Pelé: A prized possession and an enduring lesson

Reflections on the great man and the importance of authenticity.

I’m a sports nut. I’m a soccer nut in particular. If you have read my recent blog post regarding my trip to the World Cup in Qatar, you may well have come to this conclusion already!

That love of the game was nurtured at an early age, and in 1978 — not long into my teens — I got the gig of all gigs. I effectively became the gofer / errand boy for the New England Tea Men soccer team (owned by Lipton, in case you were wondering about the name). Based in Boston, they played briefly in the North American Soccer League before relocating to Florida.

The late 70s was a golden era for the sport in the US, and my little side job brought me into contact with world famous players like Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Bobby Moore, Eusébio, George Best — and a certain Brazilian by the name of Pelé — who as a three-time World Cup winner, was the star attraction of the league.

It’s hard to articulate just how big of a global phenomenon Pelé was. The only name I can think of at an equivalent level would be Muhammad Ali. As the New York Times reported in their recent obituary, it was Andy Warhol who said, “Pelé is one of the few who contradicted my theory…instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries.”

In short, he was the real deal and when he handed me back a scrappy piece of paper that read, “To Peter, good luck, Pelé,” I thought I had won the lottery. I’ve kept that autograph and those memories close to me since that day.

It may seem a relatively minor detail, but by taking a few extra moments to engage in a brief conversation, to ask for my name and write a short message…well, to an impressionable adolescent, our brief encounter was elevated beyond the ordinary and showed the mark of the man.

If you have read any of the glowing articles and tributes to Pelé following his recent passing, you will see there is a clear lineage of consistently genuine, authentic behavior throughout his life.

For example, when Brazil hosted the World Cup in 1950, they were red hot favorites to win the tournament, but they lost in the final and faced significant criticism for their style of play. This was the quick-witted, swaying, free-flowing approach known as Ginga. The coaches thought that going forward the only way to succeed was to copy the more regimented and organized European style. But the people hated it and it was Pelé, among others, who inspired them to return to their roots and own identity. They won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 as a result.

Even in death, as Brazil observed three days of national mourning, and thousands of fans gathered to say their last goodbye, his funeral was a low-key, informal, humble occasion with a private burial. Pomp and ceremony was the last thing he wanted.

As you can tell, I’m a fan.

However sad these moments are, they do provide a chance to reflect on our own lives — both professionally and personally — and to assess if there are opportunities for growth.

As I’ve said in previous blogs, one of the most important attributes I look for among my own leadership team is authenticity. As you know, there are hundreds of articles out there about bringing your “whole self” to work. Some of them resonate, some of them don’t. This is what being authentic means to me:

• Core values — the fundamental aspects of our identity, beliefs, and what is right or wrong. Those values might be rooted in our family life or upbringing, our culture, religion, etc. No one should feel compromised when it comes to living out their core values at work.
• Courage — if everyone is being authentic, as a leader you are likely to end up receiving more diverse — perhaps contradictory — opinions. You have to manage those perspectives in a way that allows the organization to move forward and thrive. And that means you cannot shy away from difficult conversations.
• Accountability — recognizing that mistakes happen. An authentic person holds up their hands and accepts responsibility for a mistake — then gets on with fixing the problem. As a leader, you need to create a strong and supportive culture that encourages personal responsibility.

There are real bottom-line business benefits to fostering an authentic workplace. Research suggests employees are likely to be more productive, creative and engaged when they experience high levels of authenticity. They are also happier and more satisfied, leading to reduced levels of sickness and absenteeism.

However, authenticity isn’t a free pass to share every thought you have unfiltered — especially if those comments may be disrespectful or hurtful to others. Also, don’t worry that you’ll be expected to share every part of your journey with everyone you meet — that’s not the case — you’re still in control of setting those boundaries. And finally, I think it’s always good to remember that authenticity is not a one-way street — while being comfortable with your own perspectives, we all need to be willing to accept the authenticity of others.

In other words, there are subtleties, and cultivating authenticity in the workplace is an ongoing process that takes commitment at all levels. To quote my hero, Pelé, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” I couldn’t agree more.