Player-Coach Struggles

This week we hosted crew members from “The Chosen” at our ranch. They’re filming the final season just a few minutes from our place. My Dad planned to lead our guests on a ride through the foothills near our home, and I was going to bring up the rear, encouraging and supporting the inexperienced riders. Instead, I spent the ride trying not to be thrown off my green-broke horse. I couldn’t even get him to stand still for a group picture. My focus was on my own horse, not helping our guests with theirs. You can hear my Dad in the video clip chastising me for being on such a crazy horse -- I was no help at all.

This experience reminded me of conversations I've been having with my two sons about their “Player-Coach” roles at separate companies. Both carry significant individual responsibilities while also managing a group of junior employees. This is the toughest job there is -- bouncing between performer and leader.

One son is keeping his head above water; the other is drowning. The difference lies in the talent beneath them. One son has a team he can trust to do the work; the other spends his days working incredibly long hours, putting out fires. When I hear his frustration, I admit that my protective, fatherly gene kicks in. How can his leaders put him in this impossible position?

Companies love player-coaches because they get two jobs for the price of one. But shame on us if we expect high performance while handing them a horse so green and wild that all their energy goes into just staying in the saddle.