• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Commentary

What the Rio Olympics Teaches Business Leaders

By
Cathy Engelbert
Cathy Engelbert
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Cathy Engelbert
Cathy Engelbert
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 6, 2016, 10:35 AM ET
Olympics - Previews - Day - 5
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 31: The beach volley ball venue is seen ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games on July 31, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)Chris McGrath — Getty Images

Cathy Engelbert is CEO of Deloitte LLP.

As the opening ceremony for the 31st Olympic Games kicked off in Rio de Janeiro Friday night, 207 nations joined to celebrate this pinnacle of sportsmanship, dedication, and talent. More than 10,000 athletes will bring their unique stories of personal trial and overcoming odds to live their passion.

From my early days of playing 2:2 in basketball against my three older brothers, to my years playing Division 1 college basketball and lacrosse, sports have played a big role in my leadership development. I can’t help but feel the excitement of the international community coming together to honor athleticism and achievement.

The Games also remind me that business leaders and athletes share similar qualities. They must know when to lead, know when to follow, know when to pass to their teammates, and know when to ask for help, to name a few. I’ll watch as these same themes unfold in Rio, and celebrate their impact in our workplace, as we watch moments of brilliance in the performance of these athletes.

Here are some ways professionals can channel their inner Olympian:

Find a coach that invests in your growth. Behind every great athlete is a masterful coach that inspires the athlete to evolve into the strongest performer they can become. Seek out a personal coach or mentor in the workplace. He/she should push you when you need it by encouraging and motivating you. Don’t be afraid of their honesty. And most importantly, pay it forward and become a coach to someone else. Take Gerek Meinhardt, a Deloitte advisory consultant who is also an American fencer competing in Rio. Gerek’s 17-year relationship with his coach helped pave his Olympic journey. And true to the nature of paying it forward, Gerek’s coach is a former fencing Olympian who is now helping Gerek attain his Olympic dreams.

Measure success in your own achievement, not against others. You never know where your career will take you. A competitor in the market could suddenly become an unlikely partner. Be flexible, keep your slate clean, and stay open to unlikely collaborations.

Keri Walsh Jenner and April Ross were on opposing American women’s beach volleyball teams, competing against each other in the London 2012 Olympic finals. After Keri and her partner clinched the gold, Keri immediately asked April to team up in Rio and aim for the gold together. Both of their partners were retiring, opening up chances for an unlikely partnership that inspired their Rio journey together.

Persevere through struggle and setbacks. Late nights, early mornings and personal sacrifice are a necessary part of every Olympic success story. Athletes have to overcome a daily struggle to avoid feelings of self-doubt when facing temporary setbacks.

The same is true in the workplace. If you experience a setback, shift your mindset and view it as an opportunity for growth. Think of swimmer Missy Franklin. She won four gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics. For Missy, setbacks came in the form of back spasms in 2014. The struggle from this experience forced her to train even harder. Four years after winning Olympic gold, Missy will compete in Rio and seek to defend her swimming titles.

Take good care of yourself. As we train our professionals to channel their inner Olympian, it’s important to focus on overall well-being. Incorporating exercise, breaks, and mindfulness into daily practice has tremendous benefits. Whenever I speak to audiences inside or even outside of Deloitte, I always encourage people to take care of themselves. Just as an athlete needs recovery breaks, take time to rest and recover from work too. Only when you take care of yourself, can you help others thrive.

It would be difficult to have the commitment needed to reach the most elite levels of sport without passion. The same can be said for business. Live your passion isn’t just the theme of the Rio Games, but a way of life for anyone who aspires to be a business leader.

About the Author
By Cathy Engelbert
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

t
CommentaryCoding
Girls Who Code CEO: 70% of teen girls want to work in cybersecurity. We’re losing them before they start
By Tarika BarrettMay 29, 2026
15 hours ago
r
CommentaryLayoffs
Big Tech is laying off developers. My company just hired its first. We’re both right about AI
By Rob CollieMay 29, 2026
15 hours ago
lentz
CommentaryCareers
I built a Fortune 1000 career most people wouldn’t walk away from. Then I did
By Christine LentzMay 29, 2026
16 hours ago
s
CommentaryMarketing
What Schlitz beer can teach us about AI adoption
By Julia Dhar, Kristy R. Ellmer and Philip JamesonMay 29, 2026
16 hours ago
hs
CommentaryVenture Capital
I raised $15 million without VC in one of tech’s most capital-intensive sectors. Here’s what I learned
By Hebron SherMay 29, 2026
18 hours ago
dd
CommentaryCareers
Conference Board: We’ve just hit a peak at job satisfaction. AI threatens to completely ruin that for the unlucky 50%
By Matt Rosenbaum and Allan SchweyerMay 29, 2026
18 hours ago

Most Popular

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
3 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
8 days ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
Personal Finance
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
By Nick LichtenbergMay 28, 2026
1 day ago
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
Environment
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
By Dorany Pineda, Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.