Week #01 - Define reality. Give hope.
A soaring mark early in the game and a first goal a quarter later from number 1 pick Sam Lalor in Richmond's unexpected Round 1 victory against Carlton in front of 80,0000 people at the MCG did more than electrify the Tiger Army; it offered a glimpse into one of leadership's most profound responsibilities:
Define reality. Give hope.
To walk into Punt Road Oval today is to enter a place where a "so far" story meets a "not yet" story. The echo of three recent premierships still resonates, but last year's two-win wooden spoon season speaks its own truth.
Reality defined.
The wooden spoon wasn't just the conclusion of an era but a conscious beginning of another, the Tigers bringing forward the shadow of the future, trading experienced talent, Premiership players still with plenty to offer, for capital in a highly regarded 2024 National Draft, three of whom, Luke Trainor, Harry Armstrong and Lalor, were in the team for the Round 1 win.
After a victory like this, there could be a temptation to revise expectations, and whilst it is important never to stifle possibility, this generation of Richmond leaders and the list build they are embarking on bring layers of wisdom and know the game will not give up its rewards so easily. They have built Premiership teams and will recognise this moment for what it is – not an arrival, but a glimpse of possibility within the necessary growing pains.
There was a sense of inevitability that there would be a moment in the game where the Richmond faithful would get to celebrate the hope that Sam Lalor and this group of tyros represent, which my drawing represents. He has embraced all of the number one expectations and the comparisons with the retiring superstar Dustin Martin, which seem very real.
Hope given.
In this environment, Senior Coach Adem Yze, a young coach who has done the yards, learning his craft in great systems, faces leadership's central challenge – imagining a team that doesn't yet exist – the 'Not Yet' vision that shapes every development decision, but at the same time, he must also create the conditions that balance present reality with future vision.
With veterans like skipper Toby Nankervis, Nick Vlastuin, Dion Prestia, Nathan Broad, Kamdyn McIntosh, Noah Balta, Jayden Short, and Tom Lynch carrying Premiership insight in their bones, he has team leaders who understand what being a Premiership outfit will ask of the talent the Tigers have quickly accumulated, individually and collectively.
The build isn't just about developing talent; it's about crafting an identity where the standards necessary for success are embedded in the new generation's DNA.
Leadership, if you’re prepared to embrace all its expectations, will pick you up somewhere and leave you somewhere else, and so it will be for Adem Yze, as he well understands. Leadership isn't about being ready—it's about being present to what each moment asks of you.
Defining reality doesn't diminish hope—it gives hope substance.
The work I do is for leaders who engage with leadership and its expectations to the extent that when it reveals who they are, they work hard to find the best parts of themselves while having the self-awareness that this is not what people get to experience all of the time, as well intended as you hope and believe it is.
Growth mindset leaders. Open, curious and committed to learning, but also with the courage to unlearn, and then apply these new perspectives in such a way that it becomes their wisdom.
It is for leaders who want to create conditions that enable people, teams and organisations to perform at their best, however defined, because this is what the role expects of them.
If this sounds like you, I have three mentoring places available in 2025, so feel free to email me back or call.
I am confident it can be the difference maker.
Love to chat.
Play on!
Cameron Schwab
My work builds on the belief that leadership is the defining characteristic of every great organisation or team.
You cannot outperform your leadership.
Our offering is designed for leaders who know that personal leadership effectiveness drives team and organisational performance and that there must be a better, more efficient and effective way to learn leadership.
Feel free to connect, or make contact
