Megan Rapinoe is known for her ability to perform under pressure on the soccer field. In 2019, she led the U.S. women’s team to the World Cup Championship.

But Rapinoe’s leadership extends beyond making big goals in high-stakes games. She has embraced her role as team captain and as an advocate for causes she believes in — like gender pay equity.

“I’ve always been a team-first kind of player. I’ve never been the best player, but I certainly carry a lot of weight,” she tells IdeaCast host Alison Beard. “I think that as long as I can do that in a positive way then I can have a really big impact on the team ultimately.”

They also discuss how Rapinoe gradually grew into her leadership role on the U.S. women’s team, why personal relationships with her teammates are important to her leadership, and what she does to keep her teammates motivated – especially after hard losses.

Key episode topics include: leadership, sports, gender, diversity and inclusion, leading teams, corporate social responsibility, pay equity, advocacy, purpose, and soccer.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Megan Rapinoe on Leading — On and Off the Field (June 2020)
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