Is The Best Player on the Team Always the Best Leader – Response
Sometimes no, the best performer may not be the best choice. Many times the best player and or the most popular are absolutely not the best for the position of captain or leader. Sure being the best lends some to follow, as is true with the most popular, which is indeed part of Leadership, having others follow. But being a captain on the team or a manager in the office is so much more than just having other members merely follow and mimic. In both instances character and morals should, and needs to weigh in along with a few other traits.
The purpose of the position dictates and demands much more than merely the best or most popular and all that comes along with it. With that said, what is the coach, teacher, CEO, or leader looking for from the individual that is occupying this position? Is it merely a figure head for your horse and pony show? Or do you want this person to really serve a role and assist in leading, encouraging, and inspiring the rest of YOUR troops to success while wearing the uniform, whatever that may be. Shouldn’t they be serving as an assistant to you, as the ultimate Leader of your Merry Band and that goes for when the team garb is off also and away from whatever arena you are competing in.
In my Book, the purpose of a Captain is to aid you in managing, directing, encouraging, guiding, possibly even marketing Your Direction and goals to and for the team. All the while they need to be serving as a watchdog and a go between to supply you with honest information about the moral and mental and physical condition that your team is in. One very important skill for this person to be capable of, is to be able to listen and really hear what is being offered. A captain is, or can be, a truly critical and important selected individual(s) that serves both their team mates and the leadership. They should not be a patsy or nanny, or a yes man and certainly not a thug and we have all seen examples of all of these, in real life, on teams we have been on. They should be an extension of you, so read the list above again.
The ultimate candidate for the position requires a trustworthiness, to be approachability, have a willingness to serve (on both sides), offer an unbiased nature, as well as possess a certain amount of unselfishness. Yes the Captain Spot is a tall order if done properly and a Good nominee can be tough to find. In my Book “There are Many i’s in Team” there is a fair amount about this. I truly believe the real key, is you as the leader, need to be grooming several that will eventually occupy and serve as YOUR and Their captain(s). So the being the best, is absolutely not the defining skill. Does it help and sometimes fall on the same person, maybe.
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