Is there a cricket lesson that you incorporate in your work life?

Cricket was a big part of my growing up years in the ’90s, although it was not as much about playing as  watching it on TV.

BENGALURU: Cricket was a big part of my growing up years in the ’90s, although it was not as 
much about playing as watching it on TV. My interest in cricket took on a bigger meaning when I co-authored a book on a statistical analysis of ODI cricket called Criconomics with my then boss and mentor, Dr Surjit Bhalla. Like all sports, cricket too offers a lot of invaluable life lessons that I have tried to inculcate in my work life, such as focusing on discipline, perseverance and the ability to adapt to changes quickly.

But if there is one vital lesson that I have learned, especially as an entrepreneur, it is to always keep the team above the individual - no matter how talented that individual is. This principle is part of our work culture at Goalwise and reflects in how we hire, promote and fire. We place a very high value on people who are team players as they make everyone else around them better v/s divas who want everyone to accommodate their whims and fancies.

Another related aspect is that a team is more than the sum of the individuals. A team of motivated and aligned individuals with a willingness to help each other can achieve much more than a team of 
brilliant individuals who don’t see eye to eye. – Ankur Choudhary, co-founder and CIO, Goalwise

Cricket to me is about collaboration and teamwork, which has the power to change the entire scenario of a country drastically in a moment. It is a game that makes every man of India shout for the same name holding the tri-colour flag of the country. 

Being a cricket enthusiast from an early age, I have learnt quite a lot from cricket, and teamwork is one such lesson I have incorporated in my work life. Team spirit keeps us going and doubles our productivity; it motivates us to face numerous challenges together.

Cricket is all about timing and taking a risk at the right time. I am greatly inspired by this risk-taking approach too. Business decisions sometimes put us in dilemma and taking risk becomes a mandate. Cricket inspires me to face challenges and make strong decisions that have always helped me reach greater heights in life.
– Beas Dev Ralhan, co-founder and CEO, Next Education India Private Limited

The magnitude of an Indian’s love for cricket is tremendous and intense. It’s not just a sport, it teaches life lessons in patience, pace and strategy. Cricket has taught me that however good you are, chances are you will get out in the 90s quite often. So, you need to stay 100 per cent focused to continue scoring centuries and win the game eventually.

Cricket teaches you to never underestimate your fellow players, your opponents and the importance of the pitch on the right day. As an entrepreneur, I can say that success depends heavily on building a winning team and having support groups who you can reach out to whenever you need to, which includes your family, friends and professional associates.
– Mishu Ahluwalia, founder and CEO, GoHive

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