. The 67-medal haul is the largest since 1908, even surpassing the heroics of London 2012.
What struck me most about Team GB’s success was … the togetherness of the whole team, regardless of the discipline
Joanne Morley, Hermes
First up was Adam Peaty, in the 100m breaststroke, before Max Whitlock, Laura Trott and Nicola Adams and co claimed their places at the top of the podium, eventually being rounded off by Mo Farah’s dominance in the 5,000 metres on Sunday morning.
What struck me most about Team GB’s success was not only the pure dedication on show and the determination to use every last ounce of energy on the track, in the pool or on the pitch, but also the togetherness of the whole team, regardless of the discipline.
This was evident in an interview with Mark Cavendish, the legendary cyclist, who said the atmosphere at Team GB’s section of the Olympic Village was fantastic, with everybody in great spirits and lending support.
Strength in numbers
The achievements of the past fortnight show just how much you can accomplish when working together as a team, whether that’s individual athletes and their coaches, a cycling squad, a team of rowers participating in the coxless fours, or indeed the golden girls who secured first place in the hockey tournament following a dramatic penalty shootout late on Friday night.
It is my belief that, however talented the individuals, you can achieve more when part of a team – and this can also be replicated across business.
The achievements of the past fortnight show just how much you can accomplish when working together as a team
Joanne Morley, Hermes
At Hermes, we were able to celebrate our own gold medal in July after being named Team of the Year at the Motor Transport Awards. We secured the award for the outstanding performance of our Peak Planning & Delivery team, which was tasked with preparing the business for the busy Black Friday and Christmas period.
The team was specifically formed of senior employees hand-picked from different departments across the business, working closely together to develop and execute a precise strategy that led to Hermes’ most successful peak season to date. We are extremely proud to have been recognised in this way and our success is testimony to the hard work and dedication displayed by the team.
However, unlike our Olympians, our Peak Planning & Delivery team will not have long to bask in the glory of their success, and as we approach autumn the guys are already back in training and gearing up for another peak period. Nevertheless, it will be this commitment and enthusiasm that will see our business top the podium again at Christmas.
- Joanne Morley, head of marketing, Hermes
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