Sport is not just about technical and physical abilities – and arguably, coaching a sports team is a pure form of leadership.

Coaches spend their time identifying talent, reflecting on strategy, communicating, preparing a team and monitoring execution. Resources, competition, persuasion, and performance are common to a board room and a club house.

Can leaders from other organisations learn lessons from sport?

To discuss this further, in the next episode from the series ‘International Insights – Stories from the Real Economy’, Dr Joe Schembri meets two sport leaders who have experience preparing teams for international competitions: Pippo Psaila coached the national football team in the 1990s and served as the director of sport for the Malta Olympic Committee; while George Micallef is the lead sport commentator on the island and served as the first head of the national sports school.

How is the quality of leadership tested, in sport and other contexts?

“The first element is consistency,” Psaila says. “An inconsistent person can never gain the trust of those granting the trust.” A leader also needs to ensure respect, he adds. Fundamentally, respect is learning to live together.

And how is talent identified?

“Talent is understood as being a gift – but that is not enough. There is talent and potential – and I prefer focusing on potential,” says Micallef. “If someone is prepared to grow and learn more, then talent becomes potential, and it is where growth really happens. In sports, we look at different facets of development. I mostly work with young athletes – and we look at technique, tactics, the physical and psychosocial aspects. Many times we lack in the latter – and not give it enough importance. But it’s where you learn about a person’s coachability, confidence, how they react to setbacks and other elements.”

What can organisations learn from sport?

“The importance of communication is extremely important – coaching is communication. If you don’t communicate your message correctly, there cannot be growth,” says Micallef.

“Sport and business have a lot in common,” Psaila says.

“One fundamental lesson that sport can impart to other fields is that before one wins, one needs to learn how to lose. Winning starts with the last defeat.”

International Insights is organised with the support of strategic partners HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. and powered by Studio Seven. Times of Malta is media partner. The series will be available on popular podcast platforms, TradeMalta’s YouTube channel and timesofmalta.com.