Most managers probably don’t think they have much in common with Olympic-level coaches. But the truth is, at the core of both jobs is a responsibility for the training and professional success of another person (or group of people). While the details of Olympic coaches’ and managers’ jobs differ significantly, there’s also a lot of shared wisdom about effective leadership.

For example, consider University of Texas swimming coaches Eddie Reese and Bob Bowman. Reese and Bowman coach multiple swimmers who have qualified for the 2024 Olympic games in Paris. In an article for SwimSwam, reporter Riley Overend revealed some of Reese and Bowman’s greatest gifts and highest priorities in coaching their athletes to Olympic-level greatness. Here are three takeaways that apply not only to Olympic coaches and their athletes, but to managers in every industry:

1. Recognize your team’s talents publicly.
   During a media day in the lead-up to the Olympics, Reese called swimmer Luke Hobson “unflappable,” and added that Hobson “handles big situations better than anybody I’ve ever been around.” By giving Hobson high praise like this in a public setting, Reese boosts Hobson’s confidence, encourages him to continue developing those great qualities, and gives other athletes — on his team and beyond — an idea of what makes an athlete exceptional.
   
   Just like athletes, employees need public acknowledgement of their wins. Recognition in front of one’s peers is a key reason employees feel appreciated and valued at their companies, which increases their engagement and the likelihood of long-term retention.
2. Remember — you’re managing people, not machines.
   Swimmer Carson Foster hasn’t had an easy road leading up to this year’s Olympic games. When he fell short in the 2021 Olympic trials, Foster hit a low point not only in his swimming career, but also in his life. “I can’t enjoy this when I know that my self worth is on the line if I don’t swim well,” he said. So, Foster and his coaches spent the last few years with his mentality as a top priority. He got back to a place where he remembered that swimming was fun — and his coaches were a key part of that. “Eddie has a different joke [every day],” he said about Reese.
   
   Even champions — whether they’re athletes or high-performers at a company — aren’t machines. They’re human beings, and when a leader like Reese shows up for them with personality, humor, and heart, it gives those people permission to be their full selves — champions and challenges and everything in between — at work. When employees are relaxed and focused on the things that bring them joy, there’s a lower risk of burnout and higher rates of engagement and productivity at work.
3. Focus on the little things.
   As the Olympic games approach, Bowman said his approach is on “fine-tuning the details.” He works with his swimmers to review their performances at the Olympic trials with a focus on the “technical” aspects, looking for “a weakness or something they could do better.” Even though the swimmers performed well enough at the trials to qualify as some of the best athletes in the world, Bowman knows there’s always room to improve, and that by focusing on the little things, the swimmers can be at their absolute best by the time the Olympics begin.
   
   Even when an employee is great at their job, there are always ways to grow and improve, and great leaders help them evaluate their work, identify spaces for improvement, and move forward with the details in mind. By emphasizing the importance of “fine-tuning the details,” you can encourage excellence at every level of an employee’s performance.

Another elite coach, Mark Few of Gonzaga University and the USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team, offered insights into his approach to team leadership at a media event reported on by Cam McCann of The Gonzaga Bulletin. Here are four of the most widely applicable lessons from his interview:

1. Treat success as a team sport.
   According to McCann, while the National Basketball Association (NBA) focuses heavily on megastar players, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) – the governing body that oversees Olympic basketball — is “much more team-centric,” more like college basketball in the United States. Because Few is a college coach, his coaching style “reflects the schemes found in the international ranks, aiming to break down a defense collectively with all five players on the court, and playing rotational team defense as well,” said McCann. In short, Few knows that every player on a team has a role to play and contributes to a team’s overall success.
   
   Just like on the basketball court, success in the workplace is a team sport. Managers can’t rely on a single high performer to carry the company to success. Instead, they should work with their entire roster, identifying each employee’s strengths and finding the best ways for everyone to add value to the team.
2. Surround yourself with a strong support system.
   As Few heads to Paris to serve on the Olympic coaching staff, the Gonzaga men’s basketball team will be training and preparing for the college season, which begins in the fall. Few has to rely on the support coaching staff at Gonzaga to carry his college team forward in his absence. Fortunately, Few said, they “really step up in a big way, and they’re ready for that.”
   
   Like Few, great managers know that one person can’t do all the work or have all the answers. Instead, create a “step up and serve” mentality in the workplace, where other team leaders can rise to the occasion when they’re needed — and then give them the chance to do so! Create opportunities for employees to grow their leadership skills and develop as professionals, and then trust them to succeed.
3. Know your market — but also think bigger.
   Gonzaga’s men’s basketball team is known for its diversity, with current players from Canada, Croatia, Serbia, and Korea, as well as five different U.S. states. McCann credits this diversity to “Few’s worldwide recruiting prowess, and how he understands the universal game of basketball and its many international iterations.” Few is also known for bringing in top talent from the NCAA transfer portal. Put simply: He recruits the best players in the game, no matter where or how they started their careers, and his results speak for themselves, as his team is one of the most diverse, skilled, and dominant in the college league.
   
   Most leaders are used to scouring their local market for great talent — and that’s a valid recruitment step. Many of Few’s players are native to Washington state, where Gonzaga is located. However, especially as technology advances and the workforce becomes increasingly globalized, managers shouldn’t overlook great candidates who come from other markets. Not only does this approach keep managers from being limited to only their local market, but it helps them bring in great employees from different backgrounds and perspectives who can help their teams be more creative, innovative, and effective.
4. Prioritize continuous learning and growth.
   When the Olympic games are over, Few will head back to Gonzaga University armed with lessons he learned from the players and coaches with whom he worked and against whom he competed. “We incorporated some stuff last year,” Few said, “whether it’s offensive action or defensive actions or just approaches to film sessions.” Even a coach of Few’s caliber is always looking for ways to learn and grow his own coaching style, sharing what he learns with his assistants and his players.
   
   Managers, just like their teams, should always be learning, growing, and implementing new ideas. Be open to making changes as you learn new things and encounter new perspectives or challenges. One of the worst things a manager can do is get stuck in the “but this is how we’ve always done it!” mentality.

Whether they’re looking for advice on how best to manage a talented individual or create a collaborative, high-performing team, managers can learn a lot from Olympic coaches about leadership. We believe these seven leadership strategies can help leaders in every industry maximize their own potential, as well as that of their employees and teams.