OWP liVe REPORT

8

of the issues and can articulate things simply. They can also create an integrated approach. Their ideas are integrated into practices, so we practice the key techniques and ideas again and again, allowing them to emerge “naturally” during the game. For any leader, an integrated approach meant walking the talk, aligning the structure, the processes and the rewards, Whether a trainer of a team, a captain with colleagues, or a chief executive with a team of fellow leaders, success depends on trust. At the highest levels of sport, or corporate life, weakness, uncertainty or excessive self-doubt would be ruthlessly exposed – and potentially fatal given the danger of losing focus. As a goalkeeper, one was viciously exposed. Successfully defending penalties required intense self-belief. “I would think I was invincible, the best in the world. The person kicking the ball was just wasting his time.” But ego, of course, could also prove destructive if not channelled and put to a common effort with shared goals. “The best teams I played in, they had captains everywhere. On the pitch, all need to step up.” This ‘owner mentality’, in the words of moderator Manzoni, is also a key attribute in business. and making sure all the signals sent reinforced the simple-yet-powerful underlying message.

“There’s eleven of us and, of course, a coach but each of us is somehow in charge and shows up,” Manzoni said.

No progress without mistakes and learning

Despite the self-confidence required on the field, Schmeichel recognised the importance of learning. Dwelling on problems during an intense 90-minute soccer game was definitely inadvisable, he said. After the game, however, he emphasised the need to reflect on what one had done well and less well. Regarding aspects done less well, one must then identify other possible ways to do them and practice hard to improve. “If you’ve made a mistake, you need to move on immediately. If you start to dwell on it and feel sorry for yourself, the next mistake will happen.” The trick is to endeavour to rectify matters after the heat of battle, whether by practice or other means. “I don’t think you can progress at all without making mistakes. I don’t see adversity as a negative, but as an opportunity to develop, as a positive”, he said. Those words are a lesson for life. “If you want to stay on top, you have to keep up. Lifelong learning is just as relevant in sport as in any other pursuit. It is a must,” Schmeichel concluded.