Creating Team Leadership Criteria
Who is the main driver behind your team’s success?
Sam Walker, author of “The Captain Class,” provides insight on one core factor that most dominant sports dynasties in history had during their team’s successful run.
Walker researched over 1,000 teams before narrowing his focus to 16 team dynasties. Once he identified these 16 championship teams he looked for a successful formula that was unique for each team. In order to meet his criteria these teams had to sustain success, play top competition, maintain dominance for four years, and have a winning culture.
The one common element at the core of great sports teams wasn’t the presence of a superstar, overall talent or the team’s coach. Sorry coach! It was the Team's Captain!
Walker identified a surprising set of characteristics and leadership traits these captains possessed. The seven character traits of these elite team captains included for example: “Extreme doggedness and focus in competition, strong convictions and the courage to stand apart, and a willingness to do thankless jobs in the shadows.” The whole list is interesting and you can find it in his book.
What traits or criteria do you look for in your team captain? Do you have one that you follow?
It is something to consider… Let me walk you through why it would be a good idea to set criteria for selecting your team captain.
Your team captain is crucial to your team’s success. They manage the team’s locker room, speak to their teammates as a peer , build relationships with them on and off the field, and motivate and challenge them when needed. They stand up for their teammates, resolving disputes, enforcing team standards, and above all setting a tone with words and deeds. That’s a lot of connectivity and responsibility! There should be a rationale as to why you choose the individual(s) you choose to lead your team.
The most crucial ingredient in a team that achieves and sustains historic greatness is the character of the player who leads it. The captain that possesses these unique characteristics and traits sets a higher standard than that which the team would normally set for itself.
These individuals are servant leaders. They champion the team’s core values and help create a dynamic winning culture.
Let me ask you again, what is your criteria for choosing a team captain? What characteristics and traits do you look for in your team captain? Do you follow particular criteria or personal characteristics?
If you do not yet have clear criteria that guides you in selecting a captain, this might be a good place to put your attention as you prepare for your next season.
The challenge for many coaches is then identifying the athletes that embody those key traits that are most important for the team’s success.
Often the selection of team captain is based on seniority or awarding the star athlete with the position. I have also seen coaches choose team captains because the athlete is easy to get along with, even though the athlete did not have the leadership qualities needed to lead their team. This is not unusual, and too often is the norm. There were times in my coaching days that I named captains for some of these reasons too. By not selecting captains based on set criteria, I put athletes in positions that they were not ready for. It wasn’t fair to them, their teammates or the program.
Since then I have developed a process that will help coaches create their criteria so that it aligns with their vision and the values of their program.
We know that selecting a team captain is crucial to a team’s success. Coaches need to take this selection seriously. The athlete that you consider for this position must be up to the task of leading the team in and out of competition. They must accept and commit to the requirements of the position.
The team captain is the coach’s connection to the team. The coach-captain relationship can make the difference in your team’s success.
Let me know if you are ready to create your own winning formula. I am here to support your journey.
Feel free to reach out to me at cathy@cathyandruzzi.com or on LinkedIn at Cathy Andruzzi. I look forward to hearing from you!
