It's that season again where salchow, switch ollie, biter, big air and alley-oop become a part of our everyday language for two weeks as the world watches the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. While we watch these athletes in awe, we know that there's a certain level of focus, discipline and determination that got them to the Games. In fact, according to self-described organizational physician and entrepreneur Rebecca Hinds, there's a lot we can learn from these athletes, including how to model their behavior to create a gold-medal business. We'll explain in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

1. Focus on the team, not individual star players. The 2018 Olympics marks the first time in 20 years that the National Hockey League will not participate in the event. This was a tough decision by the NHL, driven by the need to not compromise its own season for the sake of the Games. Effective leaders know the importance and implications of making tough decisions. They are fully aware of the potential fallout, yet are willing to stand in the face of adversity and make difficult choices with consequential sacrifices.

2. Always be on the lookout for ways to boost employee efficiency. This year's Olympics take place in PyeongChang, a city almost 80 miles from Seoul, the epicenter of South Korea. As a result, a new high-speed railway was installed between the cities to cut travel time in half. This is a great example of being on the lookout for ways to increase employee efficiency. By implementing effective work-from-home policies, limiting time spent in unproductive meetings and funding workplace productivity technologies, leaders can increase employee efficiency levels and levels of satisfaction.

3. Focus on diversity and inclusion. This year's Olympic emblem symbolizes a world open to everyone. Celebrating diversity and inclusion has become a business imperative. According to McKinsey, gender and ethnically-diverse companies are 15 percent and 35 percent, respectively, more likely to outperform their peers. When companies craft effective diversity and inclusion strategies, they prime themselves to conquer the competition.

4. Celebrate passion. The official slogan for the Games is "Passion. Connected." The 2018 Olympics exude the spirit of passion, bringing all people together with a shared passion for winter sports. Passion is also essential to athletics. Successful businesses know the road to success is dependent upon the recruitment and hiring of passionate employees.

5. Persevere when times get tough. They say the third time is the charm. Pyeongchang was defeated in both its 2010 and 2014 Olympic bids. As the smallest city to host the Olympics since 1994, you could say Pyeongchang was a bit of an underdog. Persistence pays off. In its third consecutive bid, Pyeongchang prevailed, receiving the majority of votes.

Perseverance is the key to success. It is a trait shared by the highest of achievers. Persistence equips leaders with the wherewithal to combat business problems and the ability to overcome obstacles largely unscathed.

As you wrap up your Olympic-watching this season, remember these five winning elements that you can apply to your business today.

Source: Rebecca Hinds is a self-proclaimed "organizational physician." She has a knack for dissecting organizations and understanding whether they are primed to prosper or perish. Hinds is the manager of enterprise insights at Dropbox. She frequently advises companies on how to hire the right talent, build company cultures and achieve growth. She also founded Stratio, a finalist at TechCrunch's CES Hardware Battlefield 2017. In a previous life, Hinds was a competitive swimmer. She was a semifinalist at the 2008 Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials and a member of Stanford University's women's swim team.