Suggestions
Marc Sosna
Executive Director of Learning Innovation Unit at IESE Business School | Consultant | PhD Candidate at TU Berlin
Marc Sosna is an Affiliate Partner at 3HORIZONS and serves as the Executive Director of the Learning Innovation Unit at IESE Business School. He is also a PhD candidate at TU Berlin. In his role at IESE, he focuses on educational innovation and consulting, leveraging his expertise in business model innovation and scalable management systems for sustainable growth.123
Highlights
About half a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Grant Dalton, CEO of the America's Cup and CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand. His insights during a session at IESE Business School on leadership, innovation, and more left a lasting impression. Fast forward to today: the 37th America's Cup is finally happening right now in Barcelona! This prestigious event, the oldest international competition in the world (dating back to 1851), is the pinnacle of the sailing world.
Experiencing it live is wonderful. Over the past few days, I’ve soaked up the maritime atmosphere at the Race Village and on the beach, watching the Louis Vuitton Cup—the event that determines the Challenger to Grant’s defending Emirates Team New Zealand.
It’s also been a pleasure to meet James Wright and Austin J Regier from Team American Magic (...yes, both are really tall! ...and also very nice!😄) of the New York Yacht Club, the club that originally won the trophy and had a winning streak of 132 years until 1983. Their focus is on bringing it 'home' again!
As I watch these boats seemingly fly over the sea, their hulls lifted out of the water, gliding on hydrofoils, I’m reflecting on the powerful and insightful analogies between the America's Cup and the business world.
The most famous phrase associated with the America's Cup is: "There is no second." Legend has it that this was first uttered to Queen Victoria by the Signal-Master. As Grant Dalton put it, "When you win, you win it all. That’s the unique nature of this competition. Unlike many sports, where governing bodies set the rules, in the America's Cup, it’s the winner who becomes the sole arbiter, holder, and defender—ultimately driving its direction, rules, venue, date, and vessel."
Even if you’re not in a “winner-takes-it-all” industry, there are so many lessons to be learned here—on the need for teamwork and collaboration, strategic foresight and adaptability, technological innovation, risk management, a continuous focus on marginal gains at any stage of the competition, leadership and decision-making under pressure, competitive intelligence, resilience, cultural cohesion, and effective resource allocation.
Let’s be inspired by the spirit of the America's Cup and benefit in a nice way from the lessons it can teach us! #AmericasCup #IESE #TeamEmiratesNewZealand #TeamAmericanMagic #Barcelona2024 #Sailing #Leadership #Strategy #Innovation #Learning
It's game time! Tomorrow (6pm cet), it's Germany against Spain in the Euro 2024 Championship! The country I'm from against the country I live in. As a football fan, I really enjoy the big tournaments as they always have that special atmosphere that magically mobilizes the masses like nothing else! It's wonderful to see when thousands of fans from different countries celebrate peacefully together and enjoy "the beautiful game" - especially in times like these!
In these football-inspired weeks while the tournament is still on, it was even more exciting to be invited again by the Association of former Barça Players (Agrupació de Jugadors del FC Barcelona) for their annual event and to play a game with former players and coaches from the club! Thanks a lot for your wonderful hospitality, especially to Juan Manuel Asensi, the President, as well as Juanjo Carricondo Perez Jordi Martínez Filvà, and Jofre Mateu.
The game took place at the Johan Cruyff Stadion where also the world-famous "La Masia" Youth Academy of FC Barcelona is located and where the 1st Team has their practice. I hope the new German Head Coach Hansi Flick was secretly watching to scout additional top-talents! Mr. Flick, should you read this, please don't hesitate to contact me - I live close by and I'm ready for the big contract! 😉
And regarding tomorrow: may we all enjoy a great football match and have a deserving winner! 😁
