Why do we keep hiring leaders for everything except their ability to lead?
Very few companies promote managers, let alone directors or VPs, because of their leadership skills. Instead, we prioritize domain knowledge and their ability to succeed in an entirely different role.
If you were a top accountant, congrats—you’re now an accounting manager. Did you crush your quota again and again? Welcome to sales leadership.
We put people into leadership roles without experience, give them little-to-no coaching, and then expect them to magically get it.
And we wonder why we have so many terrible managers in our organizations. 🤦🏼♀️
The skills you need to be a great accountant, seller, or software engineer are not the same skills you need to be an effective manager.
I was reminded of this after reading this article (login required) about Natalie Nakase, the coach of the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries team.
As a first-year expansion team, the Valkyries had zero expectation of making the playoffs. But they did—and Nakase won the coach of the year award for it.
The Valkyries’ incredible season is a tremendous example of why leadership matters.
Nakase played at UCLA and professionally in Germany before an injury ended her career. But it wasn’t her playing experience that drove the Valkyries to win.
It was her competitiveness, extreme preparedness, and the exceptionally high standards she holds for herself—and for those around her. She knew exactly what needed to be done, and how to execute on it.
Coach Nakase understood not only the game, but importantly, the people who played it. She knew when she could push them, and when they needed to rest. When to fire them up, and when to hand out hugs.
She knew when to lead from the front with a fiery motivational speech, and when to stand with her team and join them in a celebratory locker room dance.
Whether in basketball or in our organizations, leadership is far less about the domain we’re overseeing and far more about:
Charting the right course and helping your team get there
Setting and holding high standards for yourself and others
Understanding what each team member needs and when they need it
Knowing when to lead from the front, the back, or in the trenches with your team
Leading by example—asking no more of your team than you’d give yourself
Just imagine: what could your organization do if you had a Coach Nakase at the helm?
Bad managers aren’t entirely to blame—organizations set them up to fail. But we’ve been suffering under them for far too long, nonetheless.
It’s time to treat leadership as the unique discipline it is … and actually invest in it.
Bonus reads: Your org may not be a huge help, but I’ve got your back. Here are some tips for making the transition to leadership a smoother one:
