An extended metaphor for leadership

Introduction
I spent most of my middle and high school years involved in campaigns for social justice without even realizing I was in a fight. Take, for example, my work with Project Unify, an organization that works with students with special needs and is all about inclusion. I believe and advocate that people with mental and learning disabilities are accepted and have the same opportunities as their peers. After participating in classes with Dr. Lane Perry at Western Carolina University, I realized that not everyone sees things the way I do, and in a way, that’s due to a lack of understanding. As I continue to grow in my knowledge and passion for positively impacting my community, I must explore the connection between leadership and social justice.

This article is a way of sharing how I see the two concepts using an extended metaphor between a soccer team, leadership, and social justice. Now, that may seem like a strange comparison, but it’s part of the purpose of an extended metaphor: to find an interesting way to enhance understanding of a complicated concept like social injustice and leadership with a more common and simple concept like a soccer team. . . The positions and roles on a soccer team can be applied to the necessary components that leaders need to inspire social change.

A metaphor: shoot or defend.
It can be shooting for your goals in life or shooting for goals in a soccer field just like you can defend your goals in life or defend goals in a soccer field. For a moment… let’s think about a soccer team. The players of a soccer team will frame our metaphor.

• The Follower – As a soccer player, the follower is likely to be a midfielder, meaning the follower is more comfortable playing in midfield and going where the ball goes. They also support the forwards in their goal-scoring efforts and make sure that both the offensive and defensive players are in order. Supporters are very important for movement initiation and success, just as midfielders are very important for the flow of the game and the success of the rest of the team.

• The Manager – As a soccer player, the manager is probably the defenders (defensive players), meaning the manager is more comfortable defending the ‘goal’, adjusting to changes on the pitch and is process oriented . Sometimes defenders can leave their positions to get the ball up the field, but it is important for the rest of the defenders to move and adjust to keep the team and defense strong. Coaches are very important for their adaptability and ability to manage change as defensive players should be on a soccer field.

• The Leader – As a soccer player, the leader or leaders in this case are probably the strikers (attacking players) this is because they prefer to have the ball and look to get goals, the rest of the team looks at them and many times trusts on them to get points. Leaders are very important because they are often the ones looking for goal orientation or, in this case, goal orientation.

• The social change agent: As a soccer player, the social change agent is likely to be the goalkeeper, who is clearly differentiated from the others. The goalkeeper must rely on his own abilities and skills to protect the entire team and recover from all team mistakes. They work somewhat independently from the rest of the team and have to have a lot of patience and persistence. Social Change Agents are very important because they put others before themselves and while they are not always recognized for their contributions, they work quietly in the background and often have the biggest impact, just like doormen who they often go unrecognized when their team wins. the game, but without them they probably wouldn’t have won.

parting thoughts
Soccer is one of my passions, and I have spent many years learning how to play different positions and finding the right position that fits my skill set. Similarly, social change is an area I am increasingly interested in, and as I explore more about how to get involved, I need to consider supporters, management, leadership, and the social change agency to decide where to go. I fit based on my skill set. . As I have changed positions in football over the years, I see myself trying different roles in social change until I find not only where I feel comfortable (because it’s hard to grow in your comfort zone) but where I will inspire the most. exchange.