Great leaders are natural collaborators. They understand the value their teammates bring and work very hard to keep them engaged. But from time-to-time circumstances dictate that the leader must simply take over. If the organization is going to achieve its goal, the leader must own the results at a visceral level.
Such a moment happened this past Sunday during Game 1 of the Phoenix Suns – New Orleans Pelicans playoff game.
The Suns all-star guard Chris Paul scored 19 of his 30 points in the 4th quarter of the team’s 110-99 victory. Head Coach Monty Williams told The Athletic in this article, “That’s just classic Chris. At the right time, he takes over, and we needed it.”
3 Ways For Leaders To Know It’s Time To Take Over
From Coach Williams comments, we learn three ways for leaders to know it is time to take over.
First, Paul had asserted himself at key moments multiple times throughout his career. As Williams pointed out, this is “just classic Chris.” Teammate Devin Booker added, “He’s built for these moments.” A leader should only take over when he or she has a track record of success when doing so. If not, continue to trust your team.
Second, leaders must intuitively know when it is time to take over. It takes a sixth sense. The Pelicans had cut the Suns’ lead to only eight points, 79-71, at the end of the third quarter. It was time for Paul to step forward.
Finally, a leader should take over when their team needs them to. With the lead now in single digits and momentum beginning to shift to the Pelicans, Paul scored 17 of the team’s next 19 points and assisted on the other two. The Athletic’s Jason Quick observed that Paul seemed to be toying the Pelicans’ defenders.
Paul had taken over and the result was a Phoenix Suns victory.
Conclusion
As a leader, if you are sensing your team needs you to assert yourself and you have done so in the past with great success, then it’s likely time for you to take over once again.
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