I have had a lot of life experience in leadership roles.
My first experience was in Army Cadets from 2006-2012. Also, I have been a ball hockey player and captain for many years. I started hockey in 2011 and still play to this day.
Currently I’m a peer support worker in the mental health field. Leadership is something I have been able to practice for many years.
In cadets I learned the importance of leading by example. I was the Sergeant Major of my unit in 2012, and was also a staff cadet in the summers of 2011 and 2012.
The most important thing to do as a leader is walk the walk.
As a ball hockey captain, I took pride in leading a hard working and physical team that would compete in both regular season and playoffs.
The reason I was a successful captain wasn’t because of goals or assists. It was because I could lead the charge with my intensity and work ethic. I had teammates that were better at putting points on the board. I had other teammates that would grind and play hard minutes.
My best moment as a captain was leading my 8th place Ottawa Knights to an upset over the 1st place team. I knew the opponent was expecting to win the cup.
We squeaked into the playoffs and I instilled confidence in my teammates. We won the game 9-7 because we outworked the opponent. I have always played hockey with intensity and commitment to defense.
In cadets I demonstrated dedication and was almost perfect with attendance. This showed the other cadets the importance of dedication. I strived to lead by example. I didn’t have to talk much to gain the respect of the cadets around me.
Leadership is about example above all else.
You also have to have the empathy to understand the people you are leading. Asking them what their goals are and working with their self-interest is also key. Effective leaders are able to put themselves in the shoes of the people they are leading. Leadership requires you to understand people.
Your vision for the people under your leadership needs to have something in common with their vision. Rallying a team around a common goal or goals is a huge part of getting buy in from your people.
Fear based leadership is going to get buy in as well, but for the wrong reasons. If your people can’t talk to you openly and share their points you won’t get the most out of them. Coaches in hockey can often be hard nosed but they have a much shorter shelf life than a players coach would.
To sum it up, your example matters above all else. You don’t have to say much if you set a good example. Empathy is also a major part of effective leadership.
To your success,
Angus