Sports leaders emphasise integrity and vision at Discovery Leadership Summit

The contribution of sports to leadership came under the spotlight on Wednesday at the 2014 Discovery Leadership Summit in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Initially, the Local Organising Committee for the London Olympics had a public approval rating of 15%.

“The two most popular questions to ask are the how and the why,” said Lord Sebastian Coe, who chaired the committee. “They’re the right questions to ask. But they’re often asked in the wrong way.”

They had to establish the core ideology of their initiative. “We were doing it to use the power of the Games to transform the lives of young people. And that was a concept that everyone could buy into.”

Six months later, approval ratings had soared to 60%.

Communication had become more challenging in the age of social media, with greater transparency and scrutiny of decisions, even in times of crisis. Nevertheless, it was important to reiterate messages in a clear way and to create a human connection.

“These were the first digital Games. Digital communication was the only way we could get the message across to the right groups at the right time,” said Coe.

He also emphasised that there were serious health issues ahead, globally. By 2030, an estimated one billion people would be physically inactive. Already, physical inactivity cost the US twice what it spent on domestic healthcare.

“These are unsustainable numbers,” Coe warned. In the past, physical activity had been seen only as a health issue, when in fact it is multidimensional, involving planning, urban development and green spaces. In some areas of London, children could not walk or cycle to school due to gang activity. Sport could be the most profound social worker in any community, he said.

In the next ten years, the United Kingdom had to turn the legacy of the Games into “something beneficial and sustainable. This is why we bid for the Games. It was about challenging people to do things differently, to raise ambitions and form partnerships.”

Prominent South African coaches Gordon Igesund (Bafana Bafana), Heyneke Meyer (Springboks), and Gary Kirsten (ex-Proteas) highlighted the importance of integrity in leadership.

“You’ve got to believe in what you’re doing and go for it,” said Igesund. Although coaches would be fired “eventually” they should be fired as a result of their own decisions, rather than someone else’s. Nevertheless, it was important to remain open-minded. He had never been in a job where he felt he should resign as a result of the pressure. “Those situations make you stronger because you want to prove them wrong.”

“Everyone sees the world through different lenses,” said Kirsten. “There is another way of seeing something other than my own way.” Kirsten advised leaders to be cautious when dealing with the media and to be aware that situations could soon blow over.

Meyer admitted that social media could make it hard to deal with vocal fans, and particularly affected his family. He acknowledged that mistakes were made every day but said, “Leadership is about integrity.”

Notable at the panel discussion, which was moderated by Radio 702’s John Robbie, was the humility of the country’s sporting leaders, and their positivity regarding South Africa’s potential ability to excel and lead in sports.