By John Goodwin

The time is now for Wally Buono to sit these guys down and make it known that their lofty perch atop the CFL standings for the last few campaigns., thanks of late to the great Bobby Ackles and himself, has come out of many yrs. of futility and trench warfare won “mostly” with the blood of those who have now moved on, and did not happen ‘cause it was their inalienable right to enjoy this level of success.

 

The time is now for *team leaders and coaching to make it clear that they have not been given the gift of deity status, they are not entitled to their entitlement. Until their weekly challengers are seen as more than just bug splats on the windshield of their coronation-mobile these guys won’t be winning anything.

It’s not until the tide goes out, that onlookers can than see with crystal clarity who has all this time been swimming naked.

 

As there appears to be some confusion, the time is now to remind this collection of truly talented grid iron stars, who have earned the right to celebrate the fact that while in recent yrs. they have achieved greatness, it would be disappointing and a betrayal of their individual promise to the memory of their builder and mentor Bobby Achles, that each member of the BC Lion’s family commit to personal excellence in a fashion that would make him proud. 

 

 

It’s about losing the self-aggrandizement swagger, “replanting” their feet firmly on the ground and having respect for their opponents.

 

*Team leaders are those people who sooner or later rise to the challenge, often times from obscurity. Their leadership stays intact for as long as the team supports them for the job. Team leaders are not necessarily the boss or the coach.

NB. A good boss/coach who has high self esteem will not be threatened by the individual’s assertiveness, indeed many times they become one of his/her mentors.

 

The are generally alpha male/females who are wired from birth for leadership, and are many times recognized as such after development through nurturing from childhood and by people with influence/power who respect and mentor them.

They are also those who step to the front and are accepted in times of peral, challenge or when others are in need of rescue in some fashion.

 

Good leaders want to lead, expect to lead, and often will “seize the reins” as they are driven to lead.

 

Team leaders are many times not the people who have formally been put in charge. As they are often a peer....one of the team mates, unlike the coach/player dynamic they garner respect at a different level from those being lead.

 

Team leaders amongst the rank and file, are critical to the success of the team.