Clay Courts & Monday Clarity: What Roland Garros Reminds me About Leadership

The Roland Garros finals hijacked my weekend plans—and I’m not mad about it. Both the men’s and women’s finals were instant classics, with enough drama, grit, and grace to stockpile lessons for weeks. Here are four I’m carrying into this week’s work—with nonprofit leadership especially in mind:

1. Perspective is a Superpower.

Jannik Sinner lost a heartbreaker—two sets up, three championship points, six hours on court... and still lost. Yet minutes later, in front of a packed stadium, he said (essentially): “A few months ago, we’d have been thrilled just to be here.”

The best athletes metabolize disappointment with astonishing speed. It’s nuts how quick they turn it around. For leaders, that’s a skill worth cultivating—especially when big efforts don’t yield the wins we expected.

2. “Don’t Fight Them, Don’t Feed Them.”

Aryna Sabalenka’s coach reinforces this mantra when it comes to emotions. I relate.

Sometimes my own feelings sit like photos in an overexposed darkroom—too vivid, too much. And then I can get down on myself about having those feelings. Better not to resist or overindulge—just let them pass, like weather. A helpful reminder for nonprofit folks managing high-stakes missions with inevitably messy emotions.

3. Fitness First, Results come later.

Andy Roddick remarked on his podcast on Saturday afternoon: “Have you ever seen Coco Gauff tired?” Nope. Her stamina is as reliable as her backhand. Alcaraz looked crazy fit. I’m reminded: routines, practice, and prep matter at work also. Even if our week isn’t as consequential as the French Open final :)

4. Thank the Team—First and Often.

It’s standard now for champions to start their speeches by thanking their teams. But it’s more than decorum. Our own POV sits zero inches from our workload—it’s easy to feel like we’re doing 90% of everything.

In truth, we’re lucky to be part of something bigger. Gratitude restores perspective, and it reminds us to lead in connection, not isolation.

That’s my Monday mix: espresso, existentialism, and a few borrowed insights from clay courts and courageous humans. If you need me, I’ll be trying not to fight or feed my emotions—while remembering to stretch.