Ken Way, a sports psychologist and business coach, offers 10 tips for winning leadership
Business and sports psychology are about performing at your best, and the underlying psychological factors required for optimum performance in both areas are similar. Here are 10 tips on how to become a winning leader.
1. Golden touch. Are you excited by the challenges you face? Does your adrenaline flow at the thought of yet more problems coming your way? One key difference between Olympic medallists and those who don't make the podium is their attitude towards the less pleasant aspects of training. Gold-medal winners talk of "loving the pain" and "enjoying the challenge" while also-rans often consider any tough test a battle. Are you a gold-medal leader? If not, don't worry. Learn to change your attitude by recognising how you should behave towards external events.
2. In the zone? Great sports performers understand what it means to operate from within "the zone". What are the characteristics that differentiate you working at your best from times when performance is average? Try to understand and adjust the controllable elements needed for optimum performance.
3. A question of trust. Your level of trust in other people is almost certainly reciprocated. That's fine, if you trust them—but what if you don't? Without trust, it will be difficult to lead. Trust is the cornerstone of building a great team. Work together to find common ground but recognise that it won't happen overnight.
4. Don't fear failure. No doubt you usually phrase ambitions in positive language—but this may not be as motivational as you think. Motivation can be assessed by fear of failure and the need for achievement. Many talented people are held back because they're worried about failing, but coaching techniques can be used to manage anxiety.
5. Praise the effort not the person. You will inspire your team members much more if you praise their effort and energy in completing a task rather than an individual's natural talent.
6. Turn up the optimism. Talent is not the sole ingredient that will take a person to the top-attitude and resilience are vital, too. Ensure that you develop optimism among those you lead. They will then respond positively to failure and become more determined.
7. Even leaders get scared. Everyone is anxious at some time—for example, at an interview, making a difficult presentation, taking an exam, or making a tricky phone call. Interrupt this pattern as often and as early as you can by focusing on breathing deeply, slowly and evenly, staying calm and focusing your eyes in a way that allows you to become more aware of peripheral vision. It's impossible for stress to kick in when your eyes are "defocused" in this way.
8. Use your senses. Setting out a vision for your company, department or team should be done using a sensory-rich description of what employees will experience. Detailing the things they will see, hear and feel will make your vision come alive. It's a technique that will allow them to fully appreciate your ideas.
9. Have a clear vision. Ensure you have a measure of the confidence in your team or an individual before embarking on ideas that may stretch them.
10. Describe the road ahead. Focusing solely on the goal can be like eating fast-food meals—they never really sustain. In setting out your vision, take care to signpost the journey, including how obstacles will be met and how they will be overcome.
Ken Way is author of Mental Mastery: Tried and tested techniques for exceptional sports performance
