This article comes in connection with the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games (hereinafter JO24) and, in this context, I challenge my readers to answer the following question:
What management lessons can we learn from one of Homo Sapiens Sapiens’ biggest and most recent global events?
The JO24 was not just a celebration of sport; it was also a real case study in management, innovation and leadership. This global event, surrounded by challenges and strategic decisions, offers valuable lessons that can be applied in different organisational contexts. Managers, administrators, teachers and university students, among others, can learn a lot from analysing how Paris and the Organising Committee tackled these complexities.
Let’s explore eight management lessons that I believe emerged from this event, all of which are intrinsically linked to the four Olympic values: Citius, Altius, Fortius and Communitis.
1. Crisis management: polluted river Seine
Fact: The River Seine, an icon of Paris, surprisingly destined to be i) the venue for the opening of the JO24 and ii) the venue for the swimming and triathlon competitions, despite the Parisian authorities investing 1.4 billion euros in improvements to the water treatment infrastructure and the system for alerting and continuously monitoring its quality, faced serious pollution problems that almost jeopardised the health of the athletes and the image of the event.
Lesson: Effective crisis management requires anticipation and an agile response. Having a robust contingency ‘plan B’ is crucial to guaranteeing the continuity of operations.
Olympic Value: Citius – faster. The ability to respond quickly is essential to meet emerging management challenges with excellence.
2. Capacity Management: full halls, box office success
Fact: At the Games24, approximately 9.5 million tickets were sold (a new record for the Games) for the various sporting events, marking a downward trend compared to previous editions: Beijing 2008 (7M), London 2012 (8.2M), Rio 2016 (6.1M) and Tokyo 2020 (4.45M). Demand at the Games24 was exceptionally high, resulting in full arenas in practically every discipline, a fact also associated with a fantastic customer experience.
Lesson: Maximising capacity requires meticulous planning and efficient management of resources and intelligent promotion. Effectively managing the flow of customers and resources is vital to the success of large-scale events and operations.
The effective management of the JO24 exemplified the power of collective work and solidarity
Olympic Value: Fortius – stronger. The strength of a successful operation lies in its ability to plan and manage resources effectively, guaranteeing total customer satisfaction.
3. Diversity and Inclusion: 50% Women Athletes
Fact: At the JO24, gender parity was achieved for the first time, with approximately 10,500 athletes taking part, which equates to around 5,250 female athletes.
Compared to previous editions in Beijing (4637), London (4676), Rio de Janeiro (5059) and Tokyo (5457), the Games24 reflect i) a growing trend in the number of female athletes; as well as ii) a growing commitment to equality and inclusion, which has developed consistently over the last few editions of the Games.
Lesson: Promoting diversity and inclusion is not only a matter of social justice, but also a driver of innovation and organisational performance. Diverse environments favour creativity and success.
Olympic Value: Communitis – community. Diversity strengthens cohesion within organisations, creating a sense of belonging and collaboration between Homo Sapiens Sapiens.
4. Performance reassessment: few world records broken
Fact: At the JO24, only 15 world records were broken, marking a downward trend compared to previous editions: Beijing 2008 (38), London 2012 (30), Rio 2016 (19) and Tokyo 2020 (22). This raises questions about the limits of Homo Sapiens Sapiens, the conditions of competition and the evolution of sporting practices.
Lesson: In a competitive environment, stagnation is a risk, and continuous innovation (e.g. admission of new disciplines) is vital. Re-evaluating performance and adapting strategies to new realities is crucial to maintaining competitiveness, excellence and interest in the Olympic Games.
Olympic Value: Citius – faster. The constant search for improvement and adaptation is essential for continuous progress.
5. Resilience and Adaptation: the Cuban wrestler who ‘kicked ass’ live
Fact: Mijaín López, the Cuban wrestler who, after winning his fourth gold medal, decided to retire, live and for billions of viewers, with an iconic ‘pull up your boots’.
Lesson: Resilience, adaptation and knowing how to ‘leave the scene’ are essential skills for dealing with transitional phases.
Olympic Value: Fortius – stronger. Inner strength and resilience are crucial for overcoming challenges and thriving in new environments.
The 2024 Paris Olympics provided an important lesson in the importance of unity in the pursuit of excellence
6. Communication and Image: the Chinese athlete and the Spanish flag pin
Fact: Chen Yu Fei, a Chinese player and Olympic badminton champion, honoured her Spanish opponent, Carolina Marín (who was seriously injured during the final), by wearing a pin with the Spanish flag during the medal ceremony.
Lesson: This simple gesture had a very significant impact, emphasising the importance of caring for others, non-verbal communication and public image management. Strategic communication and image management are key to shaping public perception and building a positive reputation. Small gestures can have a profound and lasting impact.
Olympic Value: Communitis – community. Effective communication strengthens bonds within a global community, promoting understanding and mutual respect.
7. Citizen participation: co-production and volunteering
Fact: Around 40,000 volunteers (people of different backgrounds, ages and skills, reflecting the inclusive spirit of the Games) were essential to the success of the JO24, exemplifying the spirit of solidarity and civic engagement. They demonstrated how citizen participation (e.g. in logistical support, athlete support, media operations, translation and interpretation, cleaning, health and safety) can make a significant contribution to major endeavours. The estimated savings for the Organising Committee from using the 40,000 volunteers is approximately 200 million euros.
Lesson: The active involvement of communities and the promotion of citizen participation are fundamental to the success of major initiatives. Management must encourage and facilitate co-production to achieve common goals.
Olympic Value: Communitis – community. Citizen participation strengthens the social fabric and creates a solid foundation for collective success.
8. Innovation in Events: women’s marathon closing the games
Fact: For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the women’s marathon, won by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir, was the closing event, symbolising a renewed commitment to gender equality and a reassessment of Olympic traditions.
Lesson: Innovation is essential to staying relevant. Organisations must be willing to adapt traditions and processes to align with contemporary values and expectations.
Olympic Value: Altius – higher. Raising standards of equality and inclusion must be a priority in modern management.
Conclusion
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games (JO24) were not just a sporting event; they were also a rich tapestry of management lessons that go beyond the boundaries of sport.
Each of the eight lessons highlighted in this article – from crisis management to promoting diversity and innovation – reflects the ability of Homo Sapiens Sapiens to face challenges with creativity and determination.
The effective management of the JO24 not only ensured the success of the event, but also exemplified the power of collective work and solidarity.
The JO24 stands out as a shining example of what we can achieve when we unite in pursuit of a higher ideal. May these lessons be a continuous inspiration to managers, leaders and all those committed to creating a more Altius, Fortius, Citius and Communitis future.
