The Olympic Spirit: What We Can Learn from Women Cheering Women On

One of the most inspiring sights at the recent Olympic Games was watching female gymnasts from different countries stand on the sidelines, not as competitors but as each other's biggest fans. It was a powerful display of unity, encouragement, and genuine support—embodying the Olympic spirit. These moments weren't just about winning medals; they were about celebrating effort, dedication, and the shared journey of excellence.

As I watched these athletes, who had every reason to view one another as rivals, instead choose to cheer each other on, I couldn't help but think about the lessons we can take from this into our professional lives as women. We often talk about this spirit of unity and encouragement, but how do we live it out in everyday interactions?

Beyond the Surface: Genuine Support vs. Lip Service

It's easy to pay lip service to the idea of the "sisterhood." We all know the words to say, the hashtags to use, and the nods of approval to give. But genuine support goes beyond surface-level camaraderie. It requires us to get to know other women, appreciate their skills, and recognize the effort they put into their work. It asks us to set aside the natural human tendency to compare and compete and become each other's cheerleaders, just like those gymnasts on the Olympic floor.

This isn't about creating an illusion of support to make ourselves feel good or appear to be doing the right thing. It's about tangible actions demonstrating our commitment to one another's success. It asks ourselves, "How can I support this woman's growth, and how can I celebrate her victories as if they were my own?"

The Challenge: Moving Beyond Crap-etition

Like the sports world, the professional world is often built on competition. We're taught to strive for the top, to outdo the person next to us, and to view success as a limited resource. Historically, this competitive mindset among women has deep roots in societal structures that weren't designed with our empowerment in mind. For decades—if not centuries—women were often pitted against each other, not for leadership roles or business success, but for the ultimate prize in a patriarchal society: securing a man and achieving the status of marriage.

This idea wasn't just a social norm; it was ingrained in every aspect of life, from literature to education to the advice women received from older generations. The message was clear: other women were your competition because there was only one prize: a husband. This created a deeply embedded mindset that competition among women was natural, necessary, and inescapable.

Here’s the truth we need to confront: women aren’t inherently in competition with each other. Societal structures constructed this narrative to keep us divided and prevent us from recognizing the power we could harness if we united instead. This isn’t who we are; it’s who we’ve been told to be.

I’m so tired of seeing those social posts claiming women are constantly competing with each other. This narrative is an unconscious societal norm placed on us and is beyond frustrating. The way to crack, blow it up, and eliminate this ridiculous and infuriating concept is to call it out. We were taught it, and you know what? We can teach that crap out of us too. We can unlearn these toxic beliefs and redefine how we relate to one another—not as competitors, but as allies.

This message isn't an unchangeable fact of life. It’s a narrative that can be challenged and rewritten. If we educate ourselves and each other about the origins of these beliefs, we can begin dismantling them. We can see the crap we were served up for what it is: a tool to keep us apart. And when we recognize this, we can start turning this mindset into something useful for us individually and collectively.

What if we turned this narrative on its head? Instead of competing for the top spot, we took a page from those Olympic gymnasts and embraced the idea that another woman’s success doesn’t diminish our own but adds to the collective achievement.

One of the most potent examples was during the 2024 Paris Olympics when Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade won the silver medal in the balance beam final. Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, who won gold and bronze, respectively, did something extraordinary—they bowed down to Andrade on the podium in a gesture of respect, admiration, and genuine celebration of her achievement. This act was a powerful display of the deep camaraderie and support between these athletes despite being competitors. It encapsulates that women can and should lift each other rather than compete destructively.

This mindset shift doesn't come naturally—it takes conscious effort and a willingness to challenge our ingrained beliefs. It requires us to move beyond the idea that success is a zero-sum game and instead recognize that we all rise higher by lifting each other.

When we start to see each other not as competitors but as allies, we begin to unlock the true power of women supporting women. It's about realizing that when one woman succeeds, she paves the way for others to follow. Her success becomes part of the shared journey, enriching the entire community.

By educating ourselves, questioning the messages we've internalized, and making the conscious choice to cheer each other on, we can build a new narrative that's not based on competition but on collaboration and mutual empowerment. This is how we move beyond competition and create a world where women survive and thrive together.

The Reward: Building Stronger Networks

We build stronger, more resilient professional networks by adopting this Olympic spirit of unity and encouragement. These are networks where women share resources and opportunities and become invested in each other's success. In these spaces, we can grow together, learn from one another, and create a ripple effect of empowerment that extends far beyond our immediate circles.

I've often searched for this community that sparks interest, engages me to think critically, and connects me to new events, causes, and people. When I couldn't find it, I decided to create it myself. However, building and nurturing these networks requires more than just a desire for connection; it requires a commitment to support and uplift the women around us.

Bringing the Olympic Spirit Into Our Lives

So, how do we bring this Olympic spirit into our own lives? It starts with small, intentional actions. Reach out to a colleague to praise her work, offer mentorship or advice without expecting anything in return, or listen and empathize with the challenges another woman is facing. These support acts may seem small, but collectively, they build a culture where women feel valued, seen, and encouraged to continue pursuing their goals.

Perhaps most importantly, let's celebrate each other's wins—big and small—with the same enthusiasm and genuine joy we saw on the faces of those gymnasts. Let's cheer each other on a natural part of our daily lives, not just an exception or a feel-good moment.

Please take a moment today to reflect on how you can bring this spirit of unity into your professional networks. How can you move beyond surface-level support and become a true advocate for the women around you? How can you, in your way, embody the Olympic spirit and create a community where every woman feels cheered on, appreciated, and uplifted?

Together, we can create a world where women supporting women isn't just a slogan—it's a lived reality.