Learning Leadership from a Cricket Match... :)

Many a times during cricket commentary we hear so much about the role played by the Captain on field in Leading the team to victory. I used to wonder so much as to how can a captain all by himself play such a huge role with individual players have more to do in it.

Today, I learnt a lot as the Captain of my office team,a lot about Leadership.

We breezed through the first two rounds and were in the quarters today.

We set a target of around 75 to the opposition to be hit in 12 overs.

Over first 5 overs were superb and we had the opponents in the back seat.

It was time to decide for me,whom to give the next over to bowl.And I picked a new guy who hasnt bowled before and that over went for around 24 overs and the match was in their hands with that.

A Very Small incident but I leart a lot of Lessons especially about leadership.

When In doubts, take the safe known option. Risks are very risky :)
The guy I choose bowled well during practice,but didnt have much match experience and crumbled under pressure

Aggression is good, but it can fog your mind if outside the limits
I was my most aggressive self,and I am so only in the Cricket Ground otherwise Am very calm composed and thinking individual. My over aggression costed the match. I did think before asking him to bowl, but I knew I was in doubts and didnt take a calculated decisions.

Risks Are good, but may the risk be taken with enough thought to it.
I knew giving him the ball was a gamble but i never evaluated the match situation, we had enough bowlers doing good and this bowler was never needed to bowl.

Last but not the least,isolate personal feelings during critical moments.
One of the main reason why I choose to let him bowl was because he was left out in both the previous matches even though he wanted to play and bowl. I asked him "Are you confident buddy" before giving him the ball and he didnt sound confident enough and I knew that, but on that split second I choose to let him bowl.

There were comments later "It can happen" "Tough Luck,we had a bad day" "We did very well that one over changed the game" etc etc...I agreed to most of it, but at the back of my mind I felt I played a HUGE ROLE. It was my decision to pick him over another guy to give him a chance, It was my decision to give him a chance to bowl over others. I saw the person and gave him more importance then the team and the match.

On paper we were a far better side the the opponent...by the results was speaking otherwise.

He failed me, in turn I failed the Team....A uncalculated decision proved to be a risky gamble.