Autocratic or Democratic: What type of team captain do you want to be this fall?
Autocratic or Democratic: What type of team captain do you want to be this fall?
By Emily Cohn
As a leadership studies major in college, one of the most influential pieces of knowledge I learned was that the best leaders do not seek out leadership positions. They may not even have any interest in leading, but know that they must because they are the best equipped for the position. I think about this often and try to help athletes understand this in regard to themselves, captains of their own team, or even coaches with whom communication is a struggle. As the fall sport seasons are quickly upon us, and there is still a vast amount of uncertainty of what that will even mean for many athletes, teams may be looking to their captains now more than ever. So, what does it mean to be a team captain? I hope this article will help you decide not only what leadership style you may wish to take if you are in this role, but also help you determine who on your team you should be looking to for leadership.
Leadership is often preceded with words like “good” or “bad.” In reality a leader should be adaptable and the best fit for the organization they are working within and the goals they are trying to achieve. While there are about ten commonly referenced leadership styles and countless articles, for the purposes of this post I would like to focus on just two and use Michael Jordan and Steph Curry as examples. Autocratic and Democratic leadership styles (although there are many more and this is a vast over-simplification) are good initial points of understanding who you want to be as a leader. Michael Jordan will serve as a reference point of Autocratic leadership and Steph Curry will help us understand Democratic leadership.
Autocratic leaders are those who are strictly goal oriented and are unlikely to work with members of the organization to make decisions. There may be one or two people an autocratic leader will confide in, but in general it is their way or the highway. In the “Last Dance,” it was clear that Michael Jordan’s teammates feared him. They dreaded practicing with him, and some would even say they were verbally abused by him. However, in the end they rose to his level of play and were able to win championships. Scottie Pippen acknowledged that he had the raw talent, and it was not until Jordan pushed him hard and forced a strict work ethic upon him, that he was able to play to his full potential.
Steph Curry, on the other hand, is more of a lead by example, supportive captain who allows for a more Democratic and collaborative team style which also fosters championships. Democratic leaders (as the title implies) work with teammates to discuss steps to take toward reaching a goal and ensure that all team members feel their voices are heard. Steph Curry is more focused on team success than personal accolades. Even though there is no documentary about the Golden State Warriors, the Democratic style can be seen in the way that Steph Curry plays. His desire to pass the ball rather than take the shot himself shows the participatory nature of his leadership and his reliance on his teammates.
As I said before, there are many other leadership styles to choose from, but in general, autocratic and democratic are good starting points to decide what type of leader you would like to be. Would you like to tell your teammates what to do and expect those results or would you like to discuss with your teammates and work together toward that goal. Depending on your team and your team goals make sure you choose a leadership style that fits your personality. Never pick a style that feels unnatural to you. Also look toward leaders you have worked with in the past to understand who had the most impact and resonated with you. Would you do better playing with a Michael Jordan or a Steph Curry? Answer that and you are on the road to figuring out what type of leader you would want to be.