“In at the death” - is an expression used to describe being present at the finish or climax. It is commonly used in footballing or other sporting terms. "They won it at the death, he scored at the death." Then there’s sudden-death penalties or sudden death extra time, a means of deciding the winner in a tied match, especially one in which the first side or player to concede a game, goal, or point during an additional period of play is the loser.
There are dead ball situations. And then there is death that leaves us in shock, grieving, unable to come to terms with the loss of a loved one, a close friend, a former teammate. That is what happened last Tuesday night when the news of former national team goalkeeper Michael McComie’s passing had broke.
Losing a loved one or a close friend or associate is arguably the most painful thing that anybody can go through; despite this, coping with grief is an unavoidable part of life that we will all experience at some time or another. For some, it will be something that they will have already experienced multiple times. For others, it may be something they are yet to experience. But it doesn’t matter how many times we lose somebody close to us, the grief that is experienced as a result is always just as real.
However, it should be noted, that no matter how strong the pain of losing a loved one may be, what is most important is that you had someone to love and spend time with, to share experiences with. The important question to ask yourself once the grieving process has begun to slow, is: what has this person had to teach me in both their life and their death? This year alone the football fraternity lost former UK-based duo Jlloyd Samuel and Kevin Austin, Muhammad Isa, Lawrence Rondon, Leon Carpette and ex-Under 20 forward Marcus Gomez. What we are taught by the people that we knew during their lifetime is unique to us all.
Here are just five lessons learned from death: Be Grateful. There is one thing that we can learn from the death of another, it is to be grateful. Every moment, every person, every experience, and every memory is precious; Let nothing go unsaid; Tomorrow Is Not Guaranteed; Be true to yourself. Following on from the message that life is in fact, very short, comes the lesson that we should always be true to ourselves; and Life Does Go On.
Shifting topics, I'd like to write a bit on Diversity in sport, particularly in strategic human resource management which has been a focus during the ongoing FIFA/CIES Sport Management Post-Grad diploma at the University of the West Indies. How is diversity or the lack of it affecting sport, particularly here in Trinidad and Tobago? Diversity is based on surface level or demographic differences, and deep level or psychological differences Surface level diversity are those differences that are easily noticeable such as age, gender, ethnicity/race, culture, language, disability etc. Deep level diversity, on the other hand, is not easily noticeable and measurable since they are communicated through verbal and non-verbal behaviours. Examples are personal differences in attitudes, values, beliefs and personality.
Factors contributing to diversity include globalization, changing population demographics, legislation regarding hiring practices, changes in the nature of work that reflect a more team-oriented approach, changing attitudes in society and the workplace. The benefits of diversity include but are not limited to – creativity, better quality decisions as a result of different perspectives, enhanced reputation as a diversity employer, and greater marketing insights into the needs and habits of diverse customers, in this case, the fans and supporters of sports.
Diverse insights and different perspectives can contribute to increased creativity and innovation, a broader range of alternatives, and higher quality ideas in a diverse workplace. The problems that exist especially locally are that many are not willing to work in a diverse environment because of either fear of change or deep-lying beliefs of the old ways of getting things done. Some see it as a threat.
Diversity training is, therefore, a necessary strategic program to educate employees and volunteers about diversity-related issues. Kudos to Tribe for their stance against racism with one of their models last week. They demonstrated that their employees or team members must understand ethnicity balance and respect for all races. And yes Tribe also takes part in local corporate football competitions. It is also critical that organizations honestly embrace diversity and genuinely include it in their setups, and do this not just for the sake of public relations.
More and more leaders and organisations around the world are recognising that high performing organisations are wholly reliant upon well-defined, strategic approaches to people management. it’s important to bring leadership back to first principles, by focusing on positive behaviours, such as: being appreciative, honest, open, humility and humanity at work are all fundamental.
Editor's Note:
Shaun Fuentes is a former FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He is also currently a CONCACAF Competitions Media Officer and has travelled extensively, experiencing and learning from different cultures and lifestyles because of sport and media over the past nineteen years. He is also a certified media trainer for athletes.