As citizens of the World gear up for another summer Olympic Games, Proctor & Gamble produced a video/adverstisement to be aired during the games that has already gone viral.
The video reminds us of the enormous sacrific the Olympic Athletes from each corner of the World endure in order to compete on a multinational stage, surrounded by cameras and patrons to represent their Nations and to make the case, through unadultered performance, that they are among the best in the World at their respective sports. What we often forget when watching The Olympics is that these athletes have enormous support structures–regardless of wealth, natural ability, race, ethnicity or crede.
These support structures are there to push young athletes beyond their limits, to pick them up when they fall down, to bear the burden of everyday responsabilities for the benefit of increased focus, and to be the Athlete’s number one fan club. These support structures include friends, family, coworkers, and coaches, teamates, competitors, and rules officials; but most of all, and without a doubt the most important individual in the ‘support structure’ is ‘Mom’. Proctor & Gamble, in a fitting omage to the essence of the Olympic Athletes’ support structure, very eloquently reminds us how very special our mothers really are. So just in time for Mother’s Day, I love you Mom; you’re the best!
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is what we do. We compete. We rely on our ‘support structures’ prior to and during perfomance–whether it be in the jobplace, on the football pitch, or on the battlefield. It would serve us well to remember that all humans, regardless of national perspective or political ideology, rely on individuals that are enablers. They enable us to work hard, compete, and battle, against foes that are undoubtedly served by their counterparts.
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