Sven Freiberg, sport-active executive: “Individual sports build discipline and a clear understanding of the link between discipline and results.”

Entrepreneur and CEO/board member, CARGLAS

What does sport give you? What does it change in your life? What would your life be like if you didn’t do sports?

I’ve been involved in some kind of sport my whole life, and it’s not something I consciously think about as “doing sport.” It’s like brushing your teeth or reading a book, one gives you good oral hygiene, the other expands your knowledge and worldview. Sport gives you the opportunity to feel natural, healthy, and whole. A value in itself is also the many great connections and friendships that have grown through sport. With these people I’ve shared many activities like cycling trips, training camps, intense training sessions, or simply travelling together.

In short, sport adds quality to life. Or as one of my sports friends once said: “It’s not certain whether sport (cycling) adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years!”

Can you give examples of the connections and routines you see between leadership and sport?

Team sports have given me a lot from a leadership perspective, especially when it comes to communication, team building, and maintaining a team.

In a crisis (read: when you’re losing) and tensions are high, you really see how people communicate with each other, where frustration is directed and what is said. But once the situation is resolved (whether positively or negatively), the team talks it through afterwards and agrees on what should be done differently next time. Despite the critical communication during the crisis itself, everyone remains friends afterwards. Nothing is said or taken personally, it was simply a situation that teammates went through together.

An incredibly powerful team feeling is when, during competitions, you can challenge opponents who seem bigger and tougher than you, knowing that in your group there are even tougher teammates who always have your back and will cover you at any moment. Team spirit and supporting each other! 😊

Individual sports, on the other hand, build discipline and a clear understanding of the link between discipline and results. Every day you have to do your part, and that takes you to the next step. Once you reach it, you almost automatically start looking at the next goal and planning the small steps needed to get there.

Which sport have you tried but wouldn’t do again? What are your favourite sports?

As a child, under somewhat unclear circumstances, I even tried ski jumping (Viimsi once had a ski jumping hill and a training group). That’s something I definitely wouldn’t do again - one concussion was enough for me.

Every sport has its own quirks that make it attractive in its own way. When I played basketball, it was the great team spirit and the group of friends that made it special. When doing things individually, it’s amazing to go for an open-water swim in a lake early on a summer morning or go cycling with a group of friends. At the moment my favourite sport is cycling - both practising it and following it.

Which sport would you never do?

All kinds of “aesthetic sports” are definitely not for me. I would manage to make figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, and artistic gymnastics look very unattractive.

What would you say to your 20-year-old self about sport?

I would recommend doing a bit more endurance sports (I could have done my first marathons, skiing or running, already at that age) and putting less emphasis on late-night programs.

How do you find new sporting challenges?

I don’t really need to look for them, most of the time they find me. I meet new people who are involved in something interesting to try, or I see an old friend who has started doing something new and exciting. It doesn’t take much for me to become interested in a sport or challenge that previously didn’t catch my attention.

Which sporting habit is most important for your success and mental balance, and why?

To reach a goal, you need to make a plan and start moving according to that plan. But you must also be ready to make adjustments if unexpected needs or new information arise. The same applies in sport. When preparing for a competition, you follow a plan. If an injury or illness occurs, that’s new information you must take into account - adjusting your plans accordingly, and in the worst case even withdrawing from the start. But there’s no need to get overly stressed about it, life happens! 😊

One question for the next leader

As a leader, are you more of a coach, a competitor, or a captain - and does that come from your sports background?

How does it show up in your everyday work?