On –Leadership, Captain and Beyond.

Let’s roll out the academics and see what the definitions say.  Let it be known, I am not trying to bash Rick Nash here.

 Wikipedia, – Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

 Hockey Captain also from Wikipedia -According to  National Hockey League (NHL) rules, the only player allowed to speak with referees about rule interpretations is the captain, or, if the captain is not on the ice, an alternate captain. Although the rules do not specify any other distinction between the captain and his teammates, the captain has numerous responsibilities to the team, particularly in North American professional hockey. The captain is a dressing room leader, and also represents the players’ concerns to management.  During the game, captains are expected to motivate their teams, particularly captains who are stars or franchise players.
The captain is often considered the primary representative of the team to the public.

A sports team captain  says” Perhaps nowhere is the importance of good leadership as apparent as in a sports team. A good sports team captain can lead his team to success and recognition; and can help a moderate team play better; whereas a weak captain with poor leadership skills can hinder a teams chances of competing and bonding successfully.

Why Is A Good Sports Team Captain Important?An analysis done by various coaches showed that although there are a variety of reasons why teams do not achieve their potential and ended their seasons early- such as injuries, conditioning, poor officiating and eligibility- the main reason is lack of good leadership. And while leadership does come from coaches, the real leaders come from within the team itself so selecting a good team captain is vitally important.”

While much has been said about “we don’t know what goes on in the room” it is apparent from above that the 2 functions are not quite the same and are not confined to a room. They are dynamic and visible. They are open to style, skill, and technique. Nash has shown his ability to lead by example–We’ve all seen that, as our star puts the team on his shoulders and we win. But — one way to put it: Ecclesiastes 3  GOD’S WORD® Translation (©1995)  -Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven

I believe that Rick Nash’s time as a captain has gone. If he should return next year, he should either resign as Captain, with a “team needs a new culture and this is my part” statement . Or retain the “C” for ceremonial purposes and let the new team leaders go forth to slay many dragons. Of course, he may not return next year, issue resolved. But it is apparent that leaders do not need a “C” or an “A” to be leaders and vice versa. I think it is safe to say that new leaders are moving in.

Note that the above academician’s descriptions say nothing about being liked, or even respected, which would be my first guess as a quality of a leader. So let’s look at a couple more definitions:

Leadership Definition : Peter Drucker : The forward to the Drucker Foundation’s “The Leader of the Future” sums up leadership : “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.” To gain followers requires influence (see John Maxwell’s definition below) but doesn’t exclude the lack of integrity in achieving this. Indeed, it can be argued that several of the world’s greatest leaders have lacked integrity and have adopted values that would not be shared by many people today.

Leadership Definition : John C Maxwell : In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell sums up his definition of leadership as “leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” This moves beyond the position defining the leader, to looking at the ability of the leader to influence others

Still wide open, “influence, followers” let’s see what else comes to light?

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“Don’t be afraid to take a big step when one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small steps.” David Lloyd George Quotes on Leadership Character“Charisma becomes the undoing of leaders. It makes them inflexible, convinced of their own infallibility, unable to change.” – Peter F. Drucker “A single lie destroys a whole reputation for integrity.” – Baltasar Gracian

“Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy.” – Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.” – Albert Schweitzer

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” –  Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I am certainly not one of those who need to be prodded. In fact, if anything, I am the prod.” – Sir Winston Churchill

“Be willing to make decisions. That’s the most important quality in a good leader.” – General George S. Patton Jr.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy Quotes on Leadership and Management : “People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. . . . The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” – Theodore Roosevel “You manage things; you lead people.” – Grace Murray Hopper Quotes on Leadership and Empowerment “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nadar “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” – Harvey S. Firestone “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the conviction and will to carry on.” – Walter Lippman

Interesting, you can’t be a leader if you don’t know where to go. You have to be a prod. You have to have character. You have to grow other people.

And the final quote:

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the conviction and will to carry on.” – Walter Lippman

We’ll revisit this topic in another post.

We want the Cup

We Want The Cup