What Olympic Teams Can Teach Us About Leadership Alignment
Does anyone else find themselves glued to the TV during the Olympics? There’s something uniquely captivating about the Olympic athletes. They are disciplined and focused, committed to training and perfecting their craft for years–all to have just a few minutes to prove what they are capable of.
The team events are especially inspiring to me. Each teammate has a unique role, whether that be clear communication, gentle encouragement, or the ability to remain steady under immense pressure. At their best, Olympic teams operate in total alignment and perfect rhythm.
I recently watched a video of the Team USA Men’s Bobsled team misalign while loading into their sled. Within three seconds, the run was essentially over.
That moment stuck with me.
Not because bobsledding perfectly mirrors organizational leadership, but because it does offer a powerful metaphor for how quickly small misalignments can compound in any leadership team. Each person on the team can be fully prepared and well-equipped to do their part, but one small misalignment can compound and quickly alter the success of the team.
Leadership Habits that Build Winning Teams
The Importance of Matching Pace
Olympic teammates match each other’s pace, timing, and power. Leadership teams must do the same.
Leaders who understand that the long-term value of working together outweighs individual wins create far less drag. Misalignment from even one leader can slow an organization’s momentum, and it’s much harder to recover speed than to maintain it.
Reduce Ambiguity by Using Shared Language
Athletes communicate using a precise, shared language. There is no room for vague terminology or assumptions when success is measured in tenths of seconds.
Leadership teams need that same discipline. Misalignment often stems not from disagreement, but from leaders using different vocabulary, different business acumen, or different interpretations of what “done” looks like. Consistent language sharpens decisions and minimizes rework.
Your Team Wants to Win Gold. Make Markers of Success Clear.
When an Olympic team delivers a gold‑medal performance, everyone knows it. The markers and measures of winning are clearly defined by time, distance, or a judge’s score.
Team success works the same way. A leadership team that’s “on all runners” produces both a feeling and a measurable outcome. Employees want to and need to understand the measures of the mission. When the end goal is clear, decisions are made quickly and confidently. Teams move with clarity instead of confusion because they know exactly how success is defined.
Provide Instant Feedback. Catch Misalignment Before It Compounds.
Athletes know immediately when something is off. A bobsled team can feel a mistimed push and a figure skater knows when their takeoff is wrong. Video footage from every possible angle gives them the ability to watch their movements in slow motion and see exactly what went wrong.
Leadership teams, on the other hand, often don’t see misalignment until the consequences show up. These consequences can look like stalled execution, conflicting priorities, confused or hesitant teams, rework, or poor outcomes. The key to success moving forward is to take note of these indicators, provide feedback, and make adjustments moving forward.
Alignment Isn’t Accidental
Just like athletes rehearse every movement thousands of times, organizations build alignment through intentional practice. This looks like staying consistent with processes, clarifying commitments, being disciplined with follow‑through, and strengthening trust over time.
And the payoff? When alignment clicks, everything accelerates. The bobsled flies. Gains compound. The team achieves what no individual could accomplish alone.
In business, that win looks like faster execution, better decisions, energized employees, and a team that trusts its leaders and believes in the mission. Alignment isn’t a luxury, it’s the difference between drag and acceleration.
Ready to Build Olympic‑Level Alignment?
If your organization is ready for shared focus, stronger execution, and forward movement, let’s talk about how your leadership team can gain speed together.