Long hours and high-pressure corporate environments mean South Korea has one of the most stressful working cultures in the world

After three years in Seoul, I’ve survived based on key principles I learned from playing sport

Here’s more

After playing rugby from the age of 7, achieving international test caps, I have reframed stressful moments as a stage for success

Every player wants to be in the cup final, kicking the winning goal, making the key difference

Pressure makes diamonds

2/

Stress was a mental pressure that affected clarity due to 2 variables

- Short timelines
- Relying on others

Training sessions under fatigue have conditioned me to make urgent decisions and back myself

This was possible with repetitive stimulation

Work is the same

3/

In sport the variables are controlled by managing the clock and training together

Very few people plan their day to ‘manage the clock’

A daily plan to start of the day brings so much clarity

Set tasks to break down urgent deliverables, knowing where to delegate to others

4/

Training always involved skills, team runs & organization drills

A successful team isn’t full of talented individuals, it’s one that works together

Strategy sprints and workshops were essential for collaborative working and practicing communicating

This breeds confidence

5/

Sport focused me to work on the basics
Catching, passing & tackling

Work is no different

To have more confidence in high-pressure situations you need to lean on your basics

Improving writing, PowerPoint proficiency and verbal presentation are key to building confidence

6/

In sport your position requires a particular skill

In the office, focus on the building blocks

The skills matrix breaks down core strategy competencies and sets goals that can be achieved by project, improving skills and confidence levels

7/

What skills have you learned from playing a sport that you now apply to your work?

Comment below and I'll follow this up with a comprehensive list of things sport can teach the boardroom