Munich, May 9, 2008 – The IT and management consulting firm ESPRiT Consulting has organized a customer event on the subject of soccer. As of yesterday, Thursday May 8th, there are just 30 days until the start of the European Championship, and Markus Merk marked the occasion by giving a talk on the subject of “The art of reliable decision-making” to around 110 ESPRiT clients, partners, and friends. This topic is not just a critical success factor in soccer, but also in business. At this first ESPRiT Summit, the bridge between the worlds of sport and business was the main focus point. The referee explained how he has to make decisions in a fraction of a second that make the difference between victory and defeat – a similar situation to business managers, who are faced with strong time pressure when making critical decisions that can affect the entire company and, on many occasions, the future of many employees.
Karsten Höppner, CEO of ESPRiT Consulting, comments: “We are delighted that our German clients took up the invitation in such large numbers. In Switzerland we have been organizing successful customer events for some years now, to which we invite well-known personalities from the world of sport. There are many parallels between high-performance sport and the world of business, and we find it truly inspiring to look beyond the boundaries of our normal daily working environment.”
Markus Merk has a simple rule of thumb: The first thought in his mind is often the best one. Often a delayed decision reduces both the level of acceptance and the feeling of certainty. In his opinion, reliable decisions have to be made through a “combination of ratio and intuition”. It is crucial for him to shut out any emotions and subjectivity, to be immune to any harsh criticism he may receive, and to stick to his original decision. As a referee, he prefers to take on the role of the “unobtrusive project manager”, whilst at the same time influencing the entire game as a playmaker.
After the talk, there was a tour round the Munich Allianz Arena, one of the most modern and architecturally outstanding soccer stadiums in Europe. To finish up, the guests had the opportunity to network whilst enjoying a Bavarian buffet with a view across the soccer pitch.
