The Surprising Lessons from Elite Sports Leaders
Discovering the power of subtle leadership and what it means for success in business.
Hello there,
The summer season seems to be flying by and I’ve enjoyed many beautiful days and fine scenery!
My friend Dakota told me that it’s reasonable not to write as much when the weather is so nice… but I have too many notes from reading, listening, and reflecting not to share. Fortunately I carved out some time to compile these lessons from a book endorsed by the incredible athlete Paul Rabil - enjoy!
Summer adventures included a nice sunny trip to San Diego to the aquarium, zoo, multiple taco shops, and one of our favorite trail to run: South Fortuna Mountain
What We Can Learn From Great Team Captains
Could the key to leadership be found in the quietest member of the team? The shared traits among top team captains oppose the common image of an amazing leader.
I recently finished reading The Captain Class, and in it Sam Walker examines the world's most successful sports teams. He identifies a common thread, but it’s not the renowned coaches or star players.
The best teams have amazing captains, most of whom share traits that apply directly to leadership in business. Here are three key lessons from the book:
1) Small actions have a big impact
Instead of one grand gesture, it’s small, consistent actions that drive significant impact. Tim Duncan, who carried the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA championships, demonstrated a quiet leadership style as captain.
During critical moments, he subtly encouraged and motivated his teammates through small gestures—like a pat on the back or a few supportive words. These micro-interactions, much like minor course corrections, ensure a team's long-term success.
2) Motivating speeches are just in the movies
Big, dramatic speeches are often over-hyped in popular culture. In reality, consistent performance and leading by example are more effective for motivating teams.
Captains inspire by playing hard even when injured, running alongside their teammates, and engaging in one-on-one interactions.
It makes for an emotional scene in a film, but consistency carries much further than a burst of encouraging words.
3) The top sports leaders aren’t superstars
The best team captains tend to be outshone by other players in statistics and performance. For example, the Brazilian national soccer team chose to never make Pelé their captain, believing the roles of a star player and a team leader were distinct.
Even Michael Jordan's success with the Bulls depended on his co-captain, Bill Cartwright. After Cartwright joined, he provided the balance and leadership needed for the team to win multiple NBA championships.
The biggest takeaway for me connects to countless examples of business leaders, from Alan Mulally to Tobias Lutke. The most humble leaders tend to perform best because they understand the importance of getting out of the way.
Worthy & Remarkable
This six-in-one charging cable you didnt know you needed has raised $242k - I guess if phone case brands exist, so why not one for cables?!
This YouTube video about the famous song Money For Nothing includes some fun MTV history and a ton of fascinating details
Adidas released an interview video with Janja Garnbret, who has won all the women’s climbing competitions in the past few years
Toby Roberts lead climbing in the Olympics to win gold - great highlight!
One Thing from Me
I have moved on from Logitech (after three years, wow!) and through some reflecting I have one standout lesson from the amazing people I met. It boils down to a simple concept: the top performers in a big organization are the best communicators.
Whenever I joined a meeting with a new group there was always one person who delivered information more clearly than anyone else. And nearly every time that person held a leadership position.
When you hear someone confidently explain things in a simple manner, it puts you at ease. I guess I could have just revisited this famous quote from Albert Einstein:
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
So what’s next for me?! I’m focused on building Megabeta Climbing, delivering technical bags for urban climbers. First up is our on-shelf launch in November, and then on to the holiday season!
Simplifyingly,
Jono
PS - this revelation made me laugh out loud while also making me groan.
