Anne Marte Pensgaard: Why does Norway dramatically outperform at the Olympics? | In Good Company

Description

What's the secret behind Norway's unmatched Winter Olympics dominance, and what can business learn from it? Nicolai Tangen sits down with Anne Marte Pensgaard — Professor of Sports Psychology at Olympiatoppen and a driving force behind Norway's Olympic mental training — to unpack the mindset behind the medals. They explore the "Norwegian model" of youth sport, the science of focus and psychological safety, why early specialisation can do more harm than good, and how the principles of elite sport apply to building high-performing teams and organisations. Anne Marte also shares her belief that joy, community, and gratitude are non-negotiable ingredients for sustained success. In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episode out every Wednesday. The podcast In Good Company is part of Norges Bank Investment Management, a podcast about our investments. We are transparent about how the fund is invested. In this podcast, you get a deeper insight into the companies the fund is invested in. Our CEO, Nicolai Tangen, has in-depth interviews with the leaders of some of the largest companies in the world. You will get insight into their leadership principles, the company’s strategy and how they are dealing with a large investor like us. You will also learn more about our role as an owner of the companies. You can read more about the podcast on https://www.nbim.no/en/publications/podcast/ 0:00 Intro – Nicolai meets Anne Marte Pensgaard, sports psychology professor 0:27 How Norway smashed every record at the Winter Olympics 2:46 The Norwegian model: why kids under 12 all get the same prize 4:35 The case for trying many sports before specialising 6:23 Why Norway dominates winter sports but not ice hockey or figure skating 8:17 The importance of role models and belief within a team 9:08 What a sports psychologist actually does with an athlete's mind 10:03 Focus training, mindfulness, and separating feelings from actions 16:12 Pressure, gratitude, and the values of elite per