Have you ever achieved extraordinary results because of a Superfan in your life?
At the 2024 tennis French Open, the player Alex de Minaur became the first Australian man for 17 years to reach the singles last 16. For those of you who are tennis fans, and in particular fans of Alex, you may remember it well for the role that his unexpected ‘Superfan’ played in his achievement. For after the four-and-a-half hour rain stoppage, in the freezing cold for ten hours, Alex publicly gave credit to the young fan who stayed on and who screamed support at him at every point which ‘gave me life.’
What a wonderful acknowledgement of the power of support and of having someone’s back. When we have Superfans in our lives, we feel we can conquer anything.
Positive leaders tune into the importance of creating the right environment to have this sort of support present for everyone. They recognise how it can inspire trust and confidence, while also facilitating collaboration, teamwork and mutual encouragement to strive for high performance.
It can be easy to underestimate the importance of positive relationships at work – and it’s generally only in its absence that we really notice and yearn for it. When leaders deliberately foster positive relationships, the natural knock on impact is that people feel valued, and respected and this leads to enhanced collaboration and cohesion.
Effective leadership is inherently relational, relying on trust, respect, and empathy to foster meaningful connections. Research underscores the pivotal role of positive leadership in cultivating strong interpersonal relationships within organisations.
Studies have shown that positive leadership behaviours, such as active listening, appreciation, and recognition, contribute to the development of high-quality relationships characterised by open communication and camaraderie.
Alex de Minaur’s Superfan was there for him when he needed it – it was a spontaneous and symbiotic relationship, which reflected true passion and commitment on behalf of both of them. If leaders can create environments at work where Superfans and similar supportive relationships are encouraged, their teams will also be spurred on to bring their best selves to work and to achieve their optimal performance.
Deb is a Senior Consultant who is passionate about Positive Leadership and brings with her a wealth of experience in applying Positive Psychology and the Neuroscience of Leadership to excel in leadership and performance. Book here for a conversation to learn more about our programmes.
