The Games of the 2024 Olympics have begun, and that “all the world’s a stage” adage has rarely felt more apt. But these are not merely players. These are the best-of-the-best we’re watching, striving for excellence, competing at the highest level, putting it all on the line in the pursuit of individual achievement but also for something larger than themselves…. We could go on all day and night (and then some) about the metaphorical match between what it will take to excel in Paris this summer and what it takes to do the same in the business world every single day.
We’re always going for the gold here at ECLARO (we’ve warned you in the past that we love our sports metaphors), so naturally the arrival of the Olympics has sparked plenty of conversation here around the idea of what it takes to be a gold medalist. What does it mean to reach gold medal status as a business leader, as a job candidate, as a recruiter, as a colleague, as a member of a team?
Regardless of the question, we know the Right People are the Answer, so we turned to some of the Right People on the ECLARO team to share their winning insights…
THE GOLD MEDAL LEADER
We have had the good fortune at witnessing a fair share of gold medals for the U.S. Olympic teams over the years. When I think of all those gold medal performers, I can’t help but to immediately think of Michael Phelps. He was so critical to the U.S. Men’s Swimming Team for more reasons than just his amazing athletic abilities. He was a leader who inspired others around them, doing an incredible job of leading by example. It’s one thing if you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk—or swim the swim?
When a leader gives 100% effort each and every day, it’s contagious. The men on those Olympic teams with Phelps had a unified approach, and their goal was very clear: take home the gold. That transparency, consistency and dedication led them to accomplish this goal behind Phelps, who had all of the qualities one hopes to have in a gold medal leader. When a team sees a manager who leads by example, who makes the teams goals clear, who inspires them to be their best, then that manager is taking home the gold. —Luke Ruzek, Director - Human Resources
A gold medal leader is essentially a champion in the realm of leadership. Just as an Olympic gold medalist exhibits exceptional skill, determination and teamwork, a gold medal leader embodies these qualities in the professional arena.
The key characteristics of a gold medal leader are:
Visionary: They have a clear and inspiring vision for the future, which motivates and directs their team.
Strategic: They excel at developing and implementing effective strategies to achieve goals.
Inspirational: They possess the ability to motivate and empower their teams to reach their full potential.
Resilient: The can overcome challenges and setbacks with determination and perseverance.
Collaborative: They foster a strong team culture based on trust, open communication and mutual support.
Results-Oriented: They are focused on achieving tangible outcomes and exceeding expectations.
Ethical: They demonstrate integrity, honesty, and fairness in all their actions.
In essence, a gold medal leader is someone who constantly delivers exceptional performance and inspires others to do the same. They create a high-performing winning culture where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute their best. —Ray Pereira, Vice President of Talent Acquisition & Development
Being a gold medal colleague and manager means setting high expectations for oneself and those around you, ensuring that everyone shows up every day ready to perform to the best of their abilities. It also involves embodying three key qualities: reliability, loyalty and collaboration. Additionally, as a manager, it's important to keep things loose and fun to make your team feel comfortable approaching you with any matters they need to discuss. These attributes are essential for creating a supportive and high-performing work environment. —Colin Crawford, Manager - Human Resources
THE GOLD MEDAL EMPLOYEE
A gold medal manager and employee is someone who leads with integrity and prioritizes "we" over "me." They focus on the team's success rather than just their own, lifting up their colleagues and working together to achieve common goals. Their positive attitude and commitment to teamwork make them a real asset to any company, helping everyone thrive and succeed. —Meghan Ruggiero, Senior Recruiter
A gold medal employee is the cream of the crop and best of the best, regardless of role and position. It can be an executive or a porter/driver. He or she is a model employee who doesn’t only excel in reliability or technical skills/performance, but someone who is also influencing others in a positive way for having an excellent character. This is someone who is well loved by many. —Evelyn Pechay, Director - Human Resources PH
A gold medal employee is someone who takes care of the business like their own. Aside from having numerous skillsets, upholding good values and principles is paramount to the success of everyone. An employee who brings integrity, hard work and compassion to work always win the competition. No matter how slow you started, what matters most is how you gracefully finish the race. But it is not always winning, we may experience some defeat and failure along the way but what is important is how we stand, recover and learn from that experience to become a better version of ourselves. —Henry Zuniga, Senior Recruiting Team Lead
THE GOLD MEDAL COLLEAGUE
A gold medal colleague exemplifies certain exceptional qualities that make them invaluable to their team. A cornerstone is a strong work ethic, consistently delivering high-quality results and going above and beyond their duties. Reliability is key; they are someone you can count on to meet deadlines, handle responsibilities efficiently, and contribute positively to the team’s objectives.
Communication skills are another hallmark of a gold medal colleague. They articulate their ideas clearly, listen actively to others, and offer constructive feedback in a respectful manner. Their approachability and willingness to collaborate foster a supportive and cooperative work environment.
Empathy and respect are also central to their interactions. They are attuned to the needs and challenges of their colleagues, offering assistance and encouragement when needed. This fosters trust and strengthens teamwork and performance.
Finally, my gold medal colleague demonstrates a proactive attitude, seeking out opportunities for improvement and innovation rather than waiting for direction. They are adaptable, embracing change with a positive mindset and helping others navigate challenges to achieve results. —Darren Tietsworth, Senior Account Executive
A gold medal colleague shows reliability by delivering high-quality work on time, every time. You collaborate effectively and support your colleagues, fostering a positive team spirit, especially when circumstances are tough. You communicate clearly, listen actively and provide constructive feedback, ensuring everyone stays informed and connected. You approach challenges proactively, find solutions, and help others overcome obstacles, proving that nothing can slow us down. —Ann Co, Talent Delivery Manager
THE GOLD MEDAL CANDIDATE
Putting qualifications for the job aside, a gold medal job candidate expresses a positive attitude and is responsive. They possess excellent communication skills—this isn’t necessarily a language or speech skill, but their ability to communicate their ideas. They are able to show how they have affected or changed the position they were hired to do in their current role, what successes they’ve had, and are transparent in all dealings and interactions. —Charly Vie, Vice President - Professional Hiring
THE GOLD MEDAL RECRUITER
In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, actually held in 2021, Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs won the gold in the 100M dash by completing the race in 9.80 seconds. The sprinter who came in fourth—a non-medal position—finished the race in 9.93 seconds. That’s a 0.13 second difference—you barely notice the time passing. When the difference between the gold and no medal is so small, everything matters.
And it’s the same for recruiting. The difference between a gold medal recruiter and someone without a medal isn’t much more than 0.13 seconds in a 100M sprint. It’s so small, it’s hard to notice. It’s one extra phone call that gets you the right candidate. A thoughtful email that you read over and edit that gets a response. Thorough interview prep that has your candidate ready to ace the interview. All those little things, which maybe make you 0.13 seconds better, is how you win the gold. —Dan Broderick, Senior Vice President
A gold medal recruiter is someone who delivers outstanding results in the field of recruiting, benefiting both clients and candidates. Such a recruiter possesses qualities like dedication, exceptional sourcing strategies, strong candidate relationships, effective communication, adaptability, flexibility, strong negotiation skills, efficient time management and high ethical standards. These qualities are developed through experience and continuous learning, rather than being innate to each recruiter. —Heckle Tulab, Senior Recruitment Specialist/Team Lead
THE GOLD MEDAL SERVICE PROVIDER
A gold medal service provider is someone who truly integrates themselves into their client’s business and understands their industry, successes, problems and goals. From there, this person is able to create bespoke solutions to help their client achieve these goals. —Dan Snyder, Account Executive
THE GOLD MEDAL TEAM
Gold medal employees don’t get there on their own. They are part of a team, and the success of the team is necessary to reach the highest heights of their field. Mentors, coaches and family all provide support and guidance along the way. In business, seek out mentorship and training to get you to the podium. To reach the gold medal level, no detail is too small. Every opportunity for improvement is explored, from strength, speed and agility to nutrition, recovery and mental wellness. At ECLARO, we take every opportunity to improve our service to our clients. The right approach includes small improvements over time yield gold medal results. —Pamela Johnson Sweder, Vice President - Business Transformation
Here’s to all the athletes putting it all on the line at the 2024 Olympics, and to the Right People everywhere who are always going for the gold in whatever arena you choose!