Leadership
COACH LARRY GELWIX ON LEADERSHIP
One of the most important lessons we talk about is horizontal verses vertical leadership. Most organizations, businesses, families and certainly sports teams use vertical leadership. The boss, drill sergeant or coach is at the top. It is an ego driven leadership style. If the team wins, it is brilliant coaching. If the team loses it’s a bunch of screwed up players. With horizontal leadership everyone is the same.
The difference between the two styles of leadership is the responsibilities. My responsibilities as head coach are very different than that of the captains or the ninth grade players, but we all are important to the success of the team. The team has a lot of discipline because we hold players and coaches accountable. The expectation is that players are on time to practice and ready to play, same with the coaches. If you play for Highland Rugby you abide by our rules. In horizontal leadership we praise in public and correct in private. These principles of leadership work. We’re 15-0 this season, which runs our team record to 379-9.
