Eugenie Bouchard: What a 19 Year Old Rising Tennis Star Can Teach Us About Employee Engagement

7 Lessons on Employee Engagement from a Teenage Tennis Player

(Reading time 1 minute 20 seconds)

As a Canadian in Winnipeg with the temperature at 42 below, I have caught tennis fever and have enjoyed watching 19 year old Canadian, Eugenie Bouchard, compete in the Australian Open. Her engaged and engaging play, landing her a spot in the semifinals, offers us lessons in engagement.

Here are the 7 engagement lessons I have derived by watching Eugenie play on the other side of the world:

1. It is always good wherever you work to have a coach. Eugenie has been fortunate to have her coach make the trip with her. Never be afraid of getting lots of coaching to be the best you can be.
2. Don’t give up, you can infuse inner mental toughness with outer physical composure as you just keep playing your game.
3. Keep improving performance by making progress while also shaking off setbacks in seconds.
4. Enjoy your work and embrace your opportunity to be on the center stage.
5. Know that it takes years of work to become an overnight sensation and when the foundation is laid, expect your success and don’t be surprised by it.
6. It is always nice to have the support of others (Genie’s army and the country of Canada) behind you, and enjoy and appreciate the love made tangible by the gift of Aussie plush animals they bestow upon you.
7. At 19, it is okay to say you want to date Justin Bieber. Be poised and assured while never selling out on your youthful moments.

David Zinger is a Canadian employee engagement expert. He is enjoying the Australian open and honored that his pyramid of engagement has been used by the WTA (Woman’s Tennis Association) in their leadership work.