Living legend Roger Federer made history last month by claiming his 20th Grand Slam title. In his 21st year as a professional tennis player, he is currently perhaps better than ever.
To think that a year ago he was sidelined for 6 months due to a knee injury, after which many had already written him off.
But Federer didn't give up, regrouped, and staged the greatest comeback the tennis world has seen to date. What is the key to his success, and what can we learn from top athlete Roger Federer?
Learning and constantly improving
Federer's signature has always been his devastating forehand. Not that his backhand is so bad, but his opponents did view this as a 'weakness'. After all, he did not win his matches based on his amazing backhand returns.
Until, in 2017 at a tournament, to the surprise of many, he suddenly possessed a devastating backhand. It was even difficult to determine what was better: his backhand or his forehand?
Federer revealed afterwards that he had trained intensively to use his backhand as a weapon to win matches as well. What we can learn from this is that it is a strength to expose where your areas for improvement lie.
All too often, we know what our shortcomings are, yet we do nothing about it. Especially as a manager, it is vital to provide room for improvement and to encourage making this known.
Work-life balance
You cannot always keep the bow taut; as a manager, you will therefore have to seek the right work-life balance. For top athletes, the pressure is even higher, as you constantly have to fight to secure your place at the top of the rankings.
Especially in the world of Roger Federer tennis, you don't have the entire year for this; there are only four moments where you need to perform: the Grand Slams. He doesn't do this alone, as his family is present at every major match.
He has stated several times at the awards ceremony that his family is his support and that none of this would have been possible without them.
It is therefore not surprising that Federer decided to go out with his family into the nature of Austria and Switzerland during his long-term knee injury.
The important lesson we can draw from this is that once the targets have been achieved, there must also be a moment to relax. Don't hesitate and just book that city trip or vacation.
Stay hungry
Roger Federer: 20 Grand Slam titles, more than 1000 matches won, Olympian, Davis Cup winner, and the longest-ranked number 1 in the men's rankings. A resume every tennis player dreams of.
Now 35 years old, an age at which the average tennis player would already be retired, he is still playing tennis at the highest level. Federer remains hungry, a hunger to win.
He knows he isn't the youngest anymore, but he is ready to take on the fitter, younger tennis player, and he is far from ready to be written off. Every manager or leader should have this hunger for results, because he or she is a reflection of the team.
A leader or manager can take Federer as a great example, because in this role you always have to get the most out of it, where results are the only thing that counts.
From transaction to relationship
The best salespeople think not in terms of transactions, but in terms of relationships. They know that the value of a customer lies not in the first order, but in the years that follow. That is why they invest in trust, deliver more than agreed, and are there even when there is no immediate sales opportunity.
In practice, this means that you don't disappear after a sale, but rather remain visible. Make a call without a sales agenda, share a relevant article, or invite your customer to a knowledge event.
That personal attention builds a bond that is much stronger than any discount. Customers who trust you become your best ambassadors.
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