Facilitating a module in our leadership development program we started to compare business teams to sports teams. We explored the elements of a high performing team and moved on to what leaders needed to do to keep and maintain a team in this high performing space. I challenged that from my experience we get sports teams into the high performing space with
much greater speed and effectiveness than business teams because we have a coach who is prepared to give very honest feedback. The coaches give this kind of feedback as they know this is the best way to shift the skills and attitude of each individual in the team with the greatest speed – and in sports teams you only have a season, and that is normally only a number of months! Leading the team into the high performing space for a sports coach takes great courage.
This moved the conversation to the role of the coach – because I claimed the coach in a sporting team is the leader of the team. Very quickly a participant disagreed claiming the coach is not on the field playing so how can they possibly be the leader of the team? This provoked insightful thought and conversation within the group.
A breakthrough in thinking erupted for everyone and I heard myself saying “absolutely that is exactly the point”. The leader delegates and supports but they do not “play” – they do not go onto the field – what a great analogy! Thanks to the challenge from a participant we had a wonderful conversation and a breakthrough in thinking. Participants clearly understood how essential it is to let go of “doing” if you want to manage and lead a high performing team. This is an experience and conversation I plan to hold onto as I facilitate future programmes.
