The World Cup – how business can learn about motivation from football – Part 1

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I will hold my hands up and say that I am not a football fan. I really don’t get the fuss. And the fact that I can’t have a beer whilst I am sat in the ground watching a game means that I am highly unlikely to spend the approx. £90 to go and see a premiership match in the UK.

However it is interesting to watch what is happening in the managerial area of the game, particularly at a national level. It is always going to be hard to motivate a group of people who are (generally) hugely rewarded compared to the rest of the population to put their bodies on the line for their team and country. The recent world cup tournament showed some very different styles and some very different levels of success in motivation.

At the very top of the game – and I am talking top 10 countries in the world – it is likely that fitness levels are likely to be fairly close: certainly within a few percent in any given position. It is also likely that skill levels are broadly similar: ie each footballer puts in a suitable amount of effort in training to hone their skills to the level needed to play internationally. Yes, there are the superstars of the game with exceptional levels of skill, but the majority of the players are good enough to be playing in the tournament.

This means that there are a few areas remaining as variables, pretty much all of which the manager has a big input in to: the team selection, the tactics, the formation to be used and, finally, the motivation he imparts to the players.

Have a think about some of the teams that were at the tournament: who over-achieved? Who under-achieved? Why do you think that was?

In a couple of weeks, I will post another blog with some ideas that I have got.

Being a leader… a lonely place?

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How can you be lonely when you are working with other people? Leaders are in a position where they are directing an organisation or a group of people – otherwise they wouldn’t be leaders. This means that they have to have a broad perspective on what is happening around their group and be thinking about how they are going to react and what changes may be necessary to achieve their aims – both for themselves and their organisation. So they are thinking on 3 levels: strategic (what is going to happen in the distant future), tactical (what do I need to get done in the short term) and the organisational (what do I need to implement to position us for the future).

This is a different level of thinking to the majority of the rest of the group. Their focus is getting their tasks done and other aspects of their lives. This means that they are not looking a distance ahead and it is likely that the need for change is going to be a surprise. Their perspective is most likely: what does this mean for me? Do I need to work harder? Is my job/role safe?

This difference in perspective means that the person in a leadership role needs in a very different mental space from the rest of the team or group. They may also have more information about what is going on or they may have access to other resources that their team members don’t.

Can you be friends with people that you are leading? Probably not: you may have to make difficult decisions and in that case, the needs of the team and organisation are paramount. Also, if your team think you have favourites, then that can weaken your credibility as a leader.

So: not only does the leader have to be the dynamo that drives the organisation and sets its direction, they also are working alone when they are doing it. This means that you have to have other aspects of your life that can provide the relationships that humans need to thrive. A lonely place? At work, unfortunately yes.

Not being afraid to change direction

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One of the main functions of leadership is setting out a vision for the future and defining the path to get there. This doesn’t involve too much detail or analysis but letting your team know what you are thinking and the benefits of achieving the aims you set out.

The paths we and our organisations take is rarely (never!) linear. Life is not static, change is happening all around us.  Sometimes we drive this change, sometimes it is imposed upon us, but in both cases the effect is the same: the aim and the plan may need to be revisited. Even if the end point still looks right, then it is highly likely that your predicted route will have to adapt to the new circumstances.

As a leader, you have to take account of changes that you can foresee as well as those that happen along the way. This means you need to be both proactive in looking ahead but also reactive to circumstances. When things change, then a leader must not be afraid to re-evaluate both the aim and the predicted path they are taking their team along.

This means that flexibility and adaptability are vital weapons in a leader’s armoury as they should always be looking at new ways of delivering their aims. Teams get confidence from a leader that demonstrates that they are capable of using new information or circumstances to improve the plan as it shows they are listening and paying attention to what is going on around them. It also shows that they have the courage to change direction when it is required rather than sticking to what they may know best.

In summary: don’t be scared of changing your approach or plan in the face of new information or changing circumstances. Being too rigid can mean that you get left behind….

Don’t be afraid of changing tack

Change is coming…are you ready for it?

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Over the last few weeks, I have read some interesting articles and seen some great presentations about the way the world is changing around us. I would like to share a couple of them with you:

And also these articles about disruptive technology:

Hardware is dead

Catching the wave

These came on the back of a very entertaining presentation from Rupert Soames, CEO of Aggreko, talking about how we need to supply reliable power to the developing world whilst simultaneously de-carboning our economy AND maintaining our competitiveness. Prior to that, I had been to see a presentation by Jon Moynihan of PA Consulting talking about the continued economic decline of the west.

So what has all this got to do with you and your team?

Change is happening on a macro-economic level and the pace of that change is accelerating. Leaders and teams have to make sure that they are looking at the horizon to spot anything coming that will be disruptive to their business. The pace of technology change is increasing and now organisations can come under pressure from really unforeseen sectors.

Have you had a talk with your team about how things are changing in your market place? What they think needs to change in the organisation? How your organisation could contribute by saving energy, doing things differently or even not at all to reduce resource consumption?

These are all good topics to have a discussion about at team meetings as people feel valued if they feel they are being listened to.

Some key lessons from Richard Branson

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Someone on a forum I am a member of posted a link to this video when we were discussing the often fraught relationship between banks and business that bank with them. I watched it and realised that there were some really key lessons in it that were put very succinctly. Click on the title below:

Richard Branson – Advice for Entrepreneurs

The key message is less than 20 seconds in to the video: a company is simply a group of people. Later on, he talks about giving his management team freedom to succeed and make mistakes. Delegation is a strong theme for him as it is the only way that he can manage the portfolio of entities that make up the Virgin Group. In fact, Richard Branson is someone who has built a team of key lieutenants around him who have complementary skills. This enables him to concentrate on the things that he is good at and enjoys.

Industry in the UK has changed massively from the days when there were large numbers of people on production lines, effectively serving massive machines. Now, companies are defined by their processes and intellectual property – which largely reside inside the heads of their staff…. Keeping your people on side and feeling valued is more important now than ever before.

The importance of happiness

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Happiness might seem to be an odd thing to be talking about on a website that is all about developing people and increasing what gets done. And yes, it is true that people are not going to be happy all of the time! However, happier people do tend to be more productive people and morale in an organisation is one way of assessing how successful the leadership of that organisation is.

Work is not easy! Managers and leaders have to make unpopular decisions sometimes which can have a big impact on the happiness of their staff. However, that impact can be minimised with the correct communications strategy and messages about why those decisions have been taken and the impact it will have on the team.

So, my challenge to all the leaders out there is: when was the last time you thought about the morale of your organisation, and what small steps could you take to improve it? It doesn’t take much to make people feel valued (or not!) and, more importantly, people that feel valued will be more committed to go the extra mile when you really need them.