At all levels of sport, there is often too much focus on whether to recruit attackers or defenders. But I’ve always had the mindset that defense wins games, no matter how good you are on offense.
To win you need a strong defense. To be able to defend well in our sport, you don’t need a lot of athletic talent, it’s all about your mental attitude. You have to want it.
PARALLELS
There are parallels with economics. Offensive is the fun factor in business life, when taking part in company golf days, networking events or introducing new services. Defense, on the other hand, is the hard work – staying consistent with your finances, emails, and business strategy.
Winning new business won’t be worth much if you don’t have what you’ve already built. To be successful in sports and business, you need to have the right team around you.
The Newcastle Eagles Stadium.
However, what is sometimes overlooked is how important personality is. We invest a lot of time and energy to ensure we recruit the right individuals for the Eagles.
The difference between a professional and an amateur athlete is not always their technical ability, but rather their mentality.
We have developed a transparent culture at the Eagles – an ethos that our head coach Mark Steutel, who is also the head coach of the UK men’s basketball team, lives and breathes. I also think this is the key to any successful company because culture is everything.
We are looking for people who are in it for the long haul, positive people who want to “play for the title” and want to make Newcastle their home.
WINNER MENTALITY
We are the best supported club in the league and want our players to fall in love with both the city and the sport – it all contributes to a winning mentality.
If you have someone on your team who isn’t concerned with the larger vision and instead sees their role as a stepping stone, then it’s not the player trying to win a trophy, but rather someone who cares about their own stats.
Creating a strong culture in your company gives your team the motivation they need to work together.
When I was a player, my vision of success began with even getting on the court, being selected to play in a tournament and then most games of the season. It was a process and I had to work hard every step of the way.
I never got to where I wanted to be in basketball, but back then there wasn’t as clear a path as there is now.
OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD
However, my love for the sport never waned and I didn’t let this little vision get me down. I adapted and moved to the business side of the sport, changing my vision and recognizing the opportunities in front of me.
Newcastle Eagles encompasses several entities – the club, the foundation and the arena in which we play.
Although I am passionate about club games, I am also involved in the day-to-day operations of all three companies.
If we lose a game on the weekend – even if I have a really hard time getting over losing games – I have to find a positive attitude to tackle the tasks that need to be done for the other companies on Monday morning.
Staying positive is an important pillar to winning and staying on the path to achieving your vision. The same is true in business, especially in an industry like real estate where things can change quickly. There are always successes, and while it is important to look at how we can improve, it is not productive to dwell on the negatives.
As long as the changes you make have a purpose, you are on the right track.
Paul Blake is the owner of the Newcastle Eagles basketball team. Read more in the latest edition of Iamproperty’s Tech of a Life
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