Simone Biles may only stand four feet eight inches tall, but her
global stature just keeps growing.
She absolutely dominated the competition in Paris, winning three
gold and one silver medals to make her the most decorated gymnast
in history. If there was any doubt before, Ms. Biles has proven
that she is truly the greatest gymnast of all time.
Her talent, hard work, and remarkable achievements are apparent
to everyone, but it strikes me that there are several lessons that
this remarkable 27-year-old has to teach us CEOs.
Art of mastery
First, Ms. Biles is a living embodiment of Geoff Colvin's
maxim that "talent is overrated." What sets her and,
indeed, all the other Olympians apart is not whatever innate
talents they possess (though that undoubtedly plays some role), but
rather deliberate practice. I know I called out Colvin in my last
article, but it bears repeating: Only through dedicated and
rigorous practice over many years can we ever hope to master
