Guest Blog - Chris Tilley - Olympic Reflections
Fun fact: The Olympic motto since 1894 is made up of three Latin words: Citius - Altius – Fortius, or in English; Faster - Higher – Stronger. However this year the motto was changed for the first time ever to include the word ‘Together’ (Communiter), highlighting the need for solidarity during these unusual times. I like to think the Olympic Committee were also paying homage to our Group theme, Together we Shine!
Hopefully like myself you’ve been enjoying the ‘2020’ Olympics. To state the obvious, this year has been different and yet the games have continued to provide plenty of excitement and drama as Olympians represent their nations at the pinnacle of their sporting disciplines in pursuit of gold. The games have adapted just like the rest of us as we find new ways of working, interacting and engaging with friends, colleagues and clients.
Spectators have had to stay away but the games have continued to be enjoyed through our television screens. A bit like a Teams call, sometimes this can be the best way to engage in an event and sometimes nothing beats a live experience. On Monday I was reminded of this while in our London office with some of the team followed by a meeting at PwC’s office where we engaged in an extremely enjoyable and productive meeting supplemented by new tech (an enormous cinema size interactive ipad screen). A refreshing break from what can sometimes feel like an endless stream of Teams calls and the unhealthy monotony of sitting at home absorbed by my laptop.
We’ve also seen some fantastic new events arrive at the Olympics. This week I watched a 13 year old skateboarder win an Olympic bronze medal, beaten to silver by a 12 year old! At the same time other sports fall away (did you know tug-of-war was once an Olympic event?). To draw another parallel, adaption and modernisation remains core to our success; innovating to succeed, selling a genuinely unique portfolio of solutions to clients and embracing the benefits of flexible working in the new world of work.
Finally tech innovation in pursuit of marginal gains has not been lost on me. From unusually shaped Lotus bikes at the velodrome to Nike super spikes on the track, technology has played a role. This year I’ve been extremely proud to see the Harvey Nash Group outperforming the competition across all of our disciplines (Tech Recruitment, Tech Solutions and Leadership Services). This is because of you but like any high performing competitor, you need to be equipped with the best coaching and equipment. While we don’t wear Nike spikes, we will continue to invest in our Technology and People Promise to help you continue to beat the competition!
Wishing you all a good weekend ahead and final few days of Olympic glory!