Sports and corporate life may consist of dissimilar activities, conducted in totally different environments but their essence is basically the same.
For PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, sports – which is deeper than its competitive aspect – is strongly linked to connectivity and corporate life. Aside from being a leader in PLDT and Smart, Panlilio is also a prominent sportsman and sports advocate.
In a speech at the recently-concluded #PHDigicon2020, the biggest virtual business convention of the year, Panlilio said: “Sports engenders a sense of belonging and builds solidarity between you, your teammates, your coaches, and your wider community… Being a sportsman means exhibiting respect for your competitors and to everyone around you.”
“As a telco executive, I realize that there exists an inextricable link between connectivity, corporate life, and sports. While the squeaky hardwood of the basketball court feels completely different from the low-key carpet of the boardroom and the office, both environments prize similar values.”
He noted that working in PLDT-Smart is actually not at all different from managing a sports team. This includes speaking to key players about the need to level up and to work as a team; maximizing the use of data analytics; monitoring top-ups, regional performance, geographical demand, and a number of other metrics, to make better decisions: “We have enhanced our capacities by investing in better fiber systems, LTE, and 5G. How these values manifest in business and in sports may look very different, but the core philosophies and strategies are the same.”
On accountability, the same value is instilled among employees and athletes, according to Panlilio, who is also president of the MVP Sports Foundation. “The accountability we inculcate among our employees is the same accountability we like seeing on the court—players admitting their mistakes and vowing to play harder—and smarter—during the next game.”
According to him, the late Kobe Bryant’s famous Mamba Mentality – which encourages people to focus on preparation, hard work, and developing new skills, despite setbacks and challenges – is that same courage, resolve, and strength of character that he has seen in the best people he has worked with. It is the grit that has gotten them through the most excruciatingly difficult times of their lives, both at home and in the office.
He said the biggest similarity between sports and corporate life is single-mindedness. While the methodology in sports might be complex—training, nutrition, memorizing plays, forming a capable team—the usual goal of playing is winning. He believes in approaching business with the same single-minded obsession: “The question for all of us at PLDT-Smart is: What does winning look like? And I am inspired by our answer to it: a satisfied customer. It is simple and true. Customer satisfaction is to our business, as winning is to sports.”
On evaluating the Company’s performance, Panlilio related that “whenever I am asked about our performance, I cannot help but answer the question like an athlete during a post-game interview. I would say: I’m happy we won, but the series isn’t over. There are a lot of things we could do even better. Better teamwork. Better discipline. Better accountability. More inclusion. We need to review the film. We need to see how we can improve. We do what we do to create a future where all of us can win. And we will not stop until we achieve that.”
