Leadership lessons from FIFA World Cup 2018

Being a fan of the game, I tried to catch every match of the recently concluded football World Cup. And as it was progressing, I started to make notes and associate them to business. Here are a few that remain with me. 

Leadership position isn’t constant

Germany had never failed to qualify, and entered as the favourites to win. However, the better playing team took it away from them. In fact, almost all defending champions left the World Cup much earlier than anticipated.

Focused and determined opposition, which may come in the form of new players in the industry, can challenge the leaders. Organisations with the fire in their belly and ready to give it all, can make the wins in business as well.

Delighted customers are key

Footballers play for the massive cheers of their fans. As the World Cup progressed these cheers only got louder. I believe, it surely inspired the players and added the extra energy and zeal to their matches.

For organisations, happy customers and partners are the true ambassadors. So as leaders, the endeavour must be to guide teams to delight customers and partners, in every way, and do it more often.

No substitute for skill and strategy; they go hand-in-hand

Croatia! They taught us a lot. Other nations took them lightly, and this was one of the advantages they leveraged. With the right strategy and ‘never give-up’ attitude, they reached the semis. And with their humility won many fans.

What can you do to make your team fearless, yet humble? Training, knowledge and tech interventions are key. Coming together to understand issues, draw strategies based on collective knowledge is also important. And finally, lead by example.

Make your mark with the right actions

Japanese fans when they cleaned the stands, and the team when they left Russia with a super clean the dressing room, created a buzz world-over. Even Neymar became a viral hit. But for very different reasons.

The choice is always yours, on how you will lead and the mark you’d like to leave behind. Playing fair is tough, and to achieve growth with fair-play is even tougher. But as leaders one must choose an option that’s right and long-term.

Winning is a team game

When each player comes together, it is only then the wins happen. France got this as they played like a well-knit unit. The skilled players, the big players all came together to take them through.

A good team wins when collaboration is natural, and across levels. As a leader bringing teams together towards a single winning strategy is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of the job. And while we make this happen, celebrating as a team has its wonders as well!