Positive team leaders are the glue that holds great teams together. Being a leader is a tough job for young athletes but is a requirement of teams to achieve success. Being a great leader as a coach without developing great leaders as players accomplishes little in the long run. In other words, having great leaders as coaches without having the same within the ranks of the players limits the success of the team.
Team leadership creates the energy of a team. Positive energy created by coaches and player leadership create team success. Being a great leader as a player requires a few fundamental traits. The traits of a positive team leader are:
- Humble
- Bold
- High Character
- Heart
- Team first attitude
Be Humble
Above everything else, be humble in everything that you do in all walks of your life. This applies to the field, the classroom and the community. Always carry yourself in a humble manner and remember, today’s successes are only temporary. It’s what you do tomorrow and the next day that guarantees your right to success in the future.
We will all fail at times in life and there will be a day that you will need help as well. So, be a person that others will want to help.
Be Bold
Even though boldness on the field is a necessary trait of a great athlete, being bold in how you operate in the world around you is what makes you a great leader. Be willing to do the right thing, even if it’s not the popular choice. As an athlete, you accept certain responsibilities by choosing to put on the jersey and represent your community, family and team. You have the ability to influence others, it’s up to you to use that ability in a positive manner. Whether it has to do with drugs, alcohol, bullying or some other societal situation, great leaders are bold and stand up to peer pressure to do the right thing.
Doing the right thing will not always be easy, but this is where great leaders are born. Your peers may not admit it in the moment, but stick to your convictions and you will earn their respect. Be bold in doing the right things and take care of the people around you, especially those who aren’t able to take care of themselves!
Positive Team Leaders have High Character
High character people find themselves in leadership positions more often than the alternative. Your character is what should create the respect from your peers in the first place allowing you to be in a leadership position. Play on the field is generally indicative of leadership. We want good people as team leaders, good people with high morality create the positive energy and discipline that every team needs.
High character leaders have high expectations of themselves and those around them. Just as our coaches are expected to hold players accountable, we should also expect our team leaders to hold their fellow teammates accountable to the expectations of the leaders and the team.
Heart
Team leaders go hard all the time, they have a never give up attitude and an undying thirst to succeed. They do everything with heart. Practice, games, school work and their relationships are all done with heart!
They are also capable of great empathy. Helping pick up the people around them when it’s needed. They are able to motivate others to do the same to take care of their teammates, family and friends. Great leaders can go hard, have high expectations of themselves and others around them yet do it with compassion.
Team First Attitude
You want positive team leaders that do the right thing, not for the accolades, but because it is the right thing to do for those around them. They are more interested in team success than they are in personal success or their own stats or awards. Great leaders play hard for their coach, for the guys next to them and for those that are watching. They do it for the love of the game and their team, not for the spotlight. This is a leader!
Positive Team Leaders are Built, not Born
Great leaders can be build through many walks of life, not only athletics. Parents, teachers and coaches/mentors all play a part in the development of great leaders. It’s not an easy task but it’s also not impossible. Reinforce those that are trying to do the right things even when they fail. We must remember that everyone fails from time to time. Recognize intention, the heart, not just the outcome. We must learn to show some grace while also holding people accountable for their actions. It’s a tough proposition for all involved, but one worth doing.
Each of us has a role in leadership development. Building to the principles outlined here is a great start to ensuring great leaders for future generations to come!
BtL
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