It’s been a long time since Bill Russell was a Boston Celtic. It’s also been a long time since Pete Rose was a player manager. Maybe because it’s been so long we’ve forgotten that they used to exist.
The Player Coach: a role for those who are leaders that also are individual contributors.
In business this concept is more important than ever. The world needs more leaders who don’t mind getting their hands dirty doing actual work.
So let me ask you this:
- Are you constantly learning new things?
- Are you digging into the details of what’s going on?
- Are you trying new things and testing new hypotheses?
If you’re keeping yourself out of the details, you may also be keeping yourself out of the learning. And when that happens, and as you lose touch with some of what’s going on, you may discover that you’re having a harder time leading.
So maybe it’s time to put on a uniform and get onto the field?