The Slovenia Times

Round table discusses what business can learn from sport

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The debate was held as part of the Sports Meets Business conference organised by the British-Slovenian Business Chamber ahead of tonight's World Cup qualifying match between Slovenia and England.

President of the Olimpija Ljubljana football club Milan Mandarić told the debate that successful clubs were organised like successful companies. "Not 'me', but 'we' must be in the forefront in a team."

Mandarić, a crisis management expert, said that the winning recipe was putting responsible persons around yourself who did not spend money carelessly. He understands money in sports as an investment and not as a cost.

Legendary English footballer Glenn Hoddle, now a successful businessman, believes that success requires a vision and good communication between players, while the problem is that too much fear is present among them, like in business.

But if one is able to establish a creative environment, fear can be changed into excitement, which increases the chances for success, he added.

Boštjan Napast, the CEO of gas wholesaler Geoplin, a major sport sponsor, said that success in business required ambition, persistence and motivation of the entire team.

Head of fruit producer Evrosad Boštjan Kozole, a former handball player, admitted that he had learned a lot about managing business from sport. Big successes in both fields get quickly forgotten, and as a leader you have to focus on a next game and look forward, he said.

The Sports Meets Business conference also featured among others British Ambassador to Slovenia Sophie Honey, head of the British-Slovenian Business Chamber Miha Žerko and the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) Goran Novković.

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