What do sports fanaticism, team cohesion and shared purpose have in common? The answer to this question seems obvious on the surface – sports are (usually) a team sport and we all have our part to play toward a shared objective. However, we think that there is something more nuanced that everyone can learn from being a fan.

I have always enjoyed and appreciated football/soccer, but my fandom is pretty limited to the Olympics, the World Cup (typically watching the US Women’s National Team), the docuseries, Welcome to Wrexham, and the random Premier League game here and there. That said, I was sitting in the United Kingdom watching the 2024 UEFA European Championships, surrounded by friends and strangers all putting the same unwavering level of hope and emotional energy into their country doing well in the tournament. Something hit me differently in that moment, and it was not about the “normal” sports analogy for team building.

I was not surprised by how different the experience of watching a football game is in a country like the UK, Spain or any other football-crazed countries, especially during a major tournament like the “Euros” is going on, but I am surprised by just how swept up in the fanfare and fanaticism I got. I found myself on the edge of my seat, and I didn’t really care who was playing or who won. I was learning the players, their strengths/weaknesses, the formations, and the strategy on the pitch. To the surprise of our British friends, I was even commenting (somewhat) intelligently on good and bad gameplay during the matches.

There was something going on that was more than just the team on the field, the game itself, or even the tournament. The experience was unexpected and became a unique opportunity to be in one of the epicenters of the game, where football is practically a religion. To be a part of a cultural pillar that most European countries have in common, without having to be a fan of a particular club like Manchester City, Arsenal or Real Madrid, .which can divide households based on the team you root for.. Instead, I got to see the whole country rally around one team.

The easy thing for me to focus on here would be how a leader builds a team, each player with their unique strengths, each player complementing one another. How a leader has to prepare their people for the “big game,” and then trust that each will execute their role to the best of their ability until the goal is reached. However, after what I observed during the Euros and again when I attended the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, it was this unique form of fandom that really sparked my interest. Witnessing pure passion and pride in something bigger than oneself that brought people together who might, on any other day, be at odds. It grew organically and came so naturally to everyone involved, so how do we tap into that when leading a team toward a critical goal?  How do we ensure that everyone, even with their differing agendas based on their place in the organization or specific role, puts all that aside to lift each other up for the greater good? Is it sustainable to maintain this level of emotional investment for the long-term? This might be overkill, but what I think is more attainable is finding a way to gear everyone up at the right times, when it really counts to make that big impact.

A few recommendations I have for leaders who “aspire to inspire” in this way:

• Create a Unifying Vision – Rally your team around a compelling, emotionally resonant goal. One that transcends individual roles and speaks to a shared purpose.
• Tap into Moments that Matter – Identify critical inflection points where heightened energy and alignment can drive peak performance, and intentionally prepare the team for those moments.
• Foster Collective Pride – Cultivate a sense of belonging and shared identity, where team members take pride in contributing to something bigger than themselves.
• Bridge Differences with Purpose – Encourage collaboration by focusing on common ground and mutual goals, allowing diverse perspectives to align in service of the team’s greater mission.

While suggesting we model the employee experience on the team in the stands (who are bystanders by definition and not directly involved in success or failure), rather than the one on the field seems counterintuitive, the point is that there is a tipping point when we find a shared goal, a shared passion everyone can relate to and get behind, when all other differences are set aside, compromises are found and partnerships are struck. I would put my money on a team with this passionate drive on their side over the one with all the talent in the world. I think we have seen it time and again in every underdog success story ever witnessed.

Are you a leader looking to make more of an impact on your time and to inspire them in this way?

Schedule a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call with us to explore how leadership coaching can help you along this journey.