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A leadership tragedy involving approximately 40 teenage girls occurred today on a soccer field in Burnaby, British Columbia.
As a leadership strategist, my job is to help people and organizations understand the many nuances of leadership. Like a chef who critiques every dish, even when I’m having dinner with friends after hours, I’m compelled to evaluate the leadership situation wherever I go.
At Burnaby Lake West Sports Complex I experienced deep disappointment in leadership, the food was raw, the meal was awful and the overall experience was a leadership disaster.
As a parent and leadership strategist, I empathize with the players and their families and see the potential lost in this moment.
The British Columbia School Sports Provincial Championships are underway for several spring sports, including AA girls soccer, and as the father of one of the players (let's be honest), I have a huge interest in the outcome.
A hard-fought semi-final match between SMUS and Crofton House School ended in a 1-1 draw. As someone who likes to know the facts first and foremost, I read the tournament rulebook the morning before the match.
Leadership Failure #1: Lack of Presence
The rulebook states: “In the event of a tie in the championship draw (after the round robin), two 7.5 minute extra times will be played. If the score is still tied at the end of extra time, penalty shots will be played (FIFA rules).” Makes sense, doesn't it?
Imagine my surprise when, at the end of the SMUS vs. Crofton House School match, the referee told the coaches that the game would soon go to penalty kicks.
“No way,” I told a helpful parent on the sideline. “This is the semifinals. It has to go into overtime.”
But it didn't matter. Five players from each team were selected and the shootout began.
Leadership Mistake #2: Lack of Preparation
It was a tight match. In the end, SMUS won, and of course there was jubilation. The next day, they played their final match for the gold medal. I received a congratulatory hug from my daughter and then headed off to a meeting at the hotel.
Thirty minutes later, word came that the opposing team's coach had protested. They hadn't followed the rulebook and the coach was adamant that extra time should be played. Can you imagine that?
About an hour later, British Columbia school sports officials decided that not only did they have to play extra time, but if the game was still tied 1-1 after extra time, the penalty kick would have to be redone – and the original penalty kick forgotten.
You can now imagine how the young women of SMUS felt: they were still celebrating their big win of advancing to the Gold Medal Game, when suddenly they were informed that their efforts and victory may be undone due to some leadership incompetence.
I'm sure you know what happened next.
In fact, no goals were scored in extra time and, somewhat disappointingly, Crofton House School won on penalties against SMUS.
Leadership Mistake #3: The Wrong Action
This story highlights some of the biggest stigmas in leadership and is something we can learn from when thinking about leadership skills in any organization.
First, where were the British Columbia School Sports officials at the end of regulation time to tell the referees that they would be officiating the first and second halves of overtime? That's a question the organization's executive director, Jordan Abney, will have to answer. Tournament director Giorgio Santoro might also weigh in on this example of leadership incompetence.
When things go wrong, a leader needs to step up and take action. Clearly, we had an issue going straight to a penalty shootout and violating the rules of the game, but there was no one to step up and take a leadership role to resolve the situation.
Secondly, how could a referee who is in a leadership position on the pitch not know the rules? This is an incredible example of a referee running a game without being prepared for a role that always requires leadership.
And third, what lesson does it teach young women on both teams when a coach who supposedly knows the rules as well as I do decides to protest after both coaches and the referee have switched to a penalty shootout at the end of the game? Does it teach young women to win at all costs? What leadership lessons can we learn from that?
I am extremely disappointed not only for the SMUS team but also Crofton House School, this is not a way to win, this happened because of a failure of leadership from the leadership.
Unfortunately, this situation is a lesson in leadership for us all.
Never mind, I'm going to go find a properly cooked meal for dinner now.
