Friday June 20, 2014
By NISHA
The footie fever is running high, and all anyone can talk about right now is Brazil and the FIFA World Cup. That’s all very well, as not even we at myStarjob.com could not resist this opportunity!
All too often in the football scene, the managers cum coaches get all the glory for leading their team into a winning streak in championships. While it’s true that the coaches give their all to their football teams, football players too have to have a lot of discipline, focus, and resilience to push their teams to become the winners that they are.
They, too, would have a taste of what it takes to be a great leader, having been through their own brand of challenges and experiences, unique to that of a football player:
Culture is identity
A football club goes beyond just being in a team. It is a way of life, at least for that duration that you’re in.
Former Manchester United manager, and one of the greatest sports coaches of his time, Alex Ferguson, strongly believed in this. Each member of his team was to act like a winning team both on and off the field.
When you believe you are a winner, eventually you’ll get there. It is a powerful self-fulfilling prophecy worthy of The Secret. So if from day one, you do not curb that culture of gossipy, belittling, and pessimistic remarks, you’re definitely asking for trouble.
Don’t just compete with your opponent
If you do, you’ll end up being only a little better than your opponent. Instead, compete with yourself to unleash your full potential, and be the best you possibly can.
Tap into areas that seem impossible, potentials that haven’t been explored. Sure, this may involve strategising against your competitors and opponents, eventually, but that does not have to be your ultimate end goal.
“Aim for the sky, and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling, and you’ll stay on the floor” – Bill Shankly, former Liverpool manager.
People will throw bananas
What matters is how you react to them.
In life, especially when you’re on the way up your ladder of success, you’ll spot the haters. The ones that want to bring you down because, in truth, they can’t come to terms with their own achievements. Haters will always be haters.
They don’t matter. Like how the FC Barcelona player Dani Alves reacted to the infamous racial gesture of being thrown a banana (while the audience silently gasped in anticipation), what you do is you grab that banana by its face and eat it for breakfast. Pretty much like what Alves did.
And then, you move on.
Play the hand you’ve been dealt
How many times have football players been given the card? Sometimes, the players deserve it, but at other times, the judgement may seem inconsistent, biased, or an overreaction on the referee’s part (at least, to the diehard fans).
Then, comes the negotiating.You see the player talking to the referee, sometimes heatedly, and the referee holding his ground. The whistle blows again, and that’s that.
Yes, life is unfair. Sitting around and whining about it will get you nowhere. If something can be done about it, then do it. Otherwise, move on with the game with the hand that you’ve been dealt.
Know when to let go
Football players know when their time is up. You can’t always be in your prime, especially in such a strenuous sport, and you can’t always be in action if you want to maintain the winning streak. Once you’ve passed your peak, it’s time to let the next generation of players fill your slot.
Similarly, to groom your successors at work, you’d need to let go once in a while, and let nature and your past sessions of coaching take its course. Sadly, there are bosses at the workplace who cannot seem to take it down a notch at any given time. They think that by doing this, their authority and respect are undermined.
On a brighter note, a football player would likely not be one of them.
Like this article? Follow us on Facebook to keep up-to-date with our latest insightful articles and career advice.