Parallels between sports and industry:
The VDMA could win table tennis record holder Timo Boll to give a face to the subject World class also in mechanical engineering. At Chinaplas, Blue Competence organized a show fight between Timo Boll and two Chinese rookie talents.
Thomas Herrmann and Volker Aust met the exceptional athlete whom connects a lot with China. Herrmann Ultraschall is one of the sponsors for this exciting sports event and had invited important Chinese customers.
Herrmann and Aust also hit a few balls with Boll and talked to him:
Aust: When was your first visit to China?
Boll: That must have been 1996. Since then a lot has changed but despite of the enormous economic growths people are still down to earth – and enthusiastic about table tennis.
Aust: How do you motivate yourself for a match?
Boll: I am focused on my goal, I also study my opponent and I am keen on a training which challenges me to get to new levels.
Aust: How do you deal with a defeat?
Boll: As I analyze how I did, I have to question my strategy with self-criticism.
Aust: ...which shows to me interesting parallels between sports and the business world. How did you change over the years?
Boll: By now I want to combine an efficient match schedule with a portion of fun while still challenging myself. I´m married now and father of a 18 months old daughter – my life got a new perspective with a whole new focus on balancing career and family.
