The role of any sportsperson isn’t just personal glory — through their performances and conduct, they also inspire future generations to emulate them. That is, in some way, they bring people into the sport by setting an example worth emulating.
Brian Charles Lara is one of the greatest batsmen ever to play the game of cricket. He holds the record for the highest score in first-class cricket for his score of 501 and also the highest individual score in a test match for his score of 400 against England. But there was a dichotomy that plagued him throughout his career — while he racked up the records, the West Indies were a dwindling force in world cricket.
Before the Australian era of supremacy in world cricket, the West Indies ruled. Until 1995, they hadn’t lost a test series at home for 15 years until Australia, led by Steve Waugh, halted their glorious run.
There are many reasons for the decline of the West Indies as a cricketing force. Basketball became a more lucrative option in the country, their cricket board was mismanaged and the quality of players coming into the game dipped.
One criticism of Brian Lara was that he played for individual glory, that he was interested only in raking up his own personal records, and that the team’s performance was secondary. If you see his records, there is some truth to this. Even Sachin Tendulkar, one Lara’s closest contemporaries, the other being Ricky Ponting, was accused of pandering more to his own records and his captaincy stints are largely seen as failures.
It’s true, a captain can’t always be held responsible for how their team performs. Sometimes, they don’t have the best people, the conditions are against them and sometimes, they are just terrible people managers. Captains are dependent on the entire team to come together and when that doesn’t happen, all fingers are pointed at them for the failure. Very often, we don’t see the goings-on in the background and come to hasty conclusions. On the other hand, it’s also true that leadership changes can have a profound impact on how a team plays.
In business terms, was Brian Lara a good hire? (Players, aren’t hired, they are spotted and nurtured, hence the business terms precursor).
In sport, future generations are inspired by players of the current generation. They see their sports idols perform heroic feats, become famous and earn lots of money. That is why scandals such as doping and match-fixing affect sport in a big way — they turn people off from the sport, spectators as well as aspirants.
The role of any sportsperson isn’t just personal glory — through their performances and conduct, they also inspire future generations to emulate them. That is, in some way, they bring people into the sport by setting an example worth emulating.
Hiring, especially after a certain level, follows a similar trajectory.
Unless a person is a solopreneur or freelancer who chooses to work alone and not head a team (but they still need people who are willing to do business with them), it’s imperative that one of the key requirements of a leader is the potential to attract talent and lift a team. If someone is only focussed on their own glory or isn’t interested in building and nurturing a team, putting them in a leadership situation can get dicey. We see this across industries and levels and since this is a soft-skill, not much attention is given to it.
Here are two possible situations:
- A captain is a brilliant player but just can’t seem to fathom that not everyone in the team can be as good as them. This leads to them becoming frustrated and retreating into a shell, causing the team to go adrift.
- A captain understands their players and their limitations and leads them accordingly, making them feel secure.
Which captain do you think can get the best out of their players?
The same also applies to the real world.
The ability to attract and nurture others is a skill that is sometimes overlooked.
After a certain level, a good hire isn’t just someone who continues on their quest for personal glory, or to build their personal brand.
A good hire should also have the ability to hire/attract other good people.
