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3 talent management lessons from Super Bowl XLVII

Posted on February 4th, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

While millions of Americans tuned in for the Super Bowl on Sunday, The Miles Group, a talent management consulting group, suggested the televised event had some insightful takeaways for business leaders and HR administration professionals. In a recent statement, the firm pointed out a handful of leadership lessons demonstrated during the game.

1. When searching for talent, don’t use tunnel vision. San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s decision to swap nine draft pick spots for Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and then put him in Quarterback Alex Smith’s place midseason displays the importance of keeping an open mind when looking for valuable talent.

2. Prepare for the unexpected. The 35-minute blackout is an example of how unexpected occurrences can completely shift the business environment.

3. Help workers cope with stress. “High-pressure situations usually reveal character rather than build it,” said Stephen Miles, founder of The Miles Group. Both quarterbacks, Kaepernick and Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco did an impressive job of leading their teams during extremely stressful plays he added.

To minimize the negative effects of stress in the workplace, employers should designate leaders based on their ability to manage high-pressure situations, Yahoo contributor David DeWitt suggested.

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