Tips for success in business and sport

It was a masterclass in business and sport, with top tips from two experts on creating winners and leaders.

Dozens of people gathered at the Sewell Studio in Geneva Way, east Hull, for The Anatomy of the Winner during Humber Business Week 2016.

Dr Paul Sewell OBE went head to head on the stage with international rugby league legend Jamie Peacock MBE in 10 rounds of knowledge exchange, each sharing their opinions of how to reach the top of your game in key areas of sport and business.

The judges were Managing Director of Hudgell Solicitors and Hull Kingston Rovers Chairman Dr Neil Hudgell, former British Commonwealth and European Champion Jamie Moore, and Director of Sportsmail Online Jo Pinkney. Hull boxer Tommy Coyle was the referee.

They decided Jamie – by a tiny margin – managed to scoop the top spot on a technicality following a light-hearted touch of humour and banter.

Rounds covered various topics, including presence, talent magnets, keeping it simple, listening, knowing your team, self-discipline, not wasting time, having balance, leadership and knowing what success looks like.

Paul has built the family-run Sewell Group into a leading Yorkshire business and a Sunday Times Top 10 Best Company to Work For, while Jamie has taken up the position of Director of Football at Hull Kingston Rovers.

Both made strong points and drew on their experiences in business and sport to back up their opinions during the rounds.

Paul said: “Real business winners do not let the competition define them. It’s the pursuit of excellence that defines us.”

He added that “simplicity is the genius of the 21st century.

“Business is a very simple process – get a customer, make them happy, get a referral and repeat that process. It’s not hard.

“Business winners can tell you a strategy in terms of a tweet, not a 20-page document.

“You can’t have a business winner who doesn’t have the freedom and power to act.”

Members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions during the event.

Jamie said going the extra mile was also a key to success and he went out running in shorts and a t-shirt on Christmas morning, as well as throughout January and February, to go his “extra mile”.

Showing a slide which said ‘there is very little traffic on the extra mile,’ he said: “Winners in sport go out and do more than they are asked.

“I wanted to be the best I could be. I went from being a squad member to, two years later, playing for England.”

Jamie added: “Winners in sport have self-discipline. They do it because they want to do it to win.

“I used to eat raw broccoli for breakfast, have an ice bath at 10pm every night for 10 minutes and stretched for half an hour as well.”

Paul touched on the importance of culture, values and behaviours in an organisation, which can be traced back to the top.

He said: “A good leader breaks down barriers in the organisation and does work that matters, and makes sure their people do. But most of all they show up.”