Explorer’s Blog 17: Leadership Lessons in the World Cup
For the last month, my house has been overtaken by World Cup mania. An array of national flags adorn our family room, a bracket poster - updated regularly - hangs opposite the television, and my two children have taken to wearing, eating, and even sleeping in my husband’s various national soccer jerseys, collected over 30+ years.
In part, this isn’t surprising. I have children who are incredibly keen on sports in general, a husband raised by an English father who taught him to love the beautiful game, and years of living overseas which widened the lens of my own international sports interest, including the ‘real’ football - the truly global sport.
As an international leadership coach and someone curious about the lived human experience, I have been taken not just by the excitement of the games, which have been dramatic in their own right, but also by the spirit of the tournament. There have been stories of American host cities warmly embracing foreign players, famed soccer stars role modelling sportsmanship on a global level, and of course fans cheering on their own teams, other teams, and even recruiting new supporters - I’m looking at you, Tartan Army and Norwegian rowers.
The World Cup is uniquely special. Here we are in the midst of an era of volatility - international wars raging, life threatening heat domes, political upheaval in many nations - and yet we are captivated and uplifted by the spirit of these games.
There are several leadership lessons we can take away from this particular tournament, lessons on how to live and lead better in today’s complex and competitive world. I say that my work brings calm to the chaos, clarity amidst uncertainty, and confidence in one’s leadership, so these tenants will frame the lessons of this moment.
Confidence: trusting a different way of playing the game
Every team in this tournament has their own football philosophy. France successfully adopted the approach of allowing the opposing team to have majority possession but striking strategically when they found the opportunity. Others have relied heavily on defense, which Cabo Verde’s keeper deserves a medal for managing so incredibly well.
None of these varied approaches are wrong. What makes it work is the awareness of what game you’re in, the read on how to optimize play, and not forcing an approach that is inauthentic to that team.
We’ve also seen a different way of playing off the pitch that demonstrates the self-confidence of certain players. Erling Braut Haaland has stepped into his authentic self and onto the world stage. Earlier in his career, Haaland had a reputation for being curt, quiet, unavailable. He gave one word answers at the few press conferences in which he spoke. Whether it was his younger age, less experience, or simply a process of Haaland finding his feet as a soccer personality, he is now a veteran player, surrounded by fellow countrymen he grew up playing with, and has found his voice. He is one of the most successful goal scorers in the Cup so far, and one of the most famed stars.
What makes him special? Haaland does not take himself too seriously - see his silly references to Shrek - he injects fun and joy into his media channels allowing people to connect with him in a different way, and he is confident in his style of play. Some have been critical of how little he touches the ball. That, he says, is by design and part of his strength. He knows and trusts his own way of playing the game.
So what can international leaders learn from this? When you move from a known entity to a new space, it is key to trust yourself and your read on the market, the team, and what’s needed in the moment. When you’re trying to foster trust across cultures, show your personality, connect with curiosity, even inject some play into the team dynamics. Confidence doesn’t come from outside, from a book, article, or podcast. Confidence comes from within you.
Calm and clarity: chaos during the England-Mexico match
If you didn’t catch it live, this was an incredible game of football. Here’s a quick AI recap: “England go up 2-0 in under two minutes, Mexico claw one back before half, then England lose a player to a red card in the 54th minute and have to defend a one-goal lead for the rest of the match in front of 80,000 people at the Azteca.” Once issued a red card, a player cannot return to the game or be replaced, so England was left with 10 players to Mexico’s 11.
England had a plan. Then a red card early in the second half completely changed the field. Their initial plan became irrelevant. Forced to quickly flex, England anticipated Mexico’s push on their goal and subbed in several defenders. Sure enough, England had a historically low 33% possession in the second half with the majority of play right in front of the English box. And yet, despite so many of the odds in Mexico’s favor, they were able to win.
We’ve all been there. You have a plan, a strategy, a concept of what good looks like and suddenly something unexpectedly changes. The uncertainty creeps in, the change is overwhelming, and yet you need to lead. You need to support your team. You need to find the W.
So what can international leaders learn from this? England in that game was a master class of how to remain calm when things don’t go your way and how to effectively adapt while maintaining a clear shared goal. Calm shows up as the discipline not to panic once the numbers change. Clarity shows up as ten players all understanding the same new priority without a timeout to discuss it.
A reminder of our shared humanity at its best
Outside of the 90-minute game, there have been some wonderful stories of players, fans and host cities going out of their way to honor others.
These games have shown us what it looks like to lead with culture. Videos circulated of Latin supporters dancing salsa to Scottish bagpipes, the Japanese team bowing to the crowd, Norwegian fans teaching airplane passengers sitting down an aisle, supporters on streets in the rain, and a stadium full of adopted fans how to row together. Rivalry and warmth are not opposites. Culture is not a list of bullet points. We can hold multitudes. And we work best when we can express, celebrate, and share what it is that makes us who we are.
These games have shown us what it looks like to lead with compassion. I got to witness this first hand after watching Cote d'Ivoire’s win when Ecuador supporters congratulated and celebrated Cote d'Ivoire fans even after the ECU loss in the Group stage. We’ve seen countless examples of winning teams acknowledging their opponents with dignity, red and yellow card recipients respectfully shaking hands with referees, and some supporters even cleaning up after themselves, caring for the stadiums and public spaces they’ve occupied. We are seeing in real time the effect that dignity, respect and care have not just on those involved, but on others in the periphery and even on the wider environment.
These games have shown us what it looks like to lead with curiosity. The Algerian team was warmly welcomed by residents of Lawrence, Kansas where the University marching band performed the Algerian national anthem and townspeople donned Algerian jerseys and flags. World Cup travellers are reveling in tasting new foods, encountering foreign cultures, experiencing kindness and generosity from strangers. In a world that can sometimes feel increasingly nationalistic, as we grapple with the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, these stories are a window into the opportunity of leaning into personal interaction and shared humanity, some encouragement to step out of our comfort zone and into the possibility of connection and joy.
So what can international leaders learn from this? Ritual and shared connection are how teams stay bonded under pressure, how fans are buoyed even after a loss, how you build goodwill and even influence and recruit others to a cause.
All of this - finding one’s voice, a sudden red card, fans singing together across borders, opponents demonstrating respect, celebrating cultural differences and rituals - is simply the World Cup version of challenges and opportunities that my clients face every day - the challenge of trusting your style amidst uncertainty, shifting with unexpected change, leading with curiosity and confident humility. It all comes back to leading with calm, clarity and confidence.
And the tournament is not even over yet! We still have another week of soccer and sportsmanship to enjoy. And I hope that you do. Vamos! Allez! Yalla! Let’s go!
⭐️ I am deeply invested in you being the best leader you can be, and I partner with clients on three things:
✅ Bringing calm to the chaos
✅ Having clarity in decision making
✅ Maintaining confidence in their leadership
That's what you get when you work with me — ✨ calm, clarity, and confidence. Interested? Curious? Know someone who might benefit? Let's explore, together.
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