The cheerleading docuseries that’s a must-watch for leaders
I didn’t know what to expect when my partner suggested we watch Cheer, a docuseries about cheerleading, but like many other viewers I was immediately hooked. The athleticism, the grit, the tenacity and the sheer talent of the Navarro College cheerleading team makes for fascinating viewing.
What stood out more than anything, however, was the genuine leadership of head coach Monica Aldama. Like the kids on her team, I started to feel I’d do anything for her and over six 1-hour episodes I became utterly invested in the team’s success. Here are a few of the leadership traits we can all aspire to, as demonstrated by Monica:
Know your desired outcome and focus on it unwaveringly. Monica’s goal was to have the team win the NCA College Nationals at Daytona Beach (for the 14th time, no less). Everything she did, every small action and detail, was carried out with this goal in mind.
Focus on the team, not the individuals. In a team of high performers, some individuals stand out as particularly talented. Monica resists the temptation to create a superstar-centric team culture, focusing instead on overall performance and collective success.
Expect - in fact, demand - the best of everyone. Monica insists on people bringing their A-game to every practice. And her team learn to expect this of themselves and each other as well, pushing through emotional and physical pain to keep showing up at their best.
Include every team member, whatever their role. Not every team member is on the mat, performing, but those on the sidelines are a key part of the team. Whether it’s counting time for the routine, yelling words of encouragement or buoying people up when they’re feeling the pressure, Monica insists on the full involvement of those supporting from the sidelines - and acknowledges their importance to the team.
Be supportive and empathetic. Monica’s expectations are high, and she pushes people to continue to stretch beyond their last performance. But she’s no cold and unfeeling dictator. She leads with heart, empathising with the challenges her team face on and off the mat, and she’s 100% supportive of them. The combination of challenge and support allows her to command respect and unwavering loyalty.
Give immediate, direct feedback. Time and again we see Monica giving feedback on a performance, offering advice and correcting actions and attitudes. Unlike many leaders who shy away from feedback, Monica is unafraid to provide it in front of the rest of the team. It’s matter-of-fact, evidence-based and to the point.
Be unafraid to make tough decisions for the good of the team. Many leaders shy away from making tough calls because they’re worried about upsetting someone. Monica shows that she’s unafraid to take someone off the mat if they aren’t performing to standard - because her focus is the overall performance of the team, not the feelings of the individual. But don’t be fooled into thinking this makes her uncaring - she has empathy for her kids and supports them to get back on the mat.
Expect personal accountability. Monica doesn’t take any nonsense, particularly when it comes to performance and attitude. She makes sure her kids know they’re responsible for their success and she won’t allow them to make excuses or go into victim mode if they don’t like what she has to tell them.
Create a team culture that supports achievement. Time and again we hear team members describe the team as their brothers and sisters, and even Monica as a mother figure. Despite the occasional squabble, the team demonstrate camaraderie - even love - for one another, bonded in their desire to do their best for each other and for Monica.
Plan for all eventualities and practice before you need it. Monica has the team practice everything, including the walk to the competition stage. Close to competition time, and after a number of injuries force a change to the team line-up, she also starts practicing unexpected incidents with the team. What would happen if this move went wrong, or if something happened here? By considering the unexpected, she teaches the team to be prepared for anything, taking away the element of surprise that could catch them unawares. Spoiler alert: this becomes reallyimportant on competition day.
Know that repetition breeds success. It’s easy to learn something once then think ‘I’ve heard this before’ or ‘I know this’, but in any field we achieve mastery through repetition. In addition to the almost relentless ‘normal’ practice, Monica has the team complete the entire routine (‘go full out’) 41 times before the competition.
As a leader, don’t freak out. Leaders set the tone for the team and Monica knows that how she responds will affect everyone. During a critical moment, she manages herself beautifully and tells the team she’s not freaking out, so there’s nothing to freak out about. This keeps everyone calm in a moment of crisis, so they can take rational and measured steps to recover.
Instil humility in the team. Despite being such a renowned team, there’s not much evidence of ego. Monica’s standards extend to attitude and behaviour as well as performance, and she insists on the team behaving professionally and appropriately. Ahead of Daytona, she explains exactly how they’ll respond if they don’t win, and how they’ll respond if they do.
Know your own why. As Monica herself says, with her academic credentials she could have chosen to do any number of things in her career. But she’s driven to help her kids to be their best. That’s what lights her up and keeps her going, year after year.
If you haven’t already seen Cheer, I highly recommend you set yourself up for a binge tonight. If you’re anything like me, you’ll come away inspired, humbled, and with a desire to be a leader more like Monica, or part of a team with a leader like her.