Last Tuesday was Cup Day. Melbourne Cup. The final field of 23 horses ran around the Flemington Racetrack until the 3200m finish line. It’s a long race.
What’s changed?
It’s been going a long time, 2024 is its 164th year.
I can’t believe that it’s 10 years ago since I wrote about the similarities between the Cup and the workplace. I know some of you have been reading my newsletters since way back then. Thank you for staying the course! I do appreciate it.
I decided to dust off that old blog and see what’s changed.
Not much!
As it turns out, not much! Even though horse racing isn’t my thing, I’ve watched the race every year since I was nine years old. I decided not to break with tradition. I switched on the TV and watched the race live at 3pm.
The horses are still magnificent. The race is still both exhilarating and terrifying as they come down the straight to the finish line.
This year it was a photo finish. The winner, Knight’s Choice, ran at a speed of around 58 km per hour! They’re fast.
The odds for the winner were extraordinary
The odds were extraordinary for Knight’s Choice because he was such an unlikely contender. As an outsider, he was $81 for the win on TAB fixed odds. But they went as high as $101/1 leading up to the race.
If only I were a horse-betting woman.
There’s a new lesson in the field of lessons from 2014 to 2024
I had 14 entries in the field of lessons back in 2014. Today, when thinking about parallels between the Melbourne Cup and the workplace, there’s only one real change. I created a new 15th entry for it.
Just goes to show how many aspects of work are timeless, or at least how slow they are to change.
As for the 15th entry? Let’s see…
The Melbourne Cup vs The Workplace Lessons
- This year it’s about “the foreign invaders”.
2024: Still true. The winner, Knight’s Choice, was one of only four in the race to be Australian bred. The Workplace, then and now: It’s a global marketplace. - There’s only room for 24 starters.
2024: Still true, but only 23 ran. Athabascan was scratched the night before the race during a pre-race vet check.
The Workplace, then and now: Not everyone gets to the top. - It’s the richest handicap two-mile race in the world.
2024: Still true. At AUD$8m, it’s the fifth richest race overall.
The Workplace, then and now: It’s worth getting to the top, at least financially.
- The horses range from young (3 years) to old (9 years).
2024: The horses still ranged from what’s considered young (4 years) to old (7 years) for racehorses.
The Workplace, then and now: It’s inter-generational in the office too.
- Youngest does not mean fastest – it can take time for a horse to mature.
2024: Still true. The fastest this year, Knight’s Choice, is 5 years old. On the younger side, but not the youngest in the field.
The Workplace, then and now: Same for humans, it’s never too late.
- Good breeding helps.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: Having raw ability and talent is an advantage.
- They always talk about the horse’s connections.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: They say your network is your net worth.
- Nothing beats preparation.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: Yep, nothing beats preparation.
- The barrier draw can be crucial – wide barriers suit those who like to make their run later on.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: Music to all late bloomers.
- Male horses (geldings/colts) win more often than females (mares/fillies).
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: Unfortunately, true at work too.
- It’s handicapped so the competition is as even as possible.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: I wish it were a meritocracy but it’s not.
- Silks – referring to the colors the jockey wears.
2024: Still true.
The Workplace, then and now: It can help to look the part.
- We haven’t been training our horses for longer distances – it takes longer to start earning. It’s starting to change.
2024: Still true. The shift towards training horses for longer distances has continued.
The Workplace, then and now: Again, music for late bloomers.
- The best trainers are celebrities here – hats off to Bart Cummins and Gai Waterhouse.
2024: Still true. Hat’s off to Sheila Laxon for her legendary second Melbourne Cup triumph (with John Symons). Especially because she was also the first woman to officially train a Cup winner, saddling Ethereal to victory in 2001.
The Workplace, then and now: Do you have the best trainer for you? Aways a smart move.
- It’s the race that stops a nation.
2024: There’s mixed views. While tickets for the Melbourne Cup were sold out, there’s a growing groundswell who consider it to be the race that bores a nation.
The Workplace, then and now: In 2014, traditions were valued. In 2024, traditions are questioned eg. 4-day work weeks, hybrid work. It’s clear we’re still working out what will work at work now.
The conclusions are the same
While I’m wondering about when traditions become nothing more than antiquated ideas that no longer have merit, the conclusions from 2014 still hold.
If you feel like you haven’t run your race yet, there are a few entries here for late bloomers. There’s plenty you can do.
If you’ve had success and still want to be in it, don’t rest on your laurels. If you do, I fear you’ll end up at the back of the field.
But never forget your successes. They serve to remind you that you’ve got what it takes.
Remember them while you’re running your own race this week.
And if you’re a contender who’d like a trainer, click here and let’s talk.
