Watching from the Stands

Why the best leaders don’t bark from the sidelines.

If you’ve seen any of my content, you’ll know I love a football analogy.
Systems. Formations. Head coaches over star players, it all works beautifully when we’re talking about leadership.

But there’s one part of football I’ve never bought into.
And that’s where the manager stands.

Level with the pitch.
Yelling instructions. Arms waving. Every moment micromanaged from the edge of the technical area.

Fans love it.
It looks like passion. But for me? It makes no sense.

The View Is Wrong

When you're level with the pitch, you can't see the shape properly.
You can't see where space is opening up.
You can’t step back and recognise when it’s time to change formation.
You're too close to react, and not far enough back to think.

That’s why in rugby, especially at international level, head coaches watch from high up in the stands.
Often in glass boxes. Removed from the noise.
They’re not disconnected. They’re elevated.
Watching the patterns. Reading the game.
Sending instructions down to the touchline when something actually needs to change.

It’s not about passion. It’s about perspective.

What About Business?

It’s the same challenge for leaders.
You’re either on the sideline shouting at every pass
Or you’re in the stands, watching the whole shape of the game unfold.

Most founders stay too close to the action.
They stay on the pitch in disguise, micromanaging, overcommunicating, never truly letting go.
It looks like leadership.
But it’s just control.

True coaching is about building trust, creating structure, and stepping far enough back to see what’s really happening.

That’s Why We Built Hashiru

Tools like Hashiru are our version of the glass box.

They give you visibility not just data dumps.
They show you rhythm, execution, feedback, the stuff that actually matters when you’re leading a team.
They let you see the gaps, the patterns, the moments to intervene without being down there screaming at every phase of play.

Because great leaders don’t run the pitch.
They coach the team to run it themselves.

So where are you right now?
Still shouting from the touchline?
Or have you earned the right to watch from the stands
and lead with clarity, not chaos?