Leadership Lessons from the Soccer Field

Soccer has a way of reflecting how teams work in everyday life.  

Every person contributes differently: some bring energy and momentum, while others create consistency and support behind the scenes. Goalkeepers stay composed under pressure. Coaches learn how to motivate different personalities. And over time, players learn that strong teams are built on trust, communication and a willingness to step up for one another when challenges arise. 

For Jon Malone and Sameer Asher, those lessons became more than part of the game they love. They became part of how they operate as leaders at Cox Enterprises. 

Jon and Sameer continue to apply what soccer taught them — from overcoming setbacks to helping others grow — in the way they build relationships, support teams and foster community at Cox. 

Building resilience under pressure 

Growing up, Jon played both soccer and basketball. Basketball taught him leadership as a high school team captain, while soccer taught him about resilience as a goalkeeper. 

“As a goalie, it is the most stressful position,” he said. “When you get a goal scored on you and the game’s lost, you feel like it’s all on you.” 

That mindset became even more meaningful during college, when Jon shattered his leg playing intramural soccer. The injury required an extensive recovery period, including seven months in a cast and physical therapy. 

The experience changed the way Jon thinks about perseverance and community. 

“It’s all about that bounce back: being able to come back from injuries and mental heartaches that you have to overcome,” he said. “You learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about who actually cares for you as part of a team.” 

Today, Jon brings those same lessons into his role as associate vice president of creative production at Cox Enterprises. He focuses on building strong relationships, supporting his teammates and leading with positivity — or, as he puts it, “leading with laughter.” 

Investing in people and team growth 

Soccer remained a constant throughout Sameer’s life since he was a toddler — first as a player, then as a coach for his son and daughter’s youth teams. 

Through coaching, Sameer began to see how closely sports mirror the dynamics of leadership in the workplace. It’s about learning how to support and motivate different personalities, each with their own aspirations, strengths and ways of contributing to a team. 

“Some are motivated to win, some are motivated just to be there and have fun,” said Sameer, who is vice president of commercial operations in Cox Enterprises’ legal team. “What I’ve learned is that’s not very different than when we get to our adult stage in life at work.” 

One of the most rewarding parts of coaching has been watching young athletes’ passion grow over time. Sameer recalls coaching children who once spent practices picking flowers in the grass, only to later develop into successful student athletes. 

For him, those experiences reinforced the importance of building people’s confidence. 

“If you’re investing in your teams, if you’re investing in your peers and your colleagues, helping them develop training and just believing in them, you’ll see them flourish,” he said. “I think you see that on a soccer field, and I think you can see that in the hallways of Cox as well.”

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