The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders (35 page)
Read The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders Online
Authors: Mike Carson
The Masterful Leader
An old Chinese story tells of a farmer whose only horse runs away. ‘How terrible!’ say his neighbours. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer. The next day his horse
returns, bringing along three wild horses. ‘How wonderful!’ say his neighbours. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer. The following day his son tries to tame one of the wild horses, but
he falls off and breaks his leg. ‘How terrible!’ say his neighbours. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer. The next day some soldiers come along to force young men of the village to
join them in war. Because the lad has a broken leg, he is left behind. ‘How fortunate!’ say the neighbours. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer. The soldiers, still one man short, take
the young man’s cousin instead. ‘How dreadful!’ say the farmer’s neighbours. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer. That night a landslide covers the house in which the
cousin would have been sleeping if he had not been taken by the soldiers. ‘How fortunate!’ say the friends. ‘Maybe!’ says the farmer.
Joy and pain in football – like in business – both tend to be short-lived, and can turn on a single result. The compelling image is of the masterful leader who remains centred in all
circumstances, radiating to his people a steadiness that they can rely on. Few would claim to be that all the time; but in the whirlwind of senior professional football, the centred leaders have a
noticeable advantage.
1. Instead of despairing, great leaders take ownership and responsibility:
There are few sights more disheartening for a team or organisation than a leader who blames everyone and everything but himself. Ownership is the key. The owner cannot be a
victim. He also moves on quickly from defeat while taking the learnings, is strong in his fact-based self-belief, is deliberately and forensically optimistic, puts setbacks into context and
treats crises as opportunities for growth. He also has a source – a place of refuge to which he can return.
2. Instead of exaggerating success, great leaders take satisfaction and put it into context:
In that way, Moyes could take both Champions League qualification and exit in his stride.
3. When it comes to sharing the pain, great leaders make choices:
Different circumstances require different approaches from a leader. Sometimes it is good to show vulnerability, at other times it is essential to protect your people from
the vagaries of the environment in which they work. The key is to do what you do intentionally and with careful consideration of the impact you will have.
4. When it comes to sharing the joy, great leaders celebrate well and yet remain measured:
Not to celebrate genuine success appears heartless and is counter-productive. But great leaders somehow manage also to anchor their people in something more long
lasting.
If there is one lesson to take from all this, it is the tendency of great leaders to take ownership of their situations, however difficult. In the words of Mick McCarthy:
‘Of course there was mitigation – there’s always mitigation. But I signed the players and I picked the team.’ Such an approach displays integrity and inspires respect. It is
a mark of the masterful leader.
This book offers an insight into the work, thoughts, feelings and practices of some of the most recognisable leaders in the world game. It does not tell the whole story, of
course – there is much more.
But it does tell one very important story: a story often repeated, and yet often forgotten. It is a story of human beings. Despite their differences in culture, frames of reference, personal
insight and professional perspective, all the managers I have met agree on one thing. Leadership is all about people. Whatever his goals, whatever his grand vision – no leader will achieve
anything truly worthwhile without the ability to inspire his people.
The great football leaders need to know their technical skills – they are all coaches first. But it is their willingness and ability to really connect with their players on an individual
and personal level that marks them out from the crowd. The leader who invests the time and energy needed to get below the surface with his people will be breaking records when his peers have fallen
away. This is the leader who will leave a true legacy.
May this book make a real contribution to the growth and understanding of leaders and their people both in football and beyond.
Mike Carson worked for McKinsey & Company for five years and is now a partner and co-owner of the consulting business Aberkyn, specialising in business and human
transformation. He’s a leadership expert and a Manchester City fan, and lives in Winchester with his wife and four children.
First published in Great Britain in 2013
This electronic edition published in 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square
London WC1B 3DP
Copyright © by The League Managers Association (LMA) and Mike Carson 2013
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ISBN: 978 1 4088 4162 4 (ePub)
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