Bode Miller we salute you and your achievements
Four times World Champion in the grueling sport of downhill skiing, Bode Miller was already a hero to numero long before the the 2010 Winter Olympics. So, his triumvirate of Alpine medals has elevated Bode to a whole new level, especially as he is now the most decorate Alpine skier in US history. An achievement that is all the more impressive given that he failed to win a single medal in 5 events when favourite at the last Winter Olympics.
Having secured his first Olympic Gold medal on 21 February 2010, the history books will record that Bode collected Bronze in the Downhill and Silver in the SuperG events, to sit alongside top spot in the Super Combined which you can watch here. An astonishing achievement for a man who retired from the sport at the start of 2009, 32 year-old has made a remarkable comeback and confounded many critics who don’t understand the make-up or motivations of this notorious bad-boy of the USA Ski Team.
There is a wonderful summary of Bode’s exploits and achievements on TimeOnline – an article that will bring a smile and admiration from most business people, as the following extract helps demonstrate:
“He comes from a hippy background and was brought up in a house with no water and no lighting. His priorities in life are different and his priorities in skiing are different. For Bode, it’s more being the man against the mountain than being the fastest guy down a course. He’s like Ballesteros. Seve might shoot 80 but he’d still play one shot that nobody else could play.” Read on here:
See the man in action
However, the footage below encapsulates the genius of Bode better than anything as (to quote the above article):
“[In] a World Cup downhill race in 2005. Near the top of the course, maybe 200 yards from the start, Miller loses control and loses a ski.It’s a slip more than a fall and, somehow, Miller manages to stay upright. To anybody with the vaguest understanding of America’s most famous mountain boy, what happens next comes as no surprise. Seemingly without a care in the world, Miller skis down the mountain, on his right ski. But he doesn’t just ski, he races, taking every turn, committing to every jump, following an almost perfect racing line. The clock keeps ticking. When he finally loses his balance and crashes into the snow within sight of the finish, he is less than 30 seconds behind the leader. On one ski.”
What has Bode got to do with numero and the world of customer service?
numero, like many business leaders, takes inspiration from the world of sport, high achieving individuals and team dynamics. We believe that great businesses need to take inspiration from sport, especially people like Bode. Afterall:
- He takes risks to reach the pinnacle of his sport – just as businesses need to take risks on occasions and not just follow the conservative corporate path
- He does things his way, rather than fitting a mold or stereotype – just as businesses need to innovate and not just follow the lead of others
- He challenges convention to find the possible from the seemingly impossible (see this incredible YouTube footage) – just as businesses need to explore new possibilities and establish first mover advantage
- He keeps succeeding in the face of adversity, continually bouncing back from criticism and setbacks – just as businesses need
- He remains focused, driven and in pursuit of excellence, even when sidetracked by his renowned love of the highlife – just as businesses need a dogged determination to succeed and single-minded pursuit of their goal
What has numero in common with Bode?
Other than the fact that our CEO, Guy Colclough, endeavours to ski in the style of Bode and is the greatest fan of his unconventional and unrelenting style – the numero personality shares many characteristics with the man himself. We:
- Challenge convention
- Consistently achieve unexpected results
- Never loose site of our goal
- Have fun in all we do
- Always lead and innovate
Of course, just like our hero, we also like to take time out to relax and enjoy our successes. Never happier than when our clients join us to do the same, ideally over a beer or dinner.
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