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Are You Empowering or Controlling Your Team?
How Elite Coaches & Business Leaders Can Build a Culture of Empowerment & Excellence
The LAB Performance
February 28, 2025 • Reading Time: 4 minutes
The best aren’t getting better on their own, they’re getting better because they are being coached.
A book I recently read was Turn the Ship Around!, written by former U.S. Navy submarine captain L. David Marquet, which shares how he transformed the USS Santa Fe from one of the worst-performing submarines in the fleet into one of the best—by rejecting traditional top-down leadership. Instead of giving orders, Marquet implemented a leader-leader model, empowering his crew to take ownership, think critically, and make decisions. And it got me thinking about how we see leadership and what values we hold in high regard from our leaders. Often we lean towards a ‘hero’ figure or dictatorship as opposed to a democracy.
🎯 The Leader-Leader Framework for High Performance
This 4-step framework will help you create a high-performing, autonomous team—whether in sports, business, or entertainment.
1️⃣ Shift from Giving Orders to Asking for Intentions
🔹 Traditional: Leaders issue commands, and teams execute.
🔹 Leader-Leader Model: Leaders empower teams to articulate and act on their own decisions.
✅ How to Implement:
• Instead of giving direct instructions, ask: “What do you intend to do?”
• Require team members to express their planned course of action before approval.
• Build a culture where initiative is expected, not optional.
🚀 Example: Instead of saying, “Make sure the team warms up properly,” ask, “How do you plan to run today’s warm-up?” This encourages decision-making.
2️⃣ Create a Culture of Clarity & Competence
🔹 Traditional: Leaders make decisions because they “know best.”
🔹 Leader-Leader Model: Teams are trained to make informed decisions independently.
✅ How to Implement:
• Give your team the context behind key decisions so they can act with confidence.
• Provide scenario-based training where they practice independent decision-making.
• Shift from knowledge hoarding to knowledge sharing—ensure everyone understands the big picture.
🚀 Example: If a player asks, “Should I modify my training today?” respond with: “What factors are influencing your decision?” Guide them to think critically rather than rely on instructions.
3️⃣ Encourage Ownership Over Asking for Permission
🔹 Traditional: Team members wait for approval before taking action.
🔹 Leader-Leader Model: Team members take initiative and own their performance.
✅ How to Implement:
• Replace permission-seeking with ownership. Instead of “Can I do this?” encourage “I have done this.”
• Ask, “What do you need to move forward?” instead of giving direct instructions.
• Recognise and reward initiative—show that autonomy is valued.
🚀 Example: If a staff member asks, “Should I adjust the athlete’s recovery plan?” shift the conversation to ownership: “What’s your assessment? What would you recommend?”
4️⃣ Push Decision-Making to the Lowest Level
🔹 Traditional: Senior leaders make all the key calls.
🔹 Leader-Leader Model: Those closest to the action make the best decisions.
✅ How to Implement:
• Ask, “Who is best positioned to make this decision?”—then trust them to execute.
• Avoid unnecessary oversight—provide guidance without micromanaging.
• Set clear expectations for accountability and follow-through.
🚀 Example: Instead of approving every marketing decision, a business leader could tell their team: “You own this campaign. Make the call, but be ready to explain why.”
"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of a life long attempt to acquire it"
