Isn't it ironic that a soon to be fractured Europe showed more togetherness than a nation focused on its own wellbeing. The best pairing is between two friends, an Englishman and an Italian. I am sure post Brexit they will still be the best pair to watch playing golf...a truly remarkable team. Europe first. Not because we said it repeatedly.

Going into the Ryder cup the Americans were strong favourites with one of the most talented teams in history, 12 out of the top 25 players in the world. However the underdog pulled through to prove that teamwork eats talent for breakfast.

So what were the signs? Was there disharmony in the USA team? Not obviously so, albeit Reid seems to have complained that Spieth did not want to play with him. Were the Americans passionate enough to want to win...well it looked like it at times. There was a time on the Sunday the match seemed in the balance and the Americans could have turned the tables and on singles day when individual talent was going to be at its most powerful. However compare this to a European team full of hugging, tactility, and laughter.

Does putting your arm around someone raise their game enoughto  get a player ranked 45 in the world beating number 10 by a very big margin?

The reality is yes it does. Touch transmits emotions and shared emotions builds strength and at worst, at absolute worst...it improves focus on the task in hand. You not only want to do the best for yourself but the best for your team mate. There is of course the 13th man called ‘the crowd'who mostly had their arms around every European.

Never so was this evident than in the closing ceremony where hugging everyone was the order of the day and despite the resurgence of Tiger'sgame he seemed to hug no one and no one seemed to want to hug him. He can play unbelievable golf and has lovely teeth so smiling a bit more might help, if nothing else it might help his playing partner. Looking miserable on the final day certainly helped Jon Rahm think he was for the taking and he was.

It is human nature to want to pick up a helpless baby when it cries and guess what, pacifying a baby helps the mother or father as well as the baby. In a similar way with adults who are connected, putting your arm round someone, even if it is metaphorically with some kind words, does you both good and this is where Europe won the day. Their togetherness score was even better than their golf score proving togetherness triumphs over talent.

The parallels with business are remarkable. Whilst hugging is not something you see all too often in the office and indeed may not be appropriate, you know when there is a sense of team work. That approach of supporting the weak, encouraging the strong and enjoying the journey always wins. Smiling at work and being positive is something I strongly believe in. When you are the boss being miserable, unapproachable and looking like you would rather be somewhere else cannot be inspiring to staff.

So what makes a great team?

The manager sets the scene and creates the right atmosphere and it has to be a happy one. The team need time to get to know each other and feel connected. No one member of the team makes demands and is willing to sacrifice their favoured position for someone else. Beating your challenge is more important than doing well personally. The manager is the boss but not in a dictatorial way and is respected for his decisions.

Seems simple but it is not. This is a very skilful thing and leadership is at its very core. All too often we expect leadership to besomething we can all do without any form of rehearsal or training. In business we can all learn from the great job of our Europeans golfers.

The reality is that Brexit is only going to impact trading where we allow it to do so. I am a proud Scotsman when watching my country play any sport. I am a proud Brit when it comes to the Olympics and guess what I am, and always will be, a proud European when it comes to the Ryder cup no matter what happens with Brexit.

Brian Williamson is Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Kissing With Confidence Training.

For further information, please contact Russell Wardrop, co-Founder and Chief Executive, Kissing With Confidence Training, 69 Buchanan Street, Glasgow G13HL. T: 0845 643 6002.

E: www.kissingwithconfidence.com [1].