Olympic Values & Olympism - be inspired to raise your game.

The force behind the international Olympic Movement that gave birth to the revived Games was a French educator, Pierre de Coubertin. Modern Olympics were born in 1896, marking the birth of the Olympic Movement.
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Olympism, a life philosophy which is an essential element of the Olympic Movement and the celebration of the Games, is constructed around three fundamental values: excellence, friendship and respect which are powerfully conveyed during the Olympic Games. By reflecting on the translatable behaviours and ethics of Olympians, we can embody these values to overcome personal barriers and reach new heights.

Respect refers to respect for ourselves, for one another, for the rules, for fair play, knowing ones own
limits, and acknowledging and being considerate towards other people and their feelings, keeping an open mind and being non-judgemental. This contributes toward breaking prejudices and developing a more open and inclusive workplace. The universal value of respect is demonstrated via language, behavior and actions. The Golden Rule sums up respect"treat others as you would wish to be treated."

Excellence
Excellence describes the quality of effort that permeates all of the Olympic Movement's programmes. It is also the expectation that athletes should set for themselves, captured in the Olympic Motto Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger). In the Olympic ideal, this value refers to giving ones best, on the field of play or in the professional arena, without over-emphasizing comparative performance yet still being determined to reach ones personal objectives. It is not only about winning, but also about participating, having a commitment to something, showing dedication, having high expectations of oneself and striving to be and to do our best in our daily lives. It guides peoples behavior to their self-realization, conquering their fears and facing the challenges of life. Excellence also embodies teamwork by bringing forth the value of meeting targets or goals and exceeding your own or others expectations, dedication and commitment to participation and bringing out the best in others performance and working well as a team

Friendship is understanding each other although there may be differences by demonstrating empathy,
integrity, mutual understanding, trust and positive reciprocity on a consistent basis. It is about providing encouragement and cheering another person on, communicating well, listening well and being cooperative with otehrs, recognising other peoples strengths and making decisions based on the good of the team rather than thinking of yourself. The Olympic Games are about much more than sporting excellence and organizations can adopt these values as a whole organizational ethos which will undoubtedly inspire us on individual and organisational levels to make the most of our talents, promote the spirit of competition, the pursuit of excellence and a sense of fair play.