This week, our office and I suspect most others have been occupied with the Olympic Games. The discussion has been all about the competitions and the personalities. The Olympic Creed states the most important thing in the Games is “not to win but to take part…not to have conquered but to have fought well.” That admirable goal is an undercurrent that barely surfaces as we each cheer for our favorite winners.

There are other goals that get lost in the excitement between the opening and closing ceremonies. The term Olympic Movement means to include everybody “as a means of improving quality of life and well-being.” Sport, through its educational values and worldwide network, is seen as a path to making a more prosperous and peaceful society, achieving wider human development, promoting a healthy environment and sustainable practices, and encouraging cultural exchange.

We might think of the Olympics as a meeting or convention on a grand scale. As meeting organizers, you play a major role in bringing your organization together through education and networking. You include activities that involve the communities in which you meet, promoting understanding that spans cultural differences. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young once told an audience of meeting planners attending one of our Marketplace events “meeting planners are ambassadors to the world.”

So as the games wind down and the winners go home, think about your wider role in the world and take pride in what you do every day. Game on!

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