Sue Workman, VP of ITS & CIO, Case Western Reserve University

I thought that my childhood dream to become a great basketball coach ended when I traded a prospective career as a high school mathematics teaching and girls’ basketball coach for a job in the IT sector. After being kicked out of the teachers’ lounge several times as a student teacher looking more like a student than a teacher, a system administrator’s salary of $2,000 more per year seems attractive.

I soon learned that the extra money afforded me to set my thermostat to 55 degrees and eat popcorn for dinner. But I still had the drive to lead a team, and a few years after hitting the ground as an individual contributor in IT, my first chance to be a manager arrived. Three decades, and climbing the ladder leading teams from 4 to 400, and various stages of management later, I have come to realize that IT can be thought of as a sport in its own right. And leading it can be the best coaching opportunity of a lifetime.

“In IT, the leader must determine and communicate the strategy that is in the best interest of the university”

Whether you care about scoreboards or circuit boards, these 10 characteristics carry value across athletics coaching and IT leadership.

Set the strategy

As in any athletic endeavor, it is up to the coach to set the strategy. Are you playing man-to-man or a zone defense? What offense will work against the opposing team? In IT, the leader must determine and communicate the strategy that is in the best interest of the university. Encompassed by this strategy are reliable methods, ways to secure buy-in and an understanding of what it will take from your team to deliver. Then, the team needs to know what that strategy is, and what each member is expected to contribute. The IT leader must be very intentional in planning the strategy and communicating it to each member of the organization.

Set high expectations

As athletic teams seek to win championships, IT leaders must set high expectations that prompt their team to perform at the maximum level possible. Staff will typically reach the expectations set for them. Set them high.

Teach offense and defense

Just like an athletic team needs to know how to perform the plays, a leader in IT must ensure that their staff knows how perform as expected. IT staffs are frequently trained on emerging technologies, but it shouldn’t stop there. They may also need emotional intelligence training, or acquire a soft skill, such as public speaking or deal-brokering. The best technical resources often, are promoted to roles that make them managers of humans, finances and capital. Sometimes this works, sometimes it does not. We owe it to our new managers to teach them how to transition from being a technology leader to a people leader. And we owe it to our staff to ensure they have the training necessary to perform their jobs well.

Pick the team and position them to get the job done

 Just as a coach looks out for the entire team—not just a star player—an IT leader looks out for the good of their staff and the university. It is not always the most talented player that will get the job done. In athletics, and in IT, you need different talents and attitudes to accomplish the tasks at hand. The one who delivers may be someone with the most knowledge about the subject, or it may be the one who is most interested in moving an initiative forward. Sometimes you need someone to take the hit so that the other person can make the score. It’s up to the leader to make sure that the right people are in the right positions.

Know when to substitute

People have limits, whether in an athletic competition or in a work setting. There are times when leaders need to make a substitution. If the employee is not capable of finishing the job, leading the group, or if they just have reached the limits of their knowledge or energy, it is time to substitute with some fresh perspective.

Know when to call time-out

Similar to how athletic teams need to take a time-out, IT teams often need to re-group in order to figure out a new game plan. It may become important that the IT leader knows when to stop investing in a project.

Know when to praise and when to “make ‘em run”

Coaches recognize the importance of a well-deserved high-five, and IT leaders should as well. It is important that IT leaders give regular acknowledgement and praise to their staff for good work. In contrast, coaches often use running as a form of discipline, whether someone is late to practice, doesn’t follow directions, or isn’t giving it their all. While IT leaders cannot make anyone run, it is their responsibility to make sure that their staff is in top performance, and, if not, correct it immediately.

Trust them to take some risks

When an athlete sees a hole in the defense, a coach expects them to break formation and go for the goal. As IT leaders, we want to cultivate an environment in which our staff can take some risks that benefit the institution—without asking permission to make the move. Such nuanced autonomy requires that the leader communicates the appropriate risk levels to the team. The team also must trust that the leader will respect their decision to take a risk and will back their play, as needed.

Be a role model and mentor

Players hold their coaches to high standards. Make sure that your team witnesses you modeling the behaviors and actions that you are demanding of them. If you’re asking them to leave it all on the field, make sure that they see you doing the same.

Acknowledge that the coach loses, but the team wins

When a victory is achieved, always acknowledge the team’s efforts and successes. Whether the root cause is a bad strategy, insufficient resources, inadequate training, poor timing or lackluster communication, most losses typically result from a leadership decision.

IT leadership requires practice and continuing education. Just as coaches need to learn new tactics, IT leaders must learn new and more efficient and effective ways to get work done. The fact that you have read this article to the end is a sign that you are learning more about leadership. There are countless books, articles and resources that can help you to learn. Be sure to supplement them with mentors, friends, and coaches who can help develop your leadership techniques so that you may grow.

I may no longer be mistaken for a student, but I am having a great time coaching my championship team.