Bill Russell, one of the greatest winners in sports history who won a record-setting 11 NBA championships, embodied the concept of a “player-coach” leader. He leaned into his strengths to maximize the potential of his team, not only himself. In fact, the final two championships are arguably the most impressive of his storied career. During this time, Russell was tasked with being the Boston Celtics’ leader on the court as he had been for over a decade while simultaneously functioning as the team’s head coach.
The player-coach guides, motivates, directs and works harmoniously with their team. There is a stark difference between understanding how to teach, uplift and model behavior for others versus focusing solely on yourself. The player-coach approach worked wonders for Russell - he also paved the way in civil rights by becoming the first Black head coach in NBA history.
During a recent Pursuit Grad speaker session, we were fortunate to speak with Jeff Shouger, Senior Vice President of Finance, Niantic, Inc., the world’s leading augmented reality (AR) company with an initial focus on mobile games such as Pokémon GO, Harry Potter Wizards Unite, and Ingress. Among the highlights of his career, Jeff scaled Zynga and led them through a successful IPO. He worked for nearly a decade at Ernst & Young, focusing on high-growth companies.
This range of experience has informed Jeff on different types of leadership throughout his career. Not a traditional CFO, Jeff values the story behind the numbers and driving business strategy. He has evolved into an industry thought leader, sharing his unique perspectives through his writing, and serves as a mentor to many.
During our conversation, Jeff touched on the fact that naturally, people can become protective of their roles and acquired skills considering one’s livelihood is linked to their career. Given the value of accruing expertise over a lifetime, some may be apprehensive of sharing that knowledge in order to preserve their domain. However, Jeff argues that the opposite approach - much like the player-coach mentality - holds immense positive potential.
Paying it forward supports professional development for both the leader and organization, expanding collective horizons. While moving outside of your comfort zone can be intimidating, Jeff advocates that teaching others everything you know, essentially making your current role “irrelevant”, can motivate you to pursue and take ownership of untapped roles within your company. Becoming “irrelevant” in the current role can create new roles. It allows you to discover new ways to take on additional responsibilities, learn more valuable skills and become more relevant in other, more strategic areas tied to individual, team and corporate growth.
It takes time and perseverance to establish oneself as a leader. It is logical that people would like to protect the fruits of their labor and enjoy their success. However, player-coaching creates productive chemistry increases and benefits both output and the overall experience for the team and the end customer.
Bill Russell’s record of winning 11 championships - all with one team - says it all. A player-coach approach to leadership provides a path to triumph and a lasting legacy.