All of this World Cup stuff reminds me of the time I played soccer naked.
I was 16-years-old, a foreign exchange student in Germany, looking to leave my friends with a good story of the crazy American’s last week. Several of them challenged me to get sent to the principal’s office in our Gymnasium, a task which ended up being more difficult than I anticipated.
No one cared much when I wore American Flag shorts and dyed my hair green. The chemistry teacher just got mad when I hid his briefcase before class. The cute Latin teacher was impressed when I chugged 3 liters of Coke in one go, but only sent me into the hallway when I couldn’t stop belching afterward.
Finally, in Sport class, sitting on the bench during a game of indoor soccer, I knew what I had to do. When I was tagged back into the game, I stripped down and took control of the ball.
Reflecting back on the experience, I realize that I learned some important things that day about leadership and teamwork and faith (but mostly not faith).
1) Freedom isn’t free.
(I have to say that because it is the Fourth of July.)
I’m not generally into the freedom of public nudity, but there is something really Garden of Eden about playing soccer in your birthday suit. Life feels simpler when you are naked. All of our trappings and games and lies get stripped away. Thoreau had it right when he suggested “Simplify, simplify, simplify,” though I think he stayed mostly clothed at Walden Pond.
Ironically, freedom and margin is best when you say no to a lot of things—things like clothes in this case. And people can judge you harshly for what you reject.
2) People love a good self-deprecating joke.
Humor is an essential part of community in my experience, but inappropriate humor can create division and doubt in your team. The only safe kind of humor is directed back at yourself. Make a joke of your own vulnerabilities, and others will think you are strong. Make a joke of your own failures, and others will admire your courage.
Run naked across an indoor soccer field, and most of the team will laugh so hard they won’t remember to play the game at all as you dribble down the field with your bare feet.
3) Not everyone will be distracted by your vulnerability.
I hate to admit this part. I was always a bad soccer player, so I thought this was my one chance to score. Not so. Somehow, the goalie maintained his focus as I ran toward him, and he blocked my naked kick. I didn’t know whether to admire his focus or shake my head at his inability to understand when the game is on hold.
When one of the players is naked, the rules of the game have changed.
4) Good leaders expose themselves to risk rather than their teams.
This may be a stretch. Heck, all of these insights may be a stretch. When we take risks, we expose ourselves and our vulnerabilities. Had I scored that day, the whole team would have celebrated the victory. Only one of us had to suffer exposure for all of us to win.
As it so happened, the game pretty much ended right after I took my shot. Then the coach sent me to the principal’s office.
5) News of outrageous commitment travels fast.
Somehow before I had even left the principal’s office with my disciplinary note (“because he played soccer without his clothes on”), everyone in the entire school knew what I had done. Honestly, it brought a smile to their faces. And they thought of me as someone who is not controlled by fear.
Think about that for a minute. It takes courage to play soccer naked.
This is what good leadership does. It inspires people, gives them stories to tell, and helps them imagine the day when they too will be ready to take a risk, demonstrate some courage, and get in the game.
Are you prepared to go all in?
