Working for the Olympics

Working for the Olympics makes for some special memories. I have spent much of my career working for large scale, public extravaganzas…The Indianapolis 500, the Winter Olympics, the America’s Cup, the Summer Olympics, the World Cup of Soccer (Football), to name a few. I’m doing now what I do for most of my clients and that is using my experience and expertise to help make decisions that will improve, enhance or revitalize the tenor of the event.

Today, this kind of work is done in many ways.  It’s meetings.  It’s emails.  It’s social media.  It’s keeping your finger on the pulse.  It’s talking to people who are part of the experience and some who aren’t or don’t want to be. Being a trusted advisor and strategist is mostly paying attention and making decisions and judgments as quickly as possible.

I say all this because working for the Olympics is not the same as “going to the Olympics”.  It’s not as much as about what’s happening on the field, as it is about what’s going on in the locker room before the match or what happened the night before in town.  I’ll get to see some competition (the live stream is always there now). As usual, we’ll show up at NBC’s Today Show set, unfortunately without my friend Ann Curry. But mostly I’ll be talking with various groups about what’s going on and why certain things are happening or not and what can we do to make the experience a better one.

Before the Games are over in London, I’ll give you my take on what London really thinks of hosting this monumental sports competition.  I’ll also share my feelings about the athletes from around the world who have devoted their lives to getting here.  The difficulties in putting on an event of this size are worthy of comment, as well.  And, finally, what is the global impact of the Olympics in today’s over-communicated society? It will only be my opinion, but that’s all I have.

Jane and I are going to get to see some close friends who live there and, who knows, there may be a Guinness or two in my future.  For sure, it’s an experience to be relished and remembered…after all, the Queen has already jumped out of a helicopter, whatever will be next?