I had been watching Jim’s progress over the years, both intrigued and impressed. He had transformed from an average junior talent into one of the most agile and gifted sportsmen in his town. With a string of provincial, national, and district honors under his belt, it came as no surprise when he was elected as the school captain for his hockey team. He was unquestionably the fittest and most skillful player, and his experience at the national level put him above his peers within the school.
I watched the team play their first tournament under his leadership, and something struck me after observing a few of their games. Jim was the top goal scorer in the team, and almost every attacking move relied on his ability to hit the ball upfield or embark on a quick run. To an outsider, it seemed like Jim was a selfish player who didn’t pass the ball. However, this was untrue. Jim did pass the ball, but only to a select three players. If one of those players wasn’t available, he would rather attempt to run the ball himself.
Initially, this strategy worked well, with the team remaining undefeated after the first day of fixtures. Of course, Jim had scored most of their goals or contributed to creating chances. However, things began to unravel on the second day, which consisted of three consecutive matches against strong opponents. Exhausted from his efforts the previous day, Jim lacked energy, and without his darting runs or powerful shots on goal, the team struggled to create opportunities. When Jim was resting, the team appeared lost and unsure of what to do with the ball. It didn’t take long for them to suffer their first defeat of the weekend, followed by two more in quick succession.
From the sideline, I observed the team’s body language, curious about how they would react to their string of losses. Between two matches, I took the opportunity to speak to the boys, offering them some encouragement. I received terse responses about not being good enough and needing to perform better in the next match. Bemused, I brushed it off as teenage bravado, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right.
That evening, a few parents gathered for a meal at a local restaurant. One couple arrived late and appeared visibly distraught. They explained that their son, Bob, had asked them to withdraw him from the tournament and take him home. Bob had been subjected to appalling behavior, with hurtful things said to him on and off the field. Shockingly, his own team captain, Jim, was the main perpetrator. The mother fought back tears as she explained how she had convinced her son to continue with the tournament, as withdrawing and boycotting would have had worse consequences. Bob was left with the choice of enduring the abuse from his own team or being labeled a quitter.
That was the moment when everything suddenly made sense to me. The school coach had made the same mistake that business leaders and managers around the world often make. They take their best talent and assume they will make the best leaders. It’s a mistake we repeat time and again. Yes, leaders need to possess the necessary capability to justify their position in a team, but they don’t have to be the best player on the field to be an effective leader. Jim was undeniably the best player, but he was a terrible leader.
In a world where merit-based progression is valued, it must be challenging to inform top performers that they won’t be promoted because they may not be the best leaders. It’s crucial to focus on developing them as leaders, not just on their technical capabilities. The key distinction is that leading a team is not about one’s own abilities, but rather about bringing out the best in the team members to enhance their capabilities. It’s not an easy lesson for someone like Jim, a school kid, but it’s one that business leaders need to learn quickly. In real life, it’s not just about winning or losing. It’s about nurturing individuals for their own benefit, their families, communities, and society at large. Otherwise, it can lead to their complete destruction.
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