Successful AP Relationships

Am I the Team Captain or Coach?
How identifying your role with peers and the sales team will deliver optimal results.

By Jason Bedsole
District Manager Asset Protection
Ralph Lauren

Recently I was reflecting on how I communicated with my business partners, and I started to critically analyze the occasions I received optimal results. Though I had succeeded on many levels, I knew I had not maximized my results during every interaction. I began to think about how my style of communication varied depending on the leadership position I interacted with. When talking with a General Manager or Assistant Manager, I may approach the conversation differently than I would a District Manager or Peer. Then it seemed clear to me, I was either the Team Captain or The Head Coach in each of my communications.

If you have never played organized sports, or it’s been a very long time since you were in that environment, let me explain. The Coach is in charge of the team of course, and he gives constant direction. He inspires his team with a strong game plan, a strategy of execution and a vision of what winning results will look like. His communication is typically more directive in nature than the Team Captain. He manages team personnel (contracts) and it would be normal to hear a Coach say “John you need to...” In the end, the Coach will never physically play a position on the “team”. A successful Coach inspires his team in interactions much different than the Team Captain.

The Team Captain on the other hand, is the leader who manages the team activity during game & preparation time. The Captain, much like the Coach, is also constantly giving direction. When successful, this leadership role on the team commands as much respect as the Coach. The team members follow the Captain’s direction because they see he/she understands the Coach’s blueprint, can communicate it effectively and knows how to win. The Captain exercises a different style from the Coach in that he can “lead by example”. If he/she stays late after practice and trains over the weekend, the team knows it’s important.

The Captain’s successful communications are often inclusive. He/She challenges Himself/Herself and the team at the same time. He/She may say, “Team, I am going to get it there. John, we need you to be there. Let’s nail this and get John in the end zone!” In short, both leaders communication are integral in the team’s success, but if either communicate outside their role it could prove to be detrimental to the optimal result. If a Team Captain communicates, “You guys need to do your jobs. You need to execute. You need to show why your on this team…” he has effectively removed himself as part of the team. This may very quickly deteriorate the group dynamic, synergy and eventually results.

When I reviewed my most successful business interactions and relationship building, here is what I found. I was most successful with District Managers and Peers when I used a Team Captain approach. Often, my Peers may have been my Co-Captain so this style was easily acknowledged. I found myself using “We & Our” more frequently, and they saw me as a partner with a like vested interest in the success of our overall team. With the General Manager and Assistant Manager teams I also found myself to be predominately a Captain, but on occasion I would flex to a Coach. I quickly realized I was most successful with results when I recognized my role was the Captain and not the Coach.

For instance, I was not negotiating their contracts (performance appraisals) at the end of the year. I was not documenting their poor performance (corrective action plans) or approving a day away from practice (paid time off). It became evident I was their Team Captain, but who was the Coach? In some cases it was Human Resources, and in others in was my District Manager Peers on the sales side of the business. Think of it as Offense and Defense. I was the Defensive Captain, and as the saying goes, “Defense wins Championships!” So, going forward I am reviewing each of my communications with this filter and I encourage you to do the same.

Embrace your role as Captain, and let the team know you are in the game with them. In the end, a successful Captain is instrumental in providing the Coaches feedback on the starting team members. Use “We” when addressing the team, and ask for feedback. This will let them know you value their opinion as a Team member. When the game ends, (fiscal year) we all want to look at the scoreboard and see winning results (industry leading shrink metrics), but keep the following in mind. When you miss the mark, your team synergy is the momentum that will carry into the next year. Build a strong team.