Jim Citrin Leadership by Example

Did you know that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was a member of the Wellesley College swimming and diving team? Or that Vera Wang, CEO of the fashion design company that bears her name, was an Olympic-caliber figure skater? Were you aware that Jan Leschley, former CEO of pharmaceutical giant Smithkline Beecham, was once the 10th-ranked men's tennis player in the world? How about the fact that eBay's chief exec, Meg Whitman, played collegiate lacrosse and squash at Princeton? Or that U.N. Secretary General Kofi-Annan ran track and played soccer at Macalester College?

I have a strong belief that the skills and qualities people learn from playing sports are many of the same that develop leaders capable of achieving greatness in professional life: Dedication and hard work, resilience in the face of adversity, decision-making under pressure, confidence, optimism, balancing stress and recovery, honest and direct communication, establishing a clear vision and setting goals, commitment to excellence, a focus on team success, and leadership that inspires others (see "How to Play to Win in Your Career"). To learn more about sports and success, try your hand at the quiz below.

Louise Ritter, U.S. Olympic gold medalist in high jump (1988) said it aptly in the book Winning the Game of Life: "If you were disciplined enough to fight for something in the sports world, then you will be disciplined enough to be successful in the business world. Once you have been a winner, you believe you can be a winner in everything you do."

The Special Quality of Sports

Participation in sports and fitness has multiple benefits for people of all ages. For young athletes and girls in particular, organized sports boost self-esteem and motivation, essential ingredients in the development of future leaders. Studies show that young athletes who are happy earn better grades, have fewer problems outside school than non-athlete classmates, have better attendance, and drop out far less frequently.

Not that sport is unique to developing these qualities. Other competitive collaborative activities such as the military, theater, dance troupes, or debate teams can build them up as well.

But there's something special about the physicality of sports and fitness. Those who exercise regularly know the manifold benefits to keeping active and in shape. A lot of scientific evidence shows that exercise provides a short-term increase in the ability to process data. Exercise has also been shown to reduce depression and anxiety, illnesses that can hamper the functioning of the brain. And over the long term, exercise has been shown to help prevent the mental effects of aging.

To find out more about the relationship between sports and success, take the quiz below. You'll discover the athletic backgrounds of corporate leaders and celebrities, as well as learn the influence of sports on the careers of other quiz respondents. So on your mark, get set, go!

(Please answer and submit your response to one question at a time.)

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Click here for Part 2 of the "Why Do Athletes Win at Business?" Quiz.