Wisdom from the trenches:
“Captaincy is about empowerment, about making your players responsible fot their actions and, in turn, accountable. It’s about treating everyone equally but differently by recognising there are varied characters and personalities who need to express their individual flair and instincts inside the ultimate team vision. It’s about setting an example and not expecting anything of your players that you aren’t willing to do yourself. It’s about mentoring and at times protecting individuals, and taking on their problems so that the team will benefit. You must recognise mistakes and not be above criticism, and be prepared to swallow your own pride in order to move on. Crucially, its about seeing the good in people and focusing on the positives and the things you can control. It’s making sure your time managment is spot on and that you continue to earn your place in the side. At times for me it was about being an advisor, psychologist, mate, mentor, mediator, selector, mouthpiece and politician.”
Everything up until know I agree with, and think is useful to think about minstry, especially in teams. The lats line of the quote is where I would differ…
“Above all, it was about being me and doing it my way.”
Steve Waugh, Out of My Comfort Zone (Camberwell, Vic: Penguin, 2005), 668-9.
In Anticipation 