Play the Game of Influence and Presence

Snap! Strategies for success are across the board. It doesn’t matter if you play golf or tennis or present at meetings. It’s all the same.

Watching the Australian Open Women’s final, I was fascinated to hear and read about the strategies of the winning female player, Maddison Keys.

You may have heard that Keys failed on several attempts at a Grand Slam but has now been successful, and she credits her current success to new strategies for handling nerves.

In the past she thought nerves were something you just put aside and then got on with it. That didn’t work.

Now, Keys said that everyone needs a coach and recognises you are not the best person to give yourself advice. Ain’t that the truth!

And you don’t have to be an athlete to have that help.

Just as Maddison possessed the on-court weapons: a powerful serve and punishing groundstrokes, most of you with whom I work are experts in your field. You just need those new perspectives.

“I honestly think that had I not done that, then I wouldn’t be sitting here.” Said Keys.

Most singers have singing teachers to the end of their career, and likewise, Keys said, “I think it’s very important. It’s something I will continue to do for the rest of my life.”

So start thinking of yourself as a sports star. At the beginning of 2025, take it seriously to get the help you need, whatever that may be.

This brings me to Sabalenka’s game behaviour. In the immediate aftermath, Keys opponent gave Keys a lukewarm embrace at the net before taking her anger out on her racquet and storming off court.

Sabalenka confessed she was frustrated because she was “so close to achieving something crazy” and threw the racquet to release some of that emotion.

“I just needed to throw those negative emotions at the end just so I could give a speech, not stand there being disrespectful. I was just trying to let it go and be a good person,” said Sabalenka, who defended the move as a way to get back in the right headspace and continue.

I can’t say I liked the strategy. Like former British No 1 Jo Durie, I thought it detracted from Keys’ big moment, but I appreciate that at least she had a strategy and knew what she was doing and why.

Most people just beat themselves up. Don’t.