Management professionals can learn a lot about achieving top-performance from elite athletes - how they view the intense competition they face and their attitude to their sport.

The 2009 Australian Open Tennis Championship showcased the highs and lows of top-level sport. Few will forget the tears of Roger Federer as he accepted the runner's up trophy. Trying to explain the tears afterwards, he spoke of how much he loved the game. Nadal, the victor, also spoke of loving the competition: When I compete, I love to be there and fight always. Maybe I like more to fight for a win than to win." 

The women's final at first glance paled in comparison. Serena Williams powered her way through the match, winning easily, in just 59 minutes. But a closer look at the match reveals an athlete in flow. As one match commentator said: What we're seeing from Serena is a player in the zone.

The zone is a popular term for a psychological state known as flow. This state of optimal focus and productivity is often associated with elite performers in sport, music, and other artistic endeavours.

Over a series of articles I have been commissioned to write for the Alinement Network, we will be exploring how one can attain flow in the business context. I'll be giving you some ideas that can be applied to your own situation, and starting a dialog on what makes the modern professional not just productive, but effective and, above all, happy!

© Alinement Network, 2009