Stars of pool and industry share their drive

The Melbourne Age, March 22, 2006

WHAT do world-class swimmers and Australia’s most influential bosses have in common?

A refusal to lose and massive self-belief.

“The determination that someone has to become the CEO of a company is no different to an athlete who wants to be a world record holder or Olympic gold medallist,” says Swimming Australia chief executive Glenn Tasker.

And tomorrow, some of Australia’s finest in swimming and business will meet to discuss possible working relationships.

Global management consultants Partners in Performance will host a cocktail party to introduce the Australian swimming team to some of Australia’s business leaders.

The party came about after Partners in Performance managing director Skipp Williamson received a surprise Christmas present — swimming lessons with the Australian Swim Team head coach Alan Thompson.

“I was mortified at first,” Ms Williamson laughed.

But it was during her first lesson that Mr Thompson mentioned how he wanted the Australian swimmers to meet business leaders.

“The obvious (reason) is for sponsorship but the one that really interested us was that they’re really trying to build a life after swimming for their swimmers when they get spat out from injury or age,” Ms Williamson said.

She said many big companies accepted the invitation to meet the swimmers. The party will be attended by about 150 people, including representatives from Amcor, Qantas, Australia Post, Tabcorp, Woolworths and BHP Billiton.

Ms Williamson said the swimmers and executives would have some common ground.

“These (swimmers) have got a bunch of interesting skills,” she said. “They clearly know how to go after a target, set themselves goals and knock them off.

“And if you’re going to put yourself on the line like that and compete, and it’s win-lose, you’d have a lot of inner strength and learn a lot about yourself. Those are characteristics that will go a long way in business.”

Mr Tasker agreed the athletes’ sporting attitudes could be transferred to business.

“If I was ever going to war, I’d take Jessicah Schipper with me because she will fight to the absolute bitter end and it’s the same sort of attitude in corporate Australia.

“The good thing about our swimmers is that you can have this determination but you can also be a really nice person.”

He said the swimmers would savour the opportunity to meet corporate Australia’s A-list.

“This is the first time this has ever happened so it’s really an entree into the business world ... they’ll be talking to people they wouldn’t usually get access to and it’s up to them to sell themselves.”

Mr Tasker said some would be thinking about life after swimming more than others. “Michael’s (Klim) career is winding down, he’s a Melbourne boy, there’s a lot of corporate Australia based in Melbourne.”

He said swimmers often found it hard to balance sporting life with education or other careers.

“Our athletes have to combine not only training and competition but also education and career development. It’s very difficult for them to mix all of those things. They spend a lot of their waking moments in training — it’s a very, very demanding sport.”

Mr Tasker believes many Australian swimmers would be great business employees.

“They achieve amazing things in their careers and if they can actually duplicate the dedication into another career they would be very valuable members of any company.”

Source: The Melbourne Age, by Renee Switzer, March 22, 2006

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