Reflections on leadership: Lessons from the handball court – HV Erftstadt Damen

Beyond Academia: Real-world Leadership

Over recent years, I’ve pursued numerous paths to grow as a leader, including executive training at Saïd Business School, Oxford, and completing my Doctorate of Business Administration. While these experiences significantly shaped my views on management and organizational dynamics, coaching my female handball team taught me the deepest lessons about genuine leadership, trust, and humility.

Today marked the season’s last game, a bittersweet moment. Reflecting on this journey, it’s clear how profoundly this experience has influenced my perspective on leadership and life.

Humility: A Lesson in True Leadership

Two years ago, I started coaching a vibrant group of young women, each unique in personality, ambitions, and skills. Initially, my focus was on improving their handball skills, teamwork, and securing victories. However, the true lessons soon surpassed sports and tactics.

The first crucial lesson I learned from my team was the genuine essence of humility. Academic contexts often describe humility as a key leadership trait, but through coaching, its true meaning became evident. My team demonstrated humility not just by acknowledging limitations or sharing success but through unwavering mutual support during defeats, openly accepting feedback, and constantly recognizing each other’s strengths.

They showed me that humility and vulnerability are strengths, not weaknesses. Facing challenges courageously, their resilience through setbacks, injuries, and tough losses continually taught me invaluable leadership lessons.

Building Trust: The Foundation of Great Teams

Trust was another pivotal lesson from the court. Academic theories provided foundational concepts, but real-world coaching experiences offered deeper insights. Trust among my players didn’t form instantly; it developed gradually through consistency, authentic interactions, and shared experiences.

Through numerous intense training sessions and competitive games, I witnessed trust grow from collective reliance and common goals. This trust wasn’t merely about dependability—it represented deep faith in each other’s intentions, character, and genuine support during critical moments.

Life Lessons Beyond the Court

Coaching revealed to me the profound importance of life beyond professional achievements or academic milestones. Standing at the sideline today as the final whistle blew, I felt immense pride—not simply in wins but in witnessing each player’s personal growth and their evolution into strong, supportive women who could rely on each other.

This personal pride overshadowed any professional or academic accomplishments, emphasizing that the most significant achievements involve positively impacting others’ lives.

Leadership as Influence and Connection

This experience reinforced that authentic leadership isn’t about authority or hierarchy; it revolves around influence, authenticity, and emotional connections. Genuine leadership supports individuals in their personal journeys, empowering them to reach their full potential. My greatest realization was that true leadership’s success isn’t measured by certificates or diplomas but by positively influencing others’ lives.

Final Reflections and Gratitude

Looking back on these two transformative years, I am profoundly grateful. Each practice, strategy session, victory, and loss provided deep lessons about empathy, patience, and genuine care—qualities essential to authentic leadership but often underappreciated in corporate environments.

While my academic and professional achievements were rewarding, coaching has provided the richest insights. Today, I celebrate not only the skills my players developed or games won but the incredible individuals they have become. Knowing I played even a small role in their lives fills me with immense joy and satisfaction.

To my team—thank you for teaching me the most meaningful leadership lessons of my life. I am endlessly proud of each of you and look forward eagerly to seeing your remarkable future journeys unfold.