What Tennis Taught Me About Responsible Capitalism

I’ve been working on the launch of Responsible Capitalism in the back of my mind for months. There’s a gap in today’s society. Capitalism provides the best framework to create successful businesses because it empowers each of us to thrive. But somewhere along the way, a gap has grown between businesses, their employees, and their stakeholders, and it’s undermining the belief that capitalism improves the lives of everyone in the community.

I will be interviewing business leaders about the movement towards responsible capitalism at this year’s U.S. Open Tennis Championships. Before business, tennis was my profession. I played professionally, and I continue to stay close to the sport and sponsor its rising stars. 

Tennis is a great indication to how the margins are so thin. Roger Federer, in

his whole career, won about 51% of the points that he played. Yet is one of the greatest of all time. 

In business, the fundamentals can be influenced. There's a big difference between doing things the right way and doing things the wrong way. When doing things the right way, your margins are going to improve because the people responsible for delivering whatever the product is or whatever the company's goals and desires are all bind together and increase that margin of success. 

But Roger’s success and business success are actually comprised of small decisions made each day, year after year. Roger didn’t become great on his own. He had a team, and our businesses are no different.

It's not individuals, it's teams. Tennis is a great reflection of the importance of working together as a team to increase the margin and become successful. 

If you’re interested in participating in our Responsible Capitalism thought leadership series - to share what lessons you’ve learned about business and thought leadership, please reach out.

Alon Mortiz is a former professional doubles tennis player and founder of the Responsible Capitalism Movement.