Leadership and Life Balance

Reading and Self-Development · Growing beyond sport

How do I lead my team if I am not the captain?

Rhema Adelaja · National Champion & 4x DUX

I think of leadership as practical: self-management, asking for help, having a difficult conversation well, holding standards respectfully, and following through after feedback. None of that needs a title. Start with two questions: who depends on you doing your part on time, and who do you depend on?

The answer

  1. Do your part on time. The people who depend on you can only plan if they can trust it.
  2. Ask who you depend on, and ask them for what you need. Asking for help is not weakness.
  3. Hold your standard respectfully, the same way every day.
  4. When you disagree, have the conversation. Use Fact, Feeling, Question: say what happened, say how it affected you, then ask what to do next.
  5. After feedback, follow through.

In April 2026, I was part of the NSW quartet that ran 44.43 seconds to break the Australian Under-18 4x100m record. A relay shows how much your result depends on people other than you.

For information only. This is general information for student-athletes, not medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your own situation. Terms

Rules and amounts change. Check the official source before you act. Last checked: 10 October 2026.

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