Finals footy, leaders and time and space
Michael Swinsburg
Executive Search and Leadership Advisory - Managing Partner and Non Executive Director
Big games are won and lost by big game players, err maybe! Every big game player always thanks the team, the coach, the club management because they know only after years of investment in team building does the magic happen. Even then two champion teams usually meet in a championship final and only one can win. Let's hope it's yours soon!
While I try to keep overused sports analogies out of my leadership articles, being football finals time in Australia, I will make an exception today.
We hear the commentators swoon how a champion rugby fly half or AFL centre half forward always seem to have the ‘’all the time and space’’ to make the best decisions to run, kick or pass.? We are told this is all about individual skills and is effortless.? Well believe that and you might start believing in the Easter bunny!?
Keen observers, of champions and effective leaders, know the best teams are built on a culture of trust and performance, honed over years of hard work and skills development, playing under competitive pressure, which delivers when key leaders make the right decisions at the right time.
The fly-half along with the team captain are akin to perhaps co-CEO’s. These positions demand acute awareness, rapid decision-making, and the ability to inspire and guide their respective teams toward success. Key positional players will make tactical calls while the captain observes and talks keeping the team strategically aligned.? Let’s look at some key leadership qualities that overlap team sports and corporate success.
Vision- the leadership key
The fly-half and the captain roles are all about vision. The tactical leaders are responsible for play making via quick decisions that can mean a win or loss. These roles, anticipate the games direction, read the opposition's defence, adapt to the referees’ views, communicate across the team to execute scoring opportunities. The best manage to impose their authority via a vision that goes beyond any immediate play across the entire game.
A CEO must be able to communicate a clear vision to keep the organisation on track towards its goals. The CEO ensures the team understands market trends, competitors’ moves, customer needs, regulators views, has optimised team skills, and keeps decisions aligned with the strategic goals. The fly-half, captain and CEO are constantly evaluating their field of play and adjusting their strategies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
A leader without vision is a manager.
Decision making - being in the moment
Our champion fly-half has played hundreds of games analysing the opposition vs their own team’s performance then executing plays to leverage any perceived advantage. They have the ‘’muscle memory’’ skills and peripheral vision to make split second decisions knowing no hesitation can be permitted on final game day.
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While our CEO doesn’t have the same time pressures they still have to make timely, well considered decisions. They will often have imperfect information on less than ideal options and still be expected to create actionable strategies within tight timeframes. Poorly considered or delayed decisions can mean corporate losses. Like our fly-half and captain, the CEO will rely on their team’s well-honed skills and their own muscle to make informed choices.
Team culture - creates time and space
Without a long-term investment in team culture, and collective and individual skills there is no support platform for the key leaders, our fly-half, captain or CEO, to execute winning plays. This is a key coaching responsibility while the corporate equivalent is likely the chairperson.? Just as the coach aims to build a successful legacy so the chair and their board via their CEOs ensure executive team depth to execute their long-term strategic vision.?
On the issue of long-term team capabilities, management professor Michael Porter 2018 found large corporate CEOs' “number one regret” was being too focused on the short-term so had “not chosen executives who could take the company to a new level”.?Champion sports teams appear do this better than even the very best corporates. Perhaps this is due to the KPIs being clearer and measured weekly, allowing continuous assessment, changes are made and depth developed.
Effective leaders build depth then delegate, ensuring that the best team members are in the right roles with the right skills at the right time. This allows the CEO more thinking time vs doing time!
The big dance day
Our fly-half, captain and the CEO have to deal with complex environments, make robust decisions, and lead their teams with clarity and shared vision.? They know well developed teams and cultures support their ability in strategic thinking and decision-making. When all these elements are in place the key decision makers have the time and thinking space to make grand final winning decisions.?Just ask the All Blacks who talk of ‘leaders across the field’ ?who are supported and empowered to make decisions.
When the commentators swoon next time remember it was all the years of team building supporting individual talent that makes it all look effortless. Just ask Ted Lasso and the All Blacks who talk of leaders across the field?who are supported and empowered to make decisions.
That said, go the AFL Swans and the Wallabies this weekend, and NRL Panthers next week. ?
Disclosure.? The author is a former university rugby union player and referee so may have expressed some well founded bias.
Non-executive director. Finance, risk, climate change. Trusted strategic partner. Energetic, enthusiastic, driven.
5 个月A great read Michael, and your bias for rugby union did come through! On other thing I’d highlight is the need for rapid, clear communication, on the field of play and in the boardroom. It is important to communicate in a way that gets the key messages across, and facilitates the right discussions and actions.
investment strategist, asset allocator, diversity and inclusion advocate, helping organisations achieve investment goals
5 个月For me it is all about bandwidth, which comes with experience. Like the gorillas on the basketball court experiment.
Financial Services; Superannuation, Investment Management, investment Advisory, Governance.
5 个月Another excellent read. Thank you Michael. But would love to pick your brain on another somewhat related idea, board governance and efficacy within the sporting community. I post this as a diehard Wallaby supporter, but the ARU board is a (not to put it too lightly) a disgrace. Their lack of ownership for the failed Melbourne team smelled of abandonment, as boards are meant to offer long-term vision and sustainability. But blaming the Melbourne board for failure, all while Melbourne board have strong alignment and affiliation to the national board? Maybe I’m too old fashioned, as my father says when you mess up, confess and confess quickly. But while the coaches are hired to look towards the next World Cup, the ARU board should be looking at building its national pressence and relevance towards 2044. And while I accept that I am not au fait with all the intricacies within sporting Australia, as a former institutional investor, I appreciate how an effective board beyond the love of the game. Look at SARFU, where the Springboks are today vs where they were 20 years back? Or even Argentina, the Pumas are now (ranking 6th vs the Wallabies 10th). This is a soccer nation.