First there were cheersâthen only tears. A man covered his face with his hands as he wept openly. Beside him, another person sobbedâand another and another ⦠While I was in London recently, I went to Wembley Stadium to see Southampton versus Leeds United in a high-stakes futbol matchâwith the winner promoted to the top-tier Premier League. When Southampton won, the Leeds supporters around me broke down in an unfiltered outpouring of raw emotion. It brought to mind that famous line, âthe thrill of victory and the agony of defeatâânever had I witnessed such agonized fans before. What jarred me at first, I soon came to appreciate. Everyone wore their allegiance on their sleevesâand as proudly as the team color emblazoned on the playersâ jerseys. Here was a deep sense of connectedness even among those who otherwise might have little in common. Who do you support? Itâs both a question and an answer. To ask it of someone in futbol circles is to get their historiesâwhere they grew up, where they went to school, [Black Korn Ferry logo JPG 400.png]() First there were cheersâthen only tears. A man covered his face with his hands as he wept openly. Beside him, another person sobbedâand another and another ⦠While I was in London recently, I went to Wembley Stadium to see Southampton versus Leeds United in a high-stakes futbol matchâwith the winner promoted to the top-tier Premier League. When Southampton won, the Leeds supporters around me broke down in an unfiltered outpouring of raw emotion. It brought to mind that famous line, âthe thrill of victory and the agony of defeatâânever had I witnessed such agonized fans before. What jarred me at first, I soon came to appreciate. Everyone wore their allegiance on their sleevesâand as proudly as the team color emblazoned on the playersâ jerseys. Here was a deep sense of connectedness even among those who otherwise might have little in common. Who do you support? Itâs both a question and an answer. To ask it of someone in futbol circles is to get their historiesâwhere they grew up, where they went to school, who their families cheered for, their loyalties and rivalries. Woven into these stories are long-standing traditions. There are many more layers here than the question we usually ask in the States: âWhat team are you a fan of?â To support someone is to invest in them emotionally. And it goes right to the heart of our most basic human needsâto grow, advance, connect, and feel part of something bigger than ourselves. As leaders, itâs not only our role but also our responsibility to inspire connection and conviction. So, how do we support those around us? After all, purpose and people are inextricably intertwined. The answer can be found in how we live and lead. Leadership is not only personal, but truly Special: - Selflessnessâknowing that improving an organization starts by improving ourselves
- Potentialâhelping others exceed more than what they thought possible
- Empathyâmeeting others where they are to embrace who they are
- Connectionâadopting a horizontal mindset within organizations
- Inclusionâcreating a sense of belonging by consciously including everyone
- Authenticityâensuring others trust what we say, so they can believe in what we do
- Loveâleading with our hearts as we seek to understand
First, last, and always, itâs fostering connections and showing our true selvesâwho we are, not just what we do. âTottenham, thatâs my team,â Gerald Spiro-Gee, who leads hospitality for our London office, told me when I ran into him the other day. âIt isnât about the trophies. Itâs the unadulterated moments of joyâthat late goal that equalizes the match and you end up hugging random strangers.â And then he enthusiastically shared his storyâstarting with going to a first match with his father at the age of five. It was personal and generational. This calls to mind another time and a far different placeâthe high school hallways in Summerville, South Carolina, where we walked with the late Coach John McKissick, the winningest coach in American football. As students passed classes, a young man spotted the coach and called out, âNext year, Iâm playing for you!â Now tell me, as leaders, isnât that what we all strive for? No matter the playing field, leading is not just about the what and the howâitâs always about the who. We are all in the people business. Indeed, thatâs who we support. We are pleased to launch [Love, Hope & Leadership: A Special Edition]() â a collection of reflections, with the look and feel of a coffee table book. Through stories and beautiful imagery it captures how we live and lead. Regards, Gary Burnison
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