Thinking through my performance as coach (of my son’s under-8 soccer team):

We had a tough season, winning only a single game. Clearly not very good.

On the other hand, each and every player showed improvement, some quite significant. One parent even took the time to thank me for helping his son find a passion for the sport.

The season ended on a very high note: we came in first in the tournament (based on points). We won two games, tied one, and lost one (in the final minutes). We played very well, showed a real understanding of the game, and played as a team. I was very proud of every one of the players.

On the other hand, a big part of the reason we did so well was our super-sub. This kid was incredible. We were short on players so he played for our team.

Hmm. So we have a clearly improved set of players, playing as a team, playing their hearts out. Fantastic. I’d like to take some credit for that.

The biggest impact on winning, however, was having an excellent player on our side.

I can’t help but think there’s a management lesson in here somewhere. Something about hiring the best you can…