A leadership analogy

By Lama Tassabehji---

A soccer team captain and Outlook's editor-in-chief are in somewhat similar positions. How? you might ask. They both lead, and are part of a team of workers working to achieve the same goal. The soccer team captain's main goals are to win a match, to improve old skills, and to acquire new ones, all for the benefit of the entire team. For the Outlook editor-in-chief, the goals are to make sure worthy stories are covered, to get Outlook published, to acquire new and creative designs, and to recruit new writers. Teamwork is the major similarity between an editor-in-chief and a team captain. A soccer team consists of main players, or starters, and then there are the "bench warmers" or the reserve players, who help out when the main players are either tired or injured. For a bench warmer to become an active main team player, he has to prove himself to his teammates and show that he is good at achieving the team's goal. Logically, step one would be to become a main player through talent and qualification. Another way would be if there were not a sufficient number of main players and a bench warmer had to be chosen by default. Once the bench warmer is an active player, the second step would be to prove to the team that he is the one who most qualifies for the position of team captain. Logically, either the team members should choose their team captain, or the team's coach, who was most probably an ex-team captain himself. All the steps the bench warmer undertakes are initiatives to become part of the team. The only other way a bench warmer can suddenly emerge as the team captain would be if all the old players left the team at the same time. The major difference between the two leaders has to do with their election to their leadership position. Obviously you might say one is a team sport and one is a publication. But considering aspects of working towards a goal and improving performance by using creativity and routine, their jobs resemble each other. Outlooks' editor-in-chief should be chosen from among the editorial board members by the editorial board members, who in this case are considered the "main players." The former editor-in-chief, who is like the "coach," can choose the editor-in-chief. Staff writers, who in this case are like the bench warmers cannot be chosen, but may choose from among the main players, one whom they believe has proven to be qualified and deserving of the leadership role.