In sports, extraverts show leadership and introverts don’t. Right? No! That way of thinking is just plain wrong!
Athletic competition is like a coin with two sides. One side is internal. Athletes and coaches keep emotions to themselves, go about their business quietly, and lead with their play. The other side is external. Athletes and coaches are vocal, wear emotions on their sleeves, and express themselves verbally to teammates and, sometimes, to the opposition.
Whether emotions are kept internally or expressed externally, both motifs share common goals–high-level performance and winning. It’s just that fans don’t always see it that way.
When it comes to things like passion and attributing high-level competitive spirit, external expressions get the nod. Fans think those are the kind of athletes and coaches who care about the team and the game.
On the other hand, fans are often surprised–and are sometimes even disappointed–when athletes and coaches keep emotions under wraps. Are they into the game? Do they care about the team and winning?
From many years of athletic experience, I can tell you that the answers are almost always … YES! Introverted athletes and coaches have a different way of engaging with others and the game.
And what bothers me most is when fans conflate ‘good leadership’ with being extraverted and raise questions about ‘leadership capacity’ when athletes and coaches are introverted. The reality is different.
Just like everyday people, athletes and coaches aren’t all the same. Different people have different ways of expressing themselves.
I think it’s high time to ditch biased ways of thinking about athletes and coaches. Let’s stop imputing motives and start accepting differences. Otherwise, we’ll continue diminishing contributions made by introverted athletes and coaches–those who go about the business of winning, just like boisterous peers.
