Danny Care (Harlequins and England rugby star) was interviewed this month on Radio 4 Today programme talking about his autobiography ‘Everything Happens for a Reason’.
He talked candidly about the impact on him of working with the England head coach at the time Eddie Jones, a coach well known for his strong autocratic leadership style.
What really caught my attention was how Care spoke about the devasting moment he was dropped by Jones after questioning his judgement. Yes, Jones delivered results, but Care goes on to say, the team lived in fear of his “terrifying” coaching style.
Jones used what I think of as a legacy leadership style to enhance immediate performance gains but at what long term cost to the team and the individual player morale? Listening to Dare, I sense he felt there could – and should – have been another way. Perhaps the approach taken by Gareth Southgate who describes his own coaching style as leading with empathy and empowerment or that taken by Sarina Wiegman who champions culture and communication within a safe psychological space.
There is a lot to be learnt from the high performing world of sports and the cross over into coaching and life – and Care’s account speaks to my own work on Positive Leadership.
Over the years working with businesses across all sectors, from startups to those with billion-dollar turnover, it has become clear to me that the most powerful way to achieve long-term, sustainable business success is to lead through a positive leadership model.
Great leaders listen more, they ask questions, they create diversity, and they are at ease. They don’t talk over others or assume superiority; they criticize less and don’t need to control to win.
Of course, some of you will tell me that on certain metrics (% matches won) Jones was the most successful ever England rugby coach. You might also point to Jones’ own account of his approach, and I would love to explore his book on Leadership at another time.
As with most things in life, great leadership is all about balance. In times of emergency that balance might shift towards the control leadership styles, returning to a more positive leadership style as soon as practicable.
If you feel that leadership balance isn’t in the right place for you, Get in Touch to see how we could work on that together.
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Notes
I would encourage anyone interested in this consideration of positive leadership skills to read Nancy Klein’s groundbreaking book ‘The Listening Environment’. Klein sets the scene for creating a way of leading that transforms business performance by simply changing the way people interact – what she calls her Thinking Environment.
Klein’s Thinking Environment is at the heart of the type of Business Coach I am and the Positive Leadership Model I have developed.
Image credit: Harlequins
