What is the toughest position? A CEO or a goalie?
Which one of the roles is the most challenging, as both are isolated and unforgiving? In either position, the opposition will not like you when you're doing well. When doing badly, your supporters are not on your side. Irrespective of if it is a good or bad day in the office, everyone else knows they can do your job better than you can, and your backers are never happy, always wanting more. So what is the toughest position?
Being ahead
If you're thinking three, four, or five plays ahead, you're not suitable for this role.
There is a reality to both roles that you have to be ahead, to be in the right position at the right time to ensure success, but everyone else just thinks you are lucky. Anyone can do the job, but those who can see signals and read the play will excel.
Blame
No matter how many great things you do, everyone only remembers you for the one you missed
In either position, you have to accept that you’re the last person in the line of defence, and you will regularly take the brunt of the criticism when it goes wrong. But these abilities, to remain humble and stay positive combined with power, agility, and quickness, make those in these positions the strongest leaders.
Touchline criticism
They need an element of insanity, as there is no hiding place.
Criticisms from the sideline can be heard when you stand in one spot; their views are loud and clear. Abuse is particularly annoying when you know the media and crowd have zero experience with your role and do not know the context.
The bottom line is that you have to ignore all those distractions. People on the sidelines are fickle. Anything you do — good or bad — will alter their opinions on you pretty quickly. Stick to what you're good at, and you’ll prove them wrong.
Preparation
Success depends upon previous preparation; without such preparation, there will surely be failure.
In lower levels, particularly in SMEs and youth football, there’s a tendency to stick the CEO in position or the keeper in goal and pelt multiple objects their way from point blank range. It’s one of the worst ways for a leader to prepare. A leader will take charge and create proper warmup routines, which others feel do not warm them up and this creates tensions and conflicts.
Messy
So there’s an enormous blue frog with your name on it.
The CEO deals with people and all the messy complications people bring to any team. A goalie has to deal with a muddy puddle that is cold and wet. Those who lead deal with how they will approach it before they play and not during.
Training
Coaching is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire
It’s 10 of them for every 1 of you. Unfortunately, CEOs and goalkeepers are regularly neglected in team coaching and training sessions. With so many players to work on, leaders and keepers don’t receive the attention they need as they are unique and special; however, they are the ones who can lift everyone else.
Second chance
Is it unprecedented for two CEOs or goalkeepers in competition can both enjoy the result?
Being a CEO or goalkeeper is the most unforgiving position and offers little opportunity for redemption. Sales directors and strikers, for example, can make several poor efforts at a goal and then “get into” the game. If they land the deal or score, those poor efforts are entirely forgotten.
When you step out, you have to be ready because redemption is an uphill struggle. If you make a mistake, you may not get another chance to put it right. You can only keep your head up, stay focused, and learn from it.
Alone on a bad day
Only a CEO can understand the challenges faced by a goalkeeper.
There’s nothing worse than the journey home when you’re kicking yourself over a mistake you made. It’s those key moments that ruin an evening or weekend for everyone. CEOs and goalkeepers truly carry the burden of their errors. No other position holds themselves singularly responsible. With that in mind, it’s unsurprising that some professionals have to quit for a lifestyle with a little less stress. Mental strength, a positive attitude and the determination to go again are required. Wounds will heal. CEO and keepers are easily victimised by their high level of responsibility. It takes guts to be one.