When I became the first female coach of the South African Women’s Water Polo National Team, I knew that I wanted to bring a fresh perspective to a system that had not really changed in 20 years. I was relatively young, had amazing experiences as a player and coach in the American Collegiate, South African, and Australian National team systems, and hoped to instill as much change as possible.
I started my journey as a player in the National Team when I was 16 years old, so it was important for me to start my coaching journey looking at all of the players, including the talented juniors. When it came time to pick my squads, I included quite a few young players, but there was one player in particular who was probably one of the most talented players in the country―at 16 years old! She had so much to offer, and in her age group she played so freely. She was strong and ruthless, in the best ways, and when playing internationally in her age group, it was evident that she was able to hang with the best. When I included her in the National team, she almost disappeared. She felt slightly intimidated by the older girls, but mainly, she felt like she needed to be less than to fit in. She was worried about how she would be perceived by the older players, like maybe she needed to “do her time” before she was able to shine. She did not want to take the shot in case maybe someone else wanted it. She did not want to step on anyone’s toes, and for a moment, she felt like fitting in may be the right move. I started to watch this young, fearless, and talented player become average in her play, as she shrank back, trying to be less than, more worried about the perception of others than her own play.
When I took on this head coaching role, I knew I wanted to lead authentically and make positive change. I did not want to be a figurehead female coach and do things the way they had always been done. My goal was to create players and a team who believed in themselves and could confidently be their fierce and amazing selves. I saw an opportunity with this 16-year-old to pass on the courage to be her authentic self and spent a lot of time speaking into this young athlete’s mind. I reminded her that I selected her into the team for how she played, not how everyone else plays. I had to encourage her to be brave and bold in who she was as a player, and that she would be doing a disservice to her teammates if she did not show up with her unique Signature.
As someone keen on developing others, I had an idea for how to help her feel integrated and valued on the team. I encouraged our captain to include our younger players in a big/little scenario, and had the older girls talk strongly to the juniors’ minds about how talented they are, that they should not be scared to be who they are, and know they have a team supporting them. It was amazing to witness 16- and 17-year-olds feel completely at ease being themselves―both in and out of the pool―knowing their gift zones were needed, and instead of burying them, allowing them to shine. And SHINE, these young players did.
Our 16-year-old was the top goal scorer of her first international tournament!
Sure, she made mistakes, but I witnessed her become a sponge, soaking up every learning moment without fear. I also watched how close the team became―by mentoring others to be themselves, in turn, this produced an environment fostered in trust, loyalty, and innovation.
Being in a leadership position comes with developing others around you, but how much emphasis and energy are you putting into it? I could argue that your relationships and development of others is more important than your actual job, and here is why… Your work team is not much different than a sports team. You can have the best players in the world on your team, but if they do not buy into the bigger picture and play as a cohesive unit, it does more harm than good.
A coach can make or break a team, depending on how they decide to lead, foster, and build their players. Just like in sports, as a leader, you are the coach of your team. To be successful, you have to get to know each of your team members well, understand their temperaments, get to know where their gift zones lie, and then encourage and foster them in their roles to have success. Just like the junior players in the water polo team, you will have an array of people with different experiences on your team, and it is your job to understand when they need to be pushed and when they need to be encouraged, and to immerse individuals into situations that stretch them in the best way.
Growth is uncomfortable, but necessary to succeed.
You must get comfortable with giving and receiving feedback, knowing that you and others can only grow when you have a learning mindset. To be the best athlete, you are watching film of yourself, getting constant feedback on how to improve, and looking at the smallest margins to make the biggest gains. To be the best coach, you do much of the same, so why don’t we apply the same concept to those we lead and ask for similar feedback on our leadership? As a leader, if you develop relationships with your team, constantly allowing them to see that your intentions are always good, while opening a constant avenue for feedback, it creates this extremely healthy environment for success.
In my previous blog, I spoke about leading authentically and the benefits that can provide for you, and all of those in your ecosystem. In our Signature programs, we speak about leading with your unique Signature. No two Signatures are the same, and we encourage our participants and alumni to constantly come back to who you are and how you show up. If you embrace your gift zone and bring your full self to the table, your authentic leadership can have a trickle-down effect. While developing others, it is also important to remember to do so in your unique way that feels right for you. When focusing on the development of others, it will result in the following:
- Builds Trust
When leaders are genuine, take time to get to know others on a more personal level, and take time to listen, it creates a foundation of trust. People are more likely to follow someone they believe is kind, honest, and transparent.
- Fosters Loyalty
A team without loyalty to their leader will never succeed. Authentic leaders inspire loyalty because they demonstrate consistent and ethical behavior, while also always having their team’s best interest at heart.
- Encourages Innovation
By building trust and fostering loyalty, you create an openness that encourages team members to share ideas and take risks without fear of retribution. You are encouraging others to own their gift zones, to think creatively, and to always bring their ideas or feedback to you without the worry of being shut down or made to feel small.
Developing others can be time-consuming and tiring. It requires consistent check-ins and intentionality. If it were easy, every leader would be doing it―and the reality is, they are not. If you focus on developing others, it will, in turn, become your superpower.
About the Author
Seri Kravitz: Former Professional Athlete and Director of the Signature Collective & Marketing
Seri Kravitz boasts a distinguished 12-year career as a professional water polo player, representing both South Africa and Australia on the global stage. Upon retiring from active competition, Seri transitioned into coaching, where she demonstrated a knack for nurturing highly successful teams. Her coaching acumen propelled her to the helm of the South African Women’s National team, where she was a vocal advocate for equality for women in minority sports.
Transitioning from the pool to the digital realm, Seri played a pivotal role in the inception and exponential growth of the online community for JEFF Fitness, a South Africa-based startup. As one of the cornerstone members of the company, Seri contributed to its remarkable expansion from a modest team of 15 to a robust workforce of over 100 within a year. Under her stewardship, the JEFF community grew from the ground up to a thriving network of over 70,000 members. Seri was instrumental in developing a unique platform, revolutionizing the approach to health and wellness.
Now serving as the Director of the Signature Collective & Marketing, Seri is dedicated to supporting the 3,000-strong alumni of Signature leaders, fostering a vibrant community of trailblazers.
Seri now calls Franklin, Tennessee home, where she enjoys a fulfilling family life with her spouse, two young children, and a beloved dog.
