Top 5 Lessons Business Leaders Can Learn From Rocky Balboa

Rocky Balboa is one of the best-known movie characters of the last 50 years; ask anyone about Sylvester Stallone and Rocky will doubtlessly be one of the first movies they mention. 3C Contact Services, the leading provider of outsourced call center solutions, tells their clients that there’s a lot they can learn from the scrappy underdog boxer Stallone made famous in the classic movie.

Rocky overcame obstacles that occurred in his life and went the distance, becoming a professional boxer and champion. This sense of determination is something that business leaders can learn a lot from. Here are the top five lessons business leaders can learn from Rocky Balboa:

1. Use your best assets: When he’s on a date with his future wife, Adrian, Rocky recounts a story about how his father told him he, “weren’t born with much brain so I better use my body,” encouraging him to take up boxing. We always recommend our partners take the same approach; look at your strengths and emphasize them.
2. Play up your achievements: Rocky was proud of the fact that he never had his nose broken, as well as of having a near-perfect record before ever having a professional fight. Your organization’s achievements should be front and center on your web site and marketing materials, with any awards, positive reviews from major media sources, etc. being displayed prominently.
3. Don’t give up: Whether it was training for his battle against Apollo Creed or the two matches that followed, Rocky never gave up and fought until the end. It’s that same spirit of determination that business leaders can learn from. No matter what the odds are, if you truly believe in yourself and your business plan, it’s worth fighting for until you achieve victory.
4. Absorb punishment: Working in customer service, you will have to deal with difficult customer situations that may feel like Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago is pummelling you with blows. And like Rocky, you must be prepared to take these blows, let them wear themselves down, and then come back with a reasonable response. Often, customers may merely be frustrated, and once they have expressed their frustrations, they will be ready to listen.
5. Don’t pass up opportunities: Rocky initially passes on the opportunity to fight Apollo Creed because he doesn’t feel that a club fighter going up against a professional boxer would be a good match. However, he ends up taking the match, and any film buff will tell you how it turns out. Similarly, business leaders shouldn’t pass on opportunities; carefully research it first, but if it is a solid opportunity, then take it!

Turn your business into a champ and knock out your competition if you follow the example of Rocky Balboa, the underdog who made it to the big time, with help from 3C Contact Services.