I'll be honest: I know very about little about football. Offside rule? Something to do with stopping players from simply hanging around the opponent’s goal line to score. But every four years, there are no surprises about who I'll be cheering for at the World Cup. And this summer is no different 🏴
So while everyone else watches the tactics, I find myself watching the team. And it turns out a squad of 26 chasing one trophy is a masterclass in organisational behaviour.
A few things I keep noticing: A team isn't just talented individuals stacked together: You can have the best striker in the world (hello, Harry Kane), but if the midfield and defence aren't pulling in the same direction, the talent goes nowhere. Psychologists call it "process loss" - the gap between what a group could achieve and what it actually does. Most underperforming teams aren't short on ability. They're short on coordination.
Roles beat heroes: A goalkeeper isn't trying to score. A defender isn't trying to do the striker's job. Everyone knows their role, trusts the person next to them to do theirs, and the whole thing holds together. Role clarity is one of the most underrated predictors of team performance - at Wembley and in the office.
Psychological safety wins tournaments: The teams that go far tend to be the ones where a young player can take a risk, miss, and not get frozen out. Where people own mistakes instead of hiding them. That's not "soft" - it's the foundation of high-performing teams, backed by years of research.
Shared identity does the heavy lifting: Pull on the same shirt, point at the same goal, and suddenly people sacrifice individual glory for collective success. The best managers don't just pick players - they build a sense of "us."
You don't need to understand football to learn from it. Whatever you're leading this week, the question is the same one every manager faces: have you built a group of talented individuals, or an actual team?
Come on England 🦁
Drop your non sport related thoughts on the world cup 👇
By any normal measure, Lewis Hamilton has nothing left to prove.
But even people at the very top of their game can have moments of self-doubt, especially when they step into something new.
A new team.
A new culture.
A new way of working.
A new set of expectations.
And honestly, careers are no different.
You can start a new job and suddenly feel like a beginner again.
You can go for a promotion and question whether you are really ready.
You can leave a team where you were known, trusted and respected, and feel exposed having to prove yourself somewhere new.
You can move country and realise your experience still matters, but the rules of the game feel different.
That does not mean you are not capable.
It means you are adapting.
One rejection does not erase your track record.
One difficult interview does not mean you are bad at interviews.
One uncomfortable transition does not mean you are on the wrong path.
Your skills do not disappear just because you are in a new room.
They just need translating into a new context.
When self-doubt hits, do not treat it as a verdict.
Treat it as information.
Ask yourself:
What exactly am I finding difficult? Is this a capability issue, or an adjustment issue? What small action would help me rebuild confidence? Because most self-doubt grows when it stays vague.
And if someone with 106 wins can have a wobble, maybe your wobble is not proof that you are failing.
Maybe it is proof that you are doing something brave.
Back yourself.
Let the fear come with you, but do not let it drive you 🚘
Drop a comment below with your biggest self doubt.
Your Career Toolkit
I'll be honest: I know very about little about football. Offside rule? Something to do with stopping players from simply hanging around the opponent’s goal line to score. But every four years, there are no surprises about who I'll be cheering for at the World Cup. And this summer is no different 🏴
So while everyone else watches the tactics, I find myself watching the team. And it turns out a squad of 26 chasing one trophy is a masterclass in organisational behaviour.
A few things I keep noticing:
A team isn't just talented individuals stacked together:
You can have the best striker in the world (hello, Harry Kane), but if the midfield and defence aren't pulling in the same direction, the talent goes nowhere. Psychologists call it "process loss" - the gap between what a group could achieve and what it actually does. Most underperforming teams aren't short on ability. They're short on coordination.
Roles beat heroes:
A goalkeeper isn't trying to score. A defender isn't trying to do the striker's job. Everyone knows their role, trusts the person next to them to do theirs, and the whole thing holds together. Role clarity is one of the most underrated predictors of team performance - at Wembley and in the office.
Psychological safety wins tournaments:
The teams that go far tend to be the ones where a young player can take a risk, miss, and not get frozen out. Where people own mistakes instead of hiding them. That's not "soft" - it's the foundation of high-performing teams, backed by years of research.
Shared identity does the heavy lifting:
Pull on the same shirt, point at the same goal, and suddenly people sacrifice individual glory for collective success. The best managers don't just pick players - they build a sense of "us."
You don't need to understand football to learn from it. Whatever you're leading this week, the question is the same one every manager faces: have you built a group of talented individuals, or an actual team?
Come on England 🦁
Drop your non sport related thoughts on the world cup 👇
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies
Your Career Toolkit
106 wins.
206 podiums.
104 pole positions.
7 world championships.
And still human.
By any normal measure, Lewis Hamilton has nothing left to prove.
But even people at the very top of their game can have moments of self-doubt, especially when they step into something new.
A new team.
A new culture.
A new way of working.
A new set of expectations.
And honestly, careers are no different.
You can start a new job and suddenly feel like a beginner again.
You can go for a promotion and question whether you are really ready.
You can leave a team where you were known, trusted and respected, and feel exposed having to prove yourself somewhere new.
You can move country and realise your experience still matters, but the rules of the game feel different.
That does not mean you are not capable.
It means you are adapting.
One rejection does not erase your track record.
One difficult interview does not mean you are bad at interviews.
One uncomfortable transition does not mean you are on the wrong path.
Your skills do not disappear just because you are in a new room.
They just need translating into a new context.
When self-doubt hits, do not treat it as a verdict.
Treat it as information.
Ask yourself:
What exactly am I finding difficult?
Is this a capability issue, or an adjustment issue?
What small action would help me rebuild confidence?
Because most self-doubt grows when it stays vague.
And if someone with 106 wins can have a wobble, maybe your wobble is not proof that you are failing.
Maybe it is proof that you are doing something brave.
Back yourself.
Let the fear come with you, but do not let it drive you 🚘
Drop a comment below with your biggest self doubt.
2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 1
View 0 replies