Let us start recreating a shorter version of some conversations we recently had. “Why do you do this?” we asked a couple of Venue Technology Managers. “It’s the thrill of solving the logistic puzzle and getting the venue ready. And it’s the excitement of witnessing the competition happening and millions of spectators as thrilled as we are”.
Could we reframe the supposedly tedious work of assembling cables in a sports venue as the gratifying job of sharing joy? It all starts with a fundamental human pleasure we have explored since we were kids: solving puzzles. Sports venue technology implies a complex process of finding suitable suppliers and coordinating intricate logistics.
One layer of technology must be set up until the next can get done. Sometimes, supplies are not delivered when needed, or we get the wrong supplies. Any disruption in the logistic ballet can significantly affect the event delivery.
Does it make us sweat? Yes, it does. But if our team is well taken care of, it is not bad stress. It’s just a thrilling sensation. It only becomes stressful when we add to this nice edgy feeling the pressure to overwork, the lack of recognition, unjust policies, tense relationships, and bad leadership. We will talk about that in later articles.
Then, the event is ready. Referees and their teams arrive. Athletes and their teams come. Spectators fill the venue. Competitions start. Now, the other venue teams and we must make sure everything runs smoothly. If all was correctly prepared, we enjoy the same sensation of tightrope walkers, who feel their height but know exactly what they are doing.
At the same time, we watch live how our work is making people in the venue and at home, sometimes all around the world, release their shouts and tears of anticipation, sadness when losing, and joy when winning. We shout and cry with them, too, even if we hold our emotions to keep focused on what we are doing.
Building tech teams is not just putting together a bunch of tech geeks. Most people in this field are passionate about tech and sports. Often they decided to do a career shift and work in sports events to fulfil a lifetime dream.
The first thing that binds together a good tech team is the thrill of feeling and sharing excitement. And just like many other human soft skills, the ability to experience and share joy needs to be cultivated. We must recruit people with fire in their hearts and create the conditions to keep it alive. When required, we need to coach our team members to reconnect with this inner fire if, for any reason, it may be fading out.
If you work or would like to work with tech and sports, please share with us: what in this beautiful profession makes your heart thrilled? And what are the conditions that cause your fire to burn stronger?
TEC – HEART – SPORT is our latest series of articles explaining the mission, vision, and culture that Legacy Sport shares with its community and the world. See below for a summary of each topic we will explore during the series.
Thrill
Expertise
Courage
Humanism
Empathy
Advocacy
Respect
Transparency
Sustainability
People
Olympism
Relationships
Transformation
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