But many athletes do the Council their second trade

uinze km of corridors. January 24, 2007, 9 h 39 to 17 hours, Zinedine Zidane, new advertising icon for the insurance company, surveyed all the floors of the headquarters of Generali at Saint-Denis. A full day to shake hands, to welcome almost each of the 4,000 employees of the group. Undoubtedly the stars of the sport have craze in the world of business. And these are to be champions. To motivate the troops, but also to more subtle management issues.

If Daniel Costantini, the coach that sacred France handball team champions of the world in 1995 and 2001, believes that the sports consultant is "one consultant as the other brings fresh from an outside point of view", Marie-Christine Lanne, Director of communications of Generali, she points out, that "the classic intervener make appeal to reason, while the athlete speaks to the heart." Hence a greater membership of the audience in his speech, accession strengthened by pride especially in the case of Zidane to meet a champion that few people approach: "employees can speak them or their friends," summarizes Gilles Dumas, CEO of marketing agency SportLab Group.

Research of the performance

Another benefit of the presence of an athlete: the effect works with all audiences. Generali, Zidane met with the staff, but he also spoke at the annual meeting of General officers and 70 deserving business, seminar in Clairefontaine, the training centre of the French football Federation. Same variety for Daniel Costantini. Stéphane Diagana, champion of the world 400 m hurdles in 1999 was, operated before the Executive Committee of Rhodia. Diversity of audiences, but employers. From SMEs to multinational, all have used athletes, although large groups are particularly keen. The image of Carrefour, Coca Cola, Groupama, GDF Suez, Nestle Waters, Veolia, Geodis, EDF or EuroDisney.

For some companies, the use of the athlete is an integral part of a contract of sponsorship signed for reasons of reputation or image. This is the case of Veolia, support of Roland Jourdain, the sailor who had to abandon a few miles from the arrival of the last Vendée Globe. "We are more the snowman and sailing partner", says Xavier Carette, Director of communication of the Group of services to the environment, which promotes "strength of character." "We use it more often as possible." But many athletes do the Council their second trade.

Because the similarities between the two worlds are legion. "What is true for a champion is a great company", says Xavier Carette. "A"business"sports walking, is an ideal form of enterprise", believes his side Gilles Dumas. Frequently, the "values" of the sport are put forward: respect, simplicity, team spirit. But management, lessons learned from the champions go further. Richard Dacoury, the ex-basketteur, multiple champion of France and CSP Limoges Europe, indicates the essential speaking of "permanent research of the performance."

To achieve this performance, the methods used by athletes are rich learning. "Champion works with a strong notion of objectives, he gives paramount importance to the collective, even when it's an individual sport, and has a very large concern for planning", summarizes Gilles Dumas. Richard Dacoury, he refers to "creativity", "the ability to resist the pressure" and even "management failure".

"The first thing I pointed out, tells his side Stéphane Diagana, it is all the work done upstream." Daniel Costantini describes the "value of training" and the "repetition of automatisms. In short: the talent is not enough. "Same Zidane believes that its success is due to 80 at work", note Marie-Christine Lanne. A company never unnecessary callback... Gilles Dumas goes further still by declaring that the athlete first shows "the ability to go beyond himself".

Experience speaks

Another major theme addressed by the athletes: "The relationship manager-managed", in the words of Diagana. "I explained how with my coach, Fernand Urtebise, we moved from a policy management learning autonomy." It is essential, because at a time, we are alone, including at the competition. "Daniel Costantini swapped a coaching" very very policy "for a participatory management (read below).

For all, experience talks. But not only. The champions are even better their message that they are more likely to follow courses in economics and management at the end of their careers. Diagana graduated from ESCP and Richard Dacoury followed the master "management and sport" of Essec. The former basketball player now spends most of his time to advise the Department corporate communications of Coca-Cola France on sports partnership strategy. Because prevents Gilles Dumas: "all athletes are not good in business." The time where the mere appearance of a star with two houseguest anecdotes was gone. Interventions must be worked.