Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

The Captain Class

the Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams
Jul 20, 2018JCLChrisK rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is an absolutely fascinating book. Walker started with a question: What makes great sports teams great? He came up with a criteria and looked at the history of athletic teams to identify the most dominant dynasties of their eras. The success of the best of the best teams all coincided with the arrival and departure of a particular player who became the team's captain. The more he looked, the more he found similarities between all of those figures, until he eventually had to conclude "that the most crucial ingredient in a team that achieves and sustains historic greatness is the character of the player who leads it." Walker summarizes those character traits as: "Doggedness, selflessness, emotional control, principled dissent, functional leadership, and practical communication." It is Walker's exploration of each of those traits that composes the bulk of the book and what I found most fascinating. He offers lengthy examples of each from the playing lives of the 16 elite captains. And though he remains firmly in the realm of sports, specialized knowledge is not required to understand or appreciate them. His writing is accessible and informal, focusing on what the anecdotes demonstrate rather than geeking out about the athletic feats. One thing Walker leaves to readers is transferring the book's knowledge to non-sport contexts. It can be particularly hard at a glance to come up with parallels for non-competitive settings. Still, there is wisdom to be gleaned with reflection about leadership principles. I'm still pondering just what lessons I can take away from it. Which is always a sign of a good book.