Pan American Games 2023, or the Magic of Shared Purpose

Pan American Games 2023, or the Magic of Shared Purpose

Purpose is defined as an organization’s reason for being: the commitment not only to achieving good business results, but also to creating a positive impact on the world and on society. When organizations or companies define and develop their purpose, there are 4 key questions that guide the discovery process: How can we contribute to a better society? What can we do to improve people’s quality of life? How can we help address the needs and pain points of the industry we operate in? And what are we, or could we be, good at?

 

What does this have to do with the Pan American Games that just ended in our country?

 

In an interview from June of this year, published on the Santiago 2023 website, Harold Mayne-Nicholls, executive director of the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games, was asked what his goal was for these Games. He answered: “to unite all Chileans around a common cause, to awaken in all Chileans the emotions these competitions bring, and to convey the importance of sport in our childhood and youth for their future development.”

 

He didn’t talk about the resources involved, meeting deadlines, efficiency, infrastructure, logistics, or medals and awards. His goal clearly answered the questions of purpose: uniting Chileans, stirring emotion, and conveying the importance of sport in people’s lives.

 

While the Games were underway, Santiago 2023 made a simple video compiling the answers of different spectators to a single question: How would you define Santiago 2023 in one word? The result is a set of concepts, some repeated, that describe the experience, mark, and impact these Games left on them: pride, unity, togetherness, legacy, hope, spectacular, thrilling, motivation, joy, exciting, and unforgettable.

 

Beyond any difficulties, controversies, mistakes, or successes throughout the Games, it is worth holding on to the positive impact of having had a magical, uplifting, and transformative purpose around this important moment for the country.

 

Carmen Montes