"From the Ice to the Office: How Sports Shaped My Leadership Journey"

While leadership may be a concept we refer to frequently in business, the act of leading is so much broader than an industry or a title. For me, my journey toward understanding what leadership truly means started long before I came into the professional world; it started on the ice, playing hockey for 20 years and being voted captain by my teammates. That experience defined my perception of what it means to be a leader, and today I see clearly how those lessons in sports can translate to success in my future career.

The Intersection of Soft and Hard Skills

Leadership in hockey isn't about strategy or skill but rather balance between soft and hard skills-a duality that's crucial for any leader in the corporate world as well.

Hard skills in hockey involve knowing the game-strategy, positioning, and the technical aspects that drive performance. These are the business world's version of a leader's industry knowledge or technical expertise. Whether you're managing a team in finance or on the ice; people look to you not only to guide them but also to make informed decisions leading to success.

Of course, the technical skills matter, but it is the soft skills that really separate the good from the great. On the ice, as a leader effectively communicating to teammates, handling various personalities, and staying cool under fire. Really, being a captain had to do more with being empathetic, motivational, and the emotional cement that held the team together during wins and losses. These skills are equally important in business. A leader isn't the one with all of the knowledge, but rather one who inspires and builds relationships and a culture of trust and accountability within the team.

Leadership Is About Trust and Accountability

Perhaps one of the greatest things that hockey taught me is that leadership is about commanding trust rather than demanding it. When I got voted captain, it wasn't because I was the best player on the team but because my teammates trusted me to represent them, to listen, and to guide us toward a shared goal. This principle holds in the corporate world: whatever you are leading whether that a small team or large organization-trust is the foundation.

Building that trust comes from demonstrating accountability. As a team's captain in hockey, I couldn't ask my teammates to work harder if I wasn't up to pushing even harder myself. In the business environment, leaders have to lead by example-taking responsibility for successes and failures.

Agility and Decision-Making Under Pressure

Hockey is a game of split-second decisions. Becoming a captain taught me how to size up situations in a split second-to make critical decisions, even when it would be easier not to, during moments of incredible pressure. Similarly, business leadership roles are no different; one must be adaptable. In an ever-changing world, leaders need to stay adaptable, rise up to the challenge, and make decisions that are in the best interest of the team-even if those decisions may be tough.

Transferring Skills from the Ice to the Office

There are many similarities between sports leadership and business leadership. To sum up, here is how the skills of hockey can translate into the working world: 

• Communication-On the ice, a leader is always communicating with his or her team. In business, it's about clear and transparent communication to keep everyone aligned toward the same objective.
• Teamwork and Motivation: No one wins an Ice hockey match alone, just like nobody will in the office. Leadership should drive the team forward, put up a vision that is shared, and make sure everyone pulls in the same direction toward overall success.
• Emotional Intelligence: Knowledge of emotions-how to understand and handle emotions not only of my own but also of the other teammates-offered a non-threatening atmosphere in sports. This emotional intelligence remains important in business, too, where people must feel valuable, listened to, and understood to perform well.
• Resilience, persistence, and adaptability: In hockey, overcoming injuries and tough losses taught me to motivate the team and turn setbacks into opportunities. Similarly, in a fast-changing world, leaders must be adaptable and resilient, guiding their teams through challenges with a focus on growth and success.

Leadership, whether on the ice or in the boardroom, is not about control; it's about influence. It's about creating a culture of trust, accountability, and collaboration. The hard and soft skills from those experiences shared above shaped my professional development. Leadership is less about your title, but more importantly, it's how you make others believe in achieving a common goal.