How To Select The Best Leaders
How do you select the best leaders for your team? Leadership plays such a significant role in team sports, so it would make sense that this decision isn’t made lightly. However, a growing trend amongst sports teams is asking players to elect their own leaders. Is this the most effective way to make such an important decision?
In a lot of cases, this is a great way to select a leadership group or a captain. Players need someone they look up to and someone they can relate to. And whilst coaches might have a few candidates in mind, players should be encouraged to follow people they respect and will listen too. The best way to determine who those people are is to ask your players to vote for them.
However, sometimes it is hard for players to determine whom they need to vote for, especially if they don’t really know the team all that well. Other immature players might elect a team leader for the wrong reasons.
Whilst the players might want to follow a certain person, in the interests of team success, that person might not be the best person to follow. And electing the wrong leaders will likely have harmful effects on the team.
With that in mind, should we simply scrap the player vote altogether?
The answer to this question isn’t black and white, as it depends on your team. A simple way to determine the answer to this question is to ask yourself another question.
Are your players mature enough to vote for the right person for the right reasons?
If you answered no to this question, then a player vote probably isn’t the best option for your team.
If you answered yes, however, a player vote could be an effective solution for you. Having said that, it’s still important to give your players some guidance to ensure they vote for the best people for the job.
“The best leaders have a high consideration factor. They really care about their people.”
Brian Tracy
Here is three criteria you should ask you players to consider when voting for their preferred leaders.
- Choose someone who leads by example and you aspire to be. Someone who leads by example will keep the team on track to achieve the team’s goals. By leading by example, they will give everyone on the team someone to look up too and role model.
- Choose someone who listens and communicates well. Someone who listens knows how to relate to team members and can develop an understanding of where each player needs assistance. Good communication skills will also eliminate confusion amongst players and help with swift problem solving and clever decision making.
- Choose someone whom you respect. A leader who is respected can also a become a mentor and confidant. Mentors are able to offer advice, emotional support, and act as role models.
The best team leader should be someone that will motivate and inspire each of their teammates to get the job done right. Selecting the best team leaders will have a significant benefit to your team, and it will be reflected in your team’s success. A great team is a reflection of great leadership.
Action Steps
- A week or two before you ask your players to vote for their preferred leaders, educate them about the importance of leadership and what great leaders look like. Ask them to be mindful of this over the coming weeks in the lead up to the leadership vote.
- When your players vote for their leaders, ask them to base their vote on the 3 criteria above. Whoever best displays these qualities should be the person they vote for.
- Once the vote is complete, read our article “Selecting A Captain – Get It Right” and use the advice within to ensure the person/people selected by the players best fit this role.
- If they do, announce the leadership positions. If they do not, consider making an executive decision and overrule your players. A wrong decision could jeopardise your season.
What was your key takeaway from this article?
Do you have any questions on any of the information provided in this article?
Let us know in the comments below.
