Post by Dr. Karsten Wagner

France had extraordinary individuals. Spain had a shared idea. Watching Spain against France, I was reminded of something that applies far beyond football. France probably had the more spectacular individual players. But as the match went on, it increasingly felt as though each of them was trying to change the game alone. One more dribble. One more individual action. One more attempt to force the decisive moment. Spain never lost sight of the team. Every movement, every pass and every decision seemed to follow one shared conviction: We know who we are. We know how we want to win. And we trust each other. After the match, Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente said: “We have stayed true to an idea.” That may be the essence of great teams. Not the absence of individuality. Not less talent. But outstanding individuals who place their talent in the service of something bigger. France searched for individual solutions. Spain trusted the collective idea. And that is just as relevant in leadership and business as it is in football. Individual brilliance can change a moment. Shared belief can carry a team to the final. #Leadership #Teamwork #WinningTeams #HighPerformance #Culture #WorldCup