Why is Skiing Like Business?

I’ve just had a brilliant week away, skiing in Austria with a group called NetSki. It was a business networking trip, combined with skiing, which got me thinking about the similarities between skiing and business.

Talk to new people

When you go networking, it’s very easy to just speak to the people you already know. That’s great for strengthening the relationship you have with them, but you also need to meet new 
people. Of the 26 skiers on the trip, I knew one quite well; I’d met another 10 years before and hadn’t kept in touch with him; and I’d met one other person a couple of times. If I’d only spoken to those three all week, I would have wasted valuable networking time. I didn’t get to talk properly with everyone in the group, but I did have the time to really get to know well a great group of guys. We shared lots of laughs and a few tears during the week. And we’ll be keeping in touch and building strong relationships.

Know when to stop pushing

Skiing on tired legs can lead to all sorts of problems, so it’s important to know when to take a break for hot chocolate, or when to call it a day and head back to the chalet. The same is true in business. If you work really long hours without proper breaks or holidays, chances are you’ll make mistakes that can be costly. Running your own business is supposed to fun (yes, really!!) and if you push yourself too hard, you can end up not loving what you do or not being able to do it at all.

Take the Helicopter view

When you run your own business, it’s very easy to get caught up in the day to day work. You spend your time dealing with issues that come up and working on details, without really looking ahead. Every now and then, it’s important to get into a helicopter, in order to get a view down into your business. You’ll be able to see where your company sits within the wider business environment. You can see what’s heading your way so that you can deal with small issues before they become big ones. And you look up to the horizon and make decisions about where you’d like to go next.

While I was skiing I had the opportunity to take a ride in a helicopter – great views of the slopes I’d been skiing on. And it made the journey to the hospital much quicker!