Hi Reader

I'm a day late this week - apologies. I spent yesterday travelling back on a circuitous route from the UK to Majorca but it did give me time to revisit one of the most interesting chats I had this week.

A head coach I work with shared an interesting concern with me on Monday afternoon.

Jump into her world for a second.

She’s standing on the sideline, watching her team warm up for an important match. They’ve worked hard and well all week. She’s set the tactics and shared the game plan, and, in the process, underlined her authority.

But something feels off. The players seem and look hesitant—not unsure of the plan, but unsure of themselves.

Her voice has been and is clear. But her influence feels faint. Why?

Leadership isn’t just about commanding authority. It’s about orchestrating influence. And influence happens when your players feel empowered, not controlled.

But here’s the rub and her push-back to me: how do you balance maintaining authority while giving players the agency to think for themselves?

It was a deep & rewarding conversation...let’s look closer....it's pretty insightful. ⏬

Your Read Time today is = 4 minutes..Remember to connect with me on social channels like X and Instagram​

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Authority and Empowerment: A Behavioural Tug-of-War

I’d call this a "corkscrew problem” - a framework I wrote about a few weeks ago. In effect it’s an issue or problem that doesn’t have a straight-line solution. (Why not download this really effective "CorkScrew Thinking" Cheat Sheet...it's completely free for Fine Lines Subscribers...get it here)

The very act of empowering players can feel like it undermines your authority, yet the opposite is true. Behavioural science tells us and shows us clearly that people thrive when they feel autonomy over their decisions.

To support this take a page from Richard Thaler’s "nudge theory."

You don’t need to relinquish authority outright. Instead, guide decisions subtly - like setting defaults that align with your goals while giving players the illusion of choice. The result? Players buy into the system because they feel they own it.

Case in point: Think of legendary rugby coach Joe Schmidt, whose Irish Rugby team thrived on clarity and rigidity of roles and the freedom to express creativity within those roles. He empowered his players not by telling them what to think but by teaching them how to think. Importantly though this is a promised land that takes time to reach and that requires an investment of both time and patience.

So, assuming this sounds like it makes sense and feels like a profitable direction to take, how could you go about bringing it to life??

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​The Framework: The 3C Model for Balanced Leadership

Drawing from behavioural science, coaching wisdom and a seemingly alien field like advertising, here’s a simple framework that could help you strike the balance you need between retaining control whilst promoting and offering ownership:

1. Clarity:
   Clearly define non-negotiables. Authority doesn’t come from micromanaging; it comes from creating a shared vision. In that sense, simple ideas are always the most powerful. Be ruthlessly clear about your expectations and what progress and success looks like. Ditto, help people identify and understand clearly what is unhelpful in this pursuit; whether habits or mindsets.
2. Collaboration:
   Involve players in decision-making where appropriate. Richard Shotton’s research shows that people are more committed to choices they’ve helped shape. Would it be impossible or ridiculous to have players and coaching staff co-design parts of the game plan or training?
3. Confidence Building:
   Empowerment comes when players believe in their own competence. You could label this the "momentum of belief” that fuels a growth mindset. Design training scenarios that build self-assurance & confidence, not just skill. This can be a challenge because we have to then embrace and accept genuine mistakes and promote them as learning opportunities; you can’t practice into the zoo and expect to survive in the jungle. Think about this as a starter; could and would you let players simulate critical game decisions in practice and reward their initiative by standing back and acting as a facilitator and mentor?

Behavioural Insights in Action

In his 1960s, the famous advertising pioneer, David Ogilvy, understood that the secret to influence lay in empathy; knowing what really motivates the audience.

As a leader, your "audience" is your team. Are they motivated by respect? Trust? Personal growth? For both you and them to grow, develop, evolve and prosper you must understand their internal narrative. Only with understanding can you get upstream and truly impact and effect what is happening downstream.

Think of the All Blacks culture as they turned the corner post their internal issues c.2005. They grew to a place where authority wasn’t about hierarchy; it was born out of, and anchored in, respect. Leaders, players and coaches, held the team to high standards but fostered a sense of belonging so deep that players self-policed and thrived.

All that being said It would be remiss of me to make this out to be a ‘just add water’ type solution where I conveniently share an issue and then suggest a framework that will offer instant and seamless results.

Sports performance, at any level, does not work that way. We deal with humans. And, vitally, we have to convince ourselves first and foremost to take a pivot from our existing path.

It's not all buns and lemonade....As we moved into our conversation more here’s a couple of things that came back at me from the head-coach I introduced earlier…..

“Yeah, but Empowering players could well dilute discipline.”​
True, but not if you empower within boundaries. Structure liberates creativity and rationality dissolves emotion. Define where the edges and boundaries are, then let players innovate within them. Again, it’s not straight-line and without bumps….but you’ve handing players a map of the journey and the terrain so that you can keep check on their steps. And mis-steps.

“Ah Fu$k, Paul, it feels like it's gonna be too time-consuming to involve players in decisions.”​
Ok, I wouldn’t completely dismiss this. But if you want an omelette you need to break a few eggs along the way. I’m not sure too many of you would disagree that investing in better communication pays dividends in engagement? There’s work in this; as there is with crafting any approach to improve your program and culture. But careful plotting & planning will mean that a 10-minute conversation to involve a player today saves hours of correction tomorrow; it’s vital to share your vision, check for understanding and then only ever stay a half-step ahead of your people. If I’m honest it’s one of those situations, initially anyways, where the paranoid survive. So even when things seem like they are going swimmingly well, it’s wise to lift the carpet to spot what might be lying invisible under the surface now but that can become significant bump later on. Constant focus on the cornerstone principles, check-ins and lots of questions born from positive intent can really help you here.

Your Leadership Audit: What if you feel ready to Take Action Today?

First, ask yourself:

• Clarity: Have I clearly communicated the “why" and purpose behind our strategy, or am I hiding behind authority?
• Collaboration: Where can I safely let players (and even other staff members) take the reins without compromising the outcome?
• Confidence: What am I doing daily to build self-belief, understanding and confidence in and of my team/people?

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​And the litmus test: The next time you step onto the field, don’t ask yourself if you have control. Ask yourself if your players feel in control and to what extent? Is it just superficial or is it truly embedded?

Final Thought: Share the Load

In the words of Gary Halbert, “The written word outlives us all.”

Why not share this piece with a colleague who might need a spark or hand-up? Let’s get into quality discussions that move the needle forward for everyone.

We all thrive & grow when we share ideas that challenge and inspire.

Interested in more leadership frameworks to help you perform better?

Then check out my YouTube channel: Paul Clarke - The Leaders Coach.

Let’s connect: On X and Linkedin

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Coaching for Leaders Dave Stachowiak -- Founder, Host, and Leadership Coach Leaders aren't born, they're made. The Coaching for Leaders podcast has aired weekly since 2011 and attracted 40 million downloads. Join 25,000+ receiving Dave's weekly guide featuring discoveries from top experts, useful finds, and resources to navigate inflection points. Subscribe​

A Master's Voice....

With all the data and information floating about it's seductive to immediately buy into every hard number and graph that we're provided with. It's worth investing the time first to identify what matters most and then gather data to help us understand that better - and then revisit often what we feel matters most to make sure the tail is not wagging the dog, so to speak.

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Thank you for being part of the Leaders Coach community. The work on how to lead better is something you have to do alone. But you don't have to do it on your own. Onward and Upward, Paul Clarke

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