This shows a different perspective in approaching business. It is disruptive in a way in dealing high pressured situation. Well, we ought to send the best people in crucial situation, but there are times we need people behind the scene need to step up. Those people who stepped up are committed and believed in themselves. I think leaders should ask vulunteers who are willing to take the responsibility. There are many people out there whose latent talents weren't unveiled because they didn't have the opportunity. This concept is great way of bringing out the best in people.

I agree. It speaks to the notion of a more distributed leadership model. I think the challenge to this concept is that it is indicative of an organization's work culture. How do we acknowledge risk, and more importantly, how do we support our employees to take risk? For example, how do we support employees take on 'stretch assignments' or set developmental goals which may seem at odds with the constraints of their position or role. In using the metaphor of the penalty kicker it gets me thinking about the conditions necessary to step up to take the kick - a high sense of self-efficacy, a strong sense of relational trust in teammates/colleagues, awareness that support will be provided regardless of failure, and a commitment to the organization's success.

Nice piece Tammy! A great example to weave into thoughts around organizational life.

Brilliant analogy. But let me "flesh it out a bit". Those guys spend hundreds of hours practicing. It should be muscle memory. yet, it isn't. The atmosphere and importance and unreatability of the occassion throw people. Thus, it becomes a psychological game. So, perhaps your question is, "how do we prepare people for the psychologically crushing/proving moment". And if they FAIL, how do we stop them being crushed?

I have played and followed football (known as soccer in the US) for years. The penalty kicks are practised by teams before major finals and the order in the shootout is generally pre-determined based on who is good at taking them/handling pressure. The person who missed by slipping (John Terry) had to take the 5th penalty because his teammate who would have normally taken them (Drogba) was sent off earlier for a foul.

You are probably misinformed that the coach or manager calls for volunteers to take penalties. They already have a list of penalty shooters based on practise results and prior experience of the striker. That is the exact reason why they bring on players in the last minute to only take a penalty even if he didnt have a touch of the ball earlier. The list of players and order is just tailored in the last minute based on injuries, substitions and sending off.

Do you actually believe that a top class manager would put a player who has a lesser chance of scoring on the spot because he voluntered for it ?

Heard Tammy on Bob Brinker radio show, which led me here. Interesting ideas.

I live in Moscow, so was here during that European Cup. That was a great game--the guy who owns Chelsea is a Russian billionaire well-connected with Putin, so it had even more meaning here. Furthermore, Terry is Chelsea's rock, so it was nearly tragic to see him slip like that. But it was really wet by that time! But he's a go-getter and a leader of that team, and is much admired.

There were at least two almost-goals that bounced off the goalposts by Chelsea, so the game could have gone either way right up to the end. Plus the play of the game must have been the one done by Terry (him again!), when he headered the ball away from becoming a Man-U goal. An excellent example to use!