🧭 How to Create a Player-Led Team

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Here’s Where We Are Headed Today:

• John Maxwell on Leadership

• How to Develop a Player-Led Team

• Favorite Posts I Found This Week

• Free Mental Fitness Links 👇

How to Develop a Player-Led Team

Today’s post is based on my post on X yesterday where I talked about the power of player-led teams.

What is player-led leadership? Player-led leadership is when individuals within the team take ownership of the process. They drive accountability and set the standard for others through their actions. It goes beyond titles or positions, it’s about ownership and empowerment. It encourages people to lead by example, live the culture, and inspire others.

Why it matters: Player-led leadership is critical because it builds a resilient, adaptable, and high-performing team. Centralized leadership can only take you so far. When leadership comes from within, the entire team becomes more accountable, invested, and self-sufficient.

So where does it come from? It starts with developing leaders and empowering people to be leaders. Developing leaders within your team doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not just about selecting captains or assigning roles. It’s built by creating a culture of ownership, accountability, and empowerment.

• Do you have a plan in place to develop leadership within your team?

• How are you enabling team members to take ownership of key responsibilities?

• Are you actively fostering an environment where leadership is encouraged and supported?

So what do the experts say?

1. Distributed Leadership and Team Performance in Sports (Cotterill and Fransen, 2016): This study explores how leadership in athletes is important for improved performance. When leadership is distributed across multiple players, the team becomes more adaptable and high-performing. It shows that leadership improves collaboration, increases accountability, and improves overall team dynamics. (Link to Study).

2. Jocko Willink’s Extreme Ownership - In Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink emphasizes that leadership isn't about rank or title - it's about taking responsibility. He highlights the importance of leading by example and owning the outcomes, whether successful or not. This principle applies directly to player-led leadership, where each individual must take ownership of their role in the team’s success.

3. David Marquet’s Intent-Based Leadership - David Marquet’s Intent-Based Leadership emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals to make decisions rather than simply following orders. In his "Ladder of Leadership" model, Marquet shows how teams perform better when every member is given authority and responsibility. This approach creates a culture where team members take initiative, lead from their positions, and contribute to the team’s success by proactively driving results instead of waiting for directions.

   

So what can we learn from this?
Leadership isn’t something that can just be centralized. It’s not realistic to expect one person to control everything. In a team, it’s essential to distribute leadership, giving people the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves and the team. When leadership is spread across multiple people, it strengthens the team’s ability to overcome challenges and perform at a high level.

How Can We Implement This?

1. Talk About Leadership and Set Clear Expectations - Start with open discussions about the importance of player-led leadership. Clearly explain what leadership means on your team and the behaviors you expect to see. This lays the foundation for everyone to understand their role in leading by example.

2. Enable and Empower Team Members to Lead - Allow players to take ownership by delegating meaningful responsibilities. Give them the autonomy to make decisions and guide parts of the process. This builds their confidence and strengthens their leadership capabilities.

3. Model Accountability and Ownership - Lead by example by taking responsibility for both successes and failures. Demonstrate how to handle adversity and stay focused on team goals. This helps set the tone for how team members should lead themselves and others.

4. Create Leadership Opportunities in Different Settings - Introduce formal and informal leadership opportunities for team members, such as mentoring younger players, leading drills, or organizing team events. This provides practical leadership experience in various contexts.

5. Evaluate Leadership Growth and Give Constructive Feedback - Regularly evaluate how individuals are stepping up as leaders. Offer constructive feedback and praise for improvements. This helps develop leadership skills over time and ensures that leadership is an ongoing focus for the team.

Favorite Posts I Found This Week

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