Runners are

better managers

What can you learn from running in order to become more successfully?

Darko PavicCEO Service Plus Group

My story - Beginning

• Croatian boy escaped from war• Suddenly in Germany• Started studying and working• First jobs and first “right” job• Establishing own company• The profits were fine and life

was good

My story - Reality

• Smoking 3 boxes cigarettes per day• Heavily over weighted• Chronical lack of time• Always “on the road”• Always dealing with priorities

The lights were

switched off!

My wife found me in the middle of the night, unconscious, on the ground of the bathroom

My story – new me

• My company is more successful than ever

• I have time for me and all nice things

• I have space for (business) creativity

• People are following me because they like it

• I am not smoking anymore and I am master of my weight

• I am running Marathons

Running – Manage yourself

• Become master of your habits• Get mental strength and control

physical needs:• Don’t eat even if you are hungry• Eat only what you have to eat and

when it is needed• Don’t drink even if you are thirsty• Pain

• The importance of reaching your target is higher than yourself

Business – Manage yourself

• Only if you know to manage yourself you will be able to manage others

• Only if you can be example you can motivate others

• People will follow you if they see the strength in you

Our profits are decreasing,We are in troubleWe have to saveWe have to cut the costs

10:00 am in the office

06:00 pm leaving the office

Would you follow him?

Running – Happiness all around you

• There is always big target which never can be reached

• But the real happiness is in • day by day routines• Optimal preparation• Changed way of life• Constant movement of the limits• Do the right thing in the right

moment in order to be able to reach next step

• Runner is always getting better

Business – All around you

• There is always big target• But the real happiness is in

• Generating (recognition) business out of the day by day routines

• Creating something new• Improving existing

• Do your business just with business in your mind

Runners keep their promises

• Every registration for race is promise to yourself that you will train

• If you talk about it or even take donation than it is also promise to others

Business is based on promises

• Commitments are nothing else then promises• There is no business without commitment• There is no business without trust and there

is no trust without keeping your promises

Runners are happier

• Running is producing serotonin • Improving makes happy• Reaching the targets makes happy• Following continuously your

training plan • Running time is time for yourself• Less stress and more optimistic

Happy Manager

• Only happy and optimistic manager can create and lead happy team

• Happy employees are motivated and more productive

• Why not starting “Company Running Club”?

Runners love running

• You are always talking about it• You are always thinking on it• You are planning your life around it• You have passion about running• You are nervous if you can’t do it

Business need passion

- Do your business with passion- Inspiration and motivations are key- Wake up emotions in your employees

for your business- Let your customer be part of it and let

them get your passion- Let the others see and share your

emotions

Runners seek for information

• As running technology is changing we have always to seek for information

• Learning always • Lots of different areas: Medicine,

Technology, Physics, Nutrition ….

Business needs information

• For strategical moves you need information• Get information from lots of different areas• You have to learn from your employees• Learning mean adapting• You and your business should never stop

learning

Runners are focused

• They know what they want and how to reach it• Focus and goal-orientation• They know that training is mandatory• Self-discipline and organization• Use of the own resources very effective• They expect excellence – to reach the finish line

with defined parameters• Continue even if you think you will die

good preparation is crucial, deamand

working excelence

Business as it should be

• Good preparation is crucial• You can’t do everything, you have to

focus and to be goal oriented• Use resources only as you need them• Be excellent and expect excellence• Just do it and don’t stop in any case

Running and competition

• There is no race without competition• Every runner wants to be better than others• Taking part is only important if you don’t

believe that you can win• Your competitor can be also you friend,

partner and supporter

Business and competition

• There is no business without competition

• You have to be better than your competition

• Either you win or they – better you• Business needs also competitors which

are friends, partners and supoorters

Running has pain

• Every runner will come to the point to have some pains

• You can do preventive things but if pain is there you have to deal with it

• Check the risks continuously and continue running

Business has conflicts

• Every business has conflicts• Don’t duck conflict, but deal with it

directly and fairly • The best managers aren’t “conflict

avoiders” • Solve the conflicts but tale always risks in

account

Running means also brain jogging

• Runner is always calculating• Sometime I even calculate my steps• I prepare meeting and presentations during

my runs• And sometimes is my head just empty

Business need thinkers

• In every moment you have to check the status and to make decision

• Making profits means be able to calculate and to predict results

• Success is never result of one move

Heights peak in Germany 2962m

Sometimes you just want to be at the TOP,and sometimes you just need challenges

Beside all this smart things sometimes you just need a rest, a rest for your

brain.

Go for run!

• Give to your managers totally new perspective

• Change their way of life and

• Create the real leaders

Let your managers run with me!

Contact me at Twitter: @runwithdarko