Apart from the intrinsic qualities of each player, it is striking to see just how crucial team spirit is. This team spirit is not simply the sum of its individual parts. It requires that extra spark that makes all the difference: trust. It is said that faith moves mountains; trust, too, can work miracles. Whether in a sports or professional environment, a person who feels trusted exceeds their own limits. They succeed in what they undertake. Other team members are energized by seeing their colleague achieve a breakthrough moment, driving them to push further, despite fatigue and obstacles. A virtuous cycle is created for the benefit of all, because enthusiasm is contagious.
On the flip side, hesitation and fear are equally contagious. Certain teams, despite possessing obvious essential qualities, yield disappointing results and are ultimately doomed to fail.
These sudden reversals of fortune can also be observed in the corporate world. Certain industry leaders of yesterday suddenly find themselves in difficulty, while other struggling companies experience renewed prosperity after a slump. It must be admitted that, generally speaking, the current business climate does not exactly inspire enthusiasm: record numbers of bankruptcies, sluggish or non-existent growth, heavy taxation while public deficits remain unabsorbed... Our old Europe sometimes lacks the dynamism it enjoyed a few decades ago. And yet, opportunities are not lacking. Low interest rates allow borrowing on unprecedented terms. Globalization and IT enable startups to reach a global audience right from their computers.
However, a climate of trust must be present. This climate cannot be decreed; it is built, step by step. Just like in football, the leader (coach) must lead by example and believe in the qualities of the staff members (players), defending them against external criticism. The employees, in turn, must accept putting their individuality aside to achieve a shared objective, which ultimately translates into a concrete outcome (the scoreboard).
This dynamic takes on full importance during a business acquisition, which is a critical moment in a company's life. The buyer must arm themselves with courage and diplomacy. Stepping out of their comfort zone, they invest financially and personally to carry out a challenge that requires mobilizing the entire team. Not always enjoying strong initial legitimacy, they must coach individuals who have known a different management style or sometimes a different pace of work. While they often already possess management experience, they may not yet have managed an SME with all that it entails. One is not born an entrepreneur; one becomes one. And all help is welcome.
Among the initiatives established to help young business leaders—whether founders or buyers—one notable example is Réseau Entreprendre, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in Wallonia. This entirely volunteer-based and altruistic network allows selected young entrepreneurs ("laureates") to benefit from 3 years of free coaching by an established business leader. The coach calls upon the broader network whenever necessary to source specific expertise that the laureate might need at any given stage of their project's development.
This method has proven its worth. Since its creation in France in 1986, Réseau Entreprendre currently operates in 6 countries and has trained over 6,000 laureates who have created more than 65,000 jobs. Over 80% of the mentored companies are still active after 5 years of operation—a remarkable statistic given the high failure rate among startups. Peer-to-peer mentoring among entrepreneurs is thus a winning formula, undoubtedly because it is based on the very same positive values found in sports: courage, perseverance, selflessness, enthusiasm, solidarity, and more.
Let us dare to believe that these team values remain deeply rooted in the business world, and let us help foster them so we can break free from the gloomy climate we far too often face.
