Building a team of leaders
Here's some thoughts on encouraging leadership within a team
Building a group of leaders is something that is a crucial endeavour for every team. This doesn’t just refer to a standard leadership team of captain and vice-captain. It’s important to create space to allow other voices and leaders.
When I first started coaching the Huddersfield RUFC women’s team, I wanted to approach leadership slightly differently.
Encouraging different voices
I’m conscious that in the past I’ve perhaps framed captains and vice captains as the only ones that led or started conversations.
I’m consious of the need to encourage voices outside of traditional leadership roles, whilst supporting captains and vice-captains to find their own authentic way of leading.
I think this is especially important when coaching players who are new to the sport. As coaches, we have a responsbility to encourage their voice. It’s important that players feel they can speak and add value.
Initally at Huddersfield RUFC we had a captain, but we had a monthly vice captain. Anyone from the team could be vice captain for the month and would be encouraged whilst they found their leadership voice.
This meant that, when it came time for a leadership handover, the team had felt more confident. It also meant we had spent time building up different voices on the team so that the captain and vice captain had a support network of leaders to rely on.
That has now evolved into a leadership group. This group doesn’t just feature the current captain and vice captain. It has past captains and vice captains, a social wizard (a player who helps organise socials) and two wizards.
The wizards are there to help with any task or lend support in anyway they can. It’s something we’ve added as the team has grown.
It was added partly due to the growing numbers of the team. I didn’t want a large burden to be placed on the captain or vice captain.
It means that if the captain or vice captain aren’t at training or a match, then there are other leaders the team can speak to or lean on. It also help create discussions and aid decisions within the leadership group.
Leadership within a team doesn’t have to be within official roles. You could give players challenges so that only one person is allowed to speak in a training game huddle.
Change which person each time, or every 10 mins so that someone different gets a chance to lead.
What do the players think?
When thinking about implementing ideas about the leadership group, just like other ideas, it’s important that you ask the players their thoughts.
Writing this, gave me a good chance to check in with the current captain about her thoughts around the leadership group and our current way of doing things:
Here’s the current captain’s thoughts about the leadership group:
“We all know that we don't have to contribute to everything and don't feel pressure to respond to everything all of the time.
You give us each jobs to do to help you, and the team, so we all feel we contributing positively.
It's a safe place to talk about the rough stuff as well as the good.
It's a space to share thoughts and ideas no matter how out there they are, a great brainstorming area.
We keep previous leaders in the group so we don't lose experience and perspectives, it all builds the richness of knowledge.
We all gel and this is key. You make sure that the right personalities are added to leadership so we can all lead by example and support the team.
You share your knowledge and resources with us which supports our growth and development but also helps us support you.”
Lead by example
The last point around sharing knowledge and resources links to one of the core things I think a coach must do: show vulnerability.
There is very little benefit to me hoarding the secrets of rugby or the experiences and knowledge that have formed my coaching.
In fact, sharing these gives me a chance to explain my thoughts around coaching and my approach.
It’s important to lead by example. As a coach, you are one of the main standard setters for the team. This means holding yourself to account and being reflective as a leader.