Be what you wish to attract

Yesterday I was officiating at the ISL Swim Meet at one of my favourite buildings, the London Aquatic Centre.

Having arrived several hours early and with a deck pass, I took time to look around the entire set up, then, with the officials toured around in-depth as part of our briefing, I heard and saw even more.

My conclusion? Everything about the setup is totally world-class. I have seen and also been part of events for lots of different pro sports around the world, this is one of the absolute best I have ever seen.

This carries lessons for all of us in how we lead, how we do business, how we live our lives.

What is the ISL?

The ISL is a first. The first pro league ever for swimmers, previously seen as a minor sport by many, who only watch it every four years during the first week of the Olympics.

Certainly minor in terms of elite athlete earnings. For comparison, an average team player at the decidedly average West Ham team playing on the same day at the Olympic stadium next door will make more in a week than all but about the top 20 swimmers worldwide will earn in a year.

So, with a “made for TV” format of a two-hour event held each weekend over a carefully time autumn schedule, what will come from this for next year?