The environment in which national sport organisations and governing bodies operate have evolved far beyond the traditional methods and thinking.
Exceptional service is not a luxury. It is what stakeholders expect. It is not so much about medals but people coming together to take on the impossible challenges. It’s about keeping promises and about the right people with the right attitude turning the toughest negative into positive.
The search for partners who share the T&T Olympic Committee’s (TTOC) desire for transformation is a work in progress. On the corporate side, the TTOC is the beneficiary of a group of partners who share the transformation vision. However, it requires more than corporate partners.
Traditionally governing bodies and sport organisations are perceived as having greater concern for competition. That may very well be so but governing bodies now have to address many issues, including getting more people participating.
Participation can drive a talent pipeline that can consistently deliver medals, titles and championships while this can also generate passionate and dedicated individuals who want to help and serve sport. T&T has the talent pool that can per capita transform the twin island Republic into an Olympic powerhouse.
How can we challenge prejudicies and preconceptions? How can we create the new insights that push the limits of current knowledge? Can we excite passion and loyalty that wil ignite the critical mass and tipping point. In respect of sport have we seen the shifting of the status quo?
Most citizens seem to share the desire to see the unbelievable become unforgetable as unmatched excellence becomes the global norm. It is to be expected that for every win there will be disappointment while for every defeat there will be triumph. The journey nonetheless is always compelling and fraught with obstacles.
Overcoming what may at first glance appear insurmountable requires creating synergies. Growing organically and ironing out kinks along the way and learning lessons from mistakes already made seems at times to be a luxury. Across a variety of functions and workflows national sport organisations and governing bodies being effective and efficent can seem an overwhelming experience.
There are bound to be problems when you are trying to create a whole new market landscape. Sport leaders do not have the luxury of figuring it out as they go. Speed of implementation in the face of complexity makes life difficult. How are sport leaders responding to the new normal? Stability certainly is not the new normal. Constant change and instability is the new normal.
Technology is transforming how national sport organisations function and operate. The digital age is here and the time to act is now. Where do sport organisations and leaders start? A coherent digital vision and strategy is essential. Transformation of all aspects of sport administration and management.
The future has arrived. National sport organisations and governing bodies must act now before its too late. Revamping the sport governance model as a start requires an embrace of the digital age. The sport sector in T&T has been slow to embrace the digital transformation. We live in a world where the milliennial generation expects quick access to information via their smartphone.
What to do about it?
Transformation. Transformation of thinking. Transformation.
• Brian Lewis is president of the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC). The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Olympic Committee.
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