What kind of Leader are you or what kind of team culture does your organisation have? Is it one where you Cheer on progress or one where you look for where to lay blame or boo when things are not working as planned? 

On Saturday, my son was fortunate enough to have been given tickets to the Premier League Brentford vs Liverpool match by his older cousin. As most football lovers will know, Brentford is a local west London Club that`s recently joined the premiership. 

My husband was scheduled to take my son to the match however, because he was unable to make it, it was left to me to take my football mad 6-year-old to the match. 

Along the way, I was on mission to convince him to switch allegiances for the following reasons:

1.     There was no use in celebrating Liverpool when he had never been, may never ever go to Liverpool(He`s been to the Liverpool area once for a business event with me in 2016 but we have never been back. 

2.     Brentford is a local club, close to home, easy to travel to and develop a connection with.

3.     Daddy has a nostalgic attachment to Liverpool and nothing else, he has never been to any Liverpool match.

4.     Our tickets were for the Brentford side, so it wouldn`t look very good if we were supporting the away team.

I was successful, in my plan😂😂😂,  because by the time we left, he was assured that Brentford was the ``best club in the world``, and this was the best day of his life! There was no mention of Liverpool thereafter, mission accomplished. 

Anyways, as we sat and watched the match, Brentford were first to score, with no expert knowledge of the game. I was convinced we had the advantage. However, Liverpool equalised and then put in their second goal. At this point, I started getting the anxiety that led me to stop watching all England matches until the finals because, I felt my heart could not take it. Whenever Liverpool scored, I lost morale. I just kept thinking; they really are going to beat us.

However, all through it, something dramatic and amazing was taking place, every time the Liverpool club scored, missed a goal or the Brentford side saved a goal or missed a goal. The Brentford supporters where we were positioned were cheering their team on like they had scored or won the game. There were 3 supporters, or should I say, ``cheerleaders`` strategically positioned( Not sure if this decision was made by the team, or these three cheerleaders purchased these tickets by chance), One was at the bottom of the stadium, another in the middle and one at the top. These three men encouraged the supporters through chants, song, claps, standing up  and encouraging them, at various intervals. Originally, when they did this, when Liverpool scored, I thought this is strange, have they got it wrong? 

But no, they carried on, Liverpool missed a goal or Brentford missed a goal, if they saved  a goal or when Liverpool scored. I found it strange cheering the other team on when they scored. However, it turns out that they were not cheering on the other side. They were cheering 📣 on their side. In other words, giving them morale, to say, ``We can still do this``. Don`t focus on the other side, don`t worry about the other goals, Let`s focus on us, we believe in you``. As the game went on, despite Liverpool having greater possession of the ball, having potentially the best players, with some great strategic decisions from the Brentford Manager regarding changes to his players and the supporters, cheering and morale boosting techniques as described above and possibly playing on home turf. For me Brentford was the better club and the game ended 3 - 3.

As, I left the game, I pondered on how we as Leaders, lead, should lead and some poor examples of Leadership that I and many have experienced in the past. It got me thinking about the importance of, ``Cheering on progress and a positive team culture``.

As Leaders, we need to, at all costs not matter what, cheer on our team and encourage a culture of cheering on progress, celebrating the small steps, even when things aren`t going to plan, rather than laying blame or looking for who to blame(which interestingly is what most bad leaders do), it`s important to take a step back, take stock of the situation, make the changes you need to make whilst focusing on your goal. Don`t waste time looking at the competition.

Focus on your Vision, cheer your team on, no matter what and you will most definitely get to where you want to or achieve what you are aiming for or come close. 

NB: I am not for one minute saying people shouldn`t be held accountable, Oh No. But what I am saying, is that, there is a time and place as well as a manner.

On reflection, how about if the Brentford supporters had booed or remained non-pulsed, when their team missed a goal, or the other team scored, what would that have done to the team? Could, it have changed the direction or even score of the game? I think it would have, to a great extent. But we will never know because it never happened. 

Well, done 👍 Brentford FC👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Violet Kizito

COO Faith`s Walk Healthcare Services