Aspire in the World Fellows Book - 2025

49 ASPIRE IN THE WORLD FELLOWS 11TH ASPIRE ACADEMY GLOBAL SUMMIT STARCHAT (05) WilfriedNancy STAR CHAT First of all, thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here. This journey has meant everything to me. I’m grateful for it because it allows me to understand more people. It helps me every day in my job. As leaders, we have to make decisions, but the context and the people we work with determine what to say, when to say it, when to listen, when to stay silent, when to challenge, and when to support. Traveling and coming from different countries has helped me understand cultures and the people I work with in a deeper way. Self-doubt. Becoming a coach is not only about coaching; it’s about becoming a leader. There’s always a little voice telling you you’re not capableor that you’regoing thewrong way. Trends change, tactics change, but ultimately, it’s about believing in yourself. You need to understand who you are and who you want to become. We have Guardiola, known as an offensive coach, and Mourinho, considered more defensive, both have won everything. The most important thing is to be yourself, create connection, transmit your ideas, and empower players to execute those ideas. It’s always about the players. It’s aprocess.Wehave to fail. Everyone wants to win, but life is full of failure. The question is howwe respond to it. I try to stay committed to the process. It may sound cliché: I want to win, but I also respect defeat because I can learn from it. I prefer learning while winning, of course, but both are part of growth. Adversity is normal. If you don’t experience adversity, you’re not trying. I connect the style of play to the human being behind it—howwe grow, how we try, and how we become better. For me, that’s the essence of the growth mindset. You’ve lived and worked in Europe, America, and Africa. How has that journey affected and changed your view on coaching? A lot of people want to coach—former players or simply people who love the game—but it’s a difficult world to transition into. What challenges have you seen along the way? You mentioned doubt. When does that creep in? Is it after a bad result? Who do you lean on?