{"id":8496,"date":"2023-09-06T15:56:49","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T15:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.headlandconsultancy.com\/international\/?post_type=insight&p=8496"},"modified":"2023-09-14T11:21:39","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T11:21:39","slug":"what-lioness-leadership-can-teach-ceos","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.headlandconsultancy.com\/international\/insight\/what-lioness-leadership-can-teach-ceos\/","title":{"rendered":"What lioness leadership can teach CEOs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Having just lost her second consecutive World Cup final, Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman might have been forgiven for feeling more than a little sorry for herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as she collected her award as Women\u2019s Coach of the Year at the draw for the Men\u2019s Champion\u2019s League last week, she instead paid tribute to the Spain team who\u2019d denied her the chance to exorcise the pain of four years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Referring to the behaviour of Spanish Football\u2019s President Luis Rubiales when he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the match, Wiegman said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018We all know the issues around the Spanish team and it really hurts me as a coach as a mother of two daughters, as a wife and as a human being and it shows\u2026\u2026..that the game has grown so much but there is also still a long way to go in Women\u2019s Football and in society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u2018And I would like to dedicate this award to the Spanish team, the team that played at the World Cup such good football that everyone enjoyed.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018This team deserves to be celebrated and to be listened to. I am going to give them a big round of applause and I hope you will join me.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her comments in front of a largely male audience were applauded and in the days since, has served to heap more pressure on authorities and figures within the men\u2019s game particularly to do more. That is something that does seem to be happening: witness the the sacking of Spanish coach Jorge Vilda this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watching Wiegman speak, I found myself moved by what she said \u2013 and how she said it. As someone who helps leaders of large organisations say the right thing and strike the right tone \u2013 I thought I\u2019d try and unpick why her short, profound speech had such an impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First: the context. Here she is days after her biggest career disappointment and she\u2019s still able to be clearheaded enough to see the bigger picture and prioritise others. She\u2019s collecting an award and still not making this moment about her. She sees an opportunity to use that moment and that platform to reach a key audience with an important message. For her, it\u2019s clear the issue is about women everywhere and the women\u2019s game that she loves. And that includes lifting up the Spain team that has just knocked her team down. Itwould have been so easy for her to refer to or make a joke about Spain beating England to perhaps lighten the tone, but she didn\u2019t. Her tone is serious. Message: this is serious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Second: her delivery. She\u2019s calm and speaks slowly, which increases her authority. She doesn\u2019t sound like a campaigner or someone trying to convince or win us over – and that\u2019s arguably why she does and she gives her opinion (shared by many) as if it is fact. She doesn\u2019t use words like \u2018I think\u2019 or \u2018You should.\u2019 Instead, she uses phrases that offer certainty like \u2018There is\u2019, \u2018We all know\u2019 and \u2018This team deserves.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just as she doesn\u2019t sound like a campaigner in her tone, she also doesn\u2019t lecture or blame. It would have been too easy to use the palpable public anger to garner support by demonising Rubiales. Instead, she puts the responsibility on everyone and calls out the bigger problem \u2013 \u2018there is still a long way to go in Women\u2019s Football and in society.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019s also vulnerable and brave: brave to enter a primarily male space and use this moment to speak up and call out the behaviour \u2013 not everyone would \u2013 and vulnerable as a leader to share how she feels and why. \u2018it really hurts me as a coach as a mother of two daughters, as a wife and as a human being.\u2019 <\/em>She\u2019s immediately giving us both vulnerability and information about herself that makes her more human and more relatable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To end she invites (not implores or demands) the audience in the room to join her in a gesture she says she is going to make. \u2018I am going to give them a big round of applause and I hope you will join me.\u2019 <\/em>Again this is real leadership, committing to doing something herself without any expectation that others will do the same \u2013 and simply inviting people to join her.  It\u2019s the way she invites solidarity, rather than demands it that means the room erupts to loud applause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in summary, if you are looking to lead on an issue and take people with you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n


First \u2013 don\u2019t make it about you \u2013 make it about something bigger<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second \u2013 use the language of leadership \u2013 speak with certainty, clarity and humility  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third \u2013 don\u2019t blame others or look for excuses \u2013 bring people together behind a common mission<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourth \u2013 Be vulnerable \u2013 make it personal and share something of yourself<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five \u2013 Leadership takes bravery \u2013 when you take the first step there\u2019s always a risk others won\u2019t follow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course if you are looking to level up your Leadership Communications for someone in your team \u2013 get in touch with us at leadershipcoaching@headlandconsultancy.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more <\/em>Insights & News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having just lost her second consecutive World Cup final, Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman might have been forgiven for feeling more than a little sorry for herself. But as she collected her award as Women\u2019s Coach of the Year at the draw for the Men\u2019s Champion\u2019s League last week, she instead paid tribute to the Spain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8502,"menu_order":0,"template":"","services":[28],"sectors":[],"class_list":["post-8496","insight","type-insight","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","services-leadership-coaching"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat lioness leadership can teach CEOs - Headland International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Having just lost her second consecutive World Cup final, Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman might have been forgiven for feeling more...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What lioness leadership can teach CEOs - 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