Leader as a Coach

Abstract

So far we have discussed the parallels between the innovation leader and ­architects and ships’ captains. Now, to complete our discussion, we examine the parallels between the innovation leader and a sports team’s coach. We do this because of the need to create a culture for the innovation firm that nurtures maneuver-driven competition while avoiding the worst aspects of the principle of providential behavior. Doing so requires the nurturing of a set of norms and values that build upon a shared “love-of-problem solving,” yet places the success of the firm as a whole above that of its component teams or individual members. It is no coincidence that individuals who display such behavior are often referred to as “team-players” or “good sports.” The earliest experience most of us have with working in teams occurs within the venue of sports, and many of us follow the exploits of our favorite teams through good times and bad for the rest of our lives. Many authors of organizational science have effectively used sports metaphors to illustrate organizational truths. For example, Peter Senge illustrated his discussion of effective team learning in the Fifth Discipline with examples from Basketball.