What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Leader?” People-oriented? Accountable and Responsible? An Effective communicator? If you can’t think of a perfect word to describe it, keep scrolling down. Having a leadership role entails numerous responsibilities. Some people might doubt your decisions and abilities regardless of how hard you try. Nevertheless, one thing that makes individuals come together is “trust.”
I still remember being thrilled yet embarrassed when the head coach nominated me as captain of my high school soccer team. It was an incredible opportunity and privilege to be provided the responsibility of a liaison between the coach and the team for better game results. However, soccer toned down to statistics at the end of the season. Carelessly, I once thought it was essentially an unproductive sport without winning matches. Eager to rack up wins for my team, I attempted what I thought was a clever strategy and obligated the teammates to follow the rules. And every time we lost the game, I felt a sense of betrayal to my players for not pursuing the principles that “I” made. We were a team, but with a rocky leader.
To reconstruct how soccer fit into our life, my role as captain needed to change. Scheduling individual meetings with each team member, I recognized that even with many variables in everyone’s life, soccer was the only constant. It provided an opportunity to get away from a competitive academic environment and be encouraged to collaborate with others without comparing or concealing. My team hadn’t failed to be a soccer team - I had failed to be the leader I needed to be.
Snapping out of my reverie, I pat the youngest in our team on the back before stepping onto the field, and he glanced over at me, exchanging eye contact. I realized how united my team has become, us growing miles away from what we were in the beginning and who I was as captain: victory-hungry. Recognizing the importance of solidarity and trust within the team has reminded me of why I have pursued soccer in the first place: the adrenaline of feeling my teammates moving in unison around me, trusting them, and, of course, the fun.
As mentioned earlier, there are many responsibilities in being a leader. Sometimes you get overwhelmed by those, and often feel like you’re lost in the middle of the ocean. But be sure to construct “trust” beforehand. Not only in soccer, but in life as a whole, trust is an essential trait that makes someone great. It is the cornerstone of starting everything, whether you’re in a workplace, with family, or even in a relationship. So, put your best effort into making yourself a trustworthy person. Your leadership experience will excel after all.
