The Manager - Issue 18

tHe MagaZine of tHe league Managers assoCiation

INSPIRED CHRIS HuGHTON ON HIS LEARNING JOuRNEY

SPONSORED BY

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WELCOME

FROM the Are leaders born or bred? There will always be debate over whether leadership is a natural ability or something that can be learned. But what is without question is that any leader or manager, natural or not, can be nurtured. A whole range of skills, from mental strength, communication and empathy to discipline and planning, must be acquired and honed to become a successful leader, and it's a development journey that never ends.

How are these abilities nurtured? Self-help books, training courses, qualifications and lots and lots of practice. But perhaps most important is influence. Ask almost any manager about their development journey and they will start reeling off names. Who has inspired and enthused them over the years; who they turn to for a different perspective; who has taught them the most valuable lessons. And they will speak about how they, in turn, try to pass on their knowledge to others.

How we shape up as people and professionals is affected massively by the people around us, and by how receptive we are to their influence. In our cover story (page 12), Norwich City manager Chris Hughton talks about his unusually long period of preparation for management, saying, “I worked under six managers as first-team coach at Spurs, so there was always something new to learn and experience. It was exciting to see what each new manager would be like, how he would involve me and what I would learn.”

Working with so many experienced professionals meant Hughton could build up his knowledge while establishing a leadership style and football philosophy that fit comfortably with his own personality. Simon Grayson (page 32) also sought inspiration from a host of people during his early career, not only past managers such as Martin O’Neill and Brian Little, but his parents and brother, cricketer Paul Grayson.

In the Manager, our aim is to share the inspiration and experience of fellow managers in order to nurture your leadership and management skills. For The League Managers Association, St George's Park, National Football Centre, Newborough Road, Needwood, Burton upon Trent, DE13 9PD The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and are not necessarily those of the League Managers Association, its members, officers or employees. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. www.leaguemanagers.com

great leaders like nelson mandela do things their own way, but they also learn from the mistakes and successes of others. page 28

example, in our Perspectives feature on page 22, we ask professionals from a range of backgrounds how a manager can best deal with pressure and harness it for a better performance.

As we enter the new year and each match becomes more critical, managers should take note.

“Ultimately, pressure always comes from within, but that's not a fault it's a positive, because it's that pressure that pushes you to achieve more,” says Michelin-star-chef Tom Kerridge. And, in the words of former Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn manager Michael Appleton, “So long as it doesn't tip over and make you too excitable, pressure can bring out an inner strength and help you to realise that you can not only face, but embrace new challenges.”

As always, let us know your thoughts.

Editor Alice Hoey alicehoey1@gmail.com Editor for LMA Sue McKellar sue.mckellar@lmasecure.com Editorial contributors Matthew Amos, Terry Bowles, Simon Cleaves Publisher Jim Souter jim.souter@lmasecure.com Art director Sam Bowles sam@bowlesassociates.com Photography Action Images unless stated Head of business development Tim Munton tim.munton@lmasecure.com Partnerships and events manager Alex Smith alex.smith@lmasecure.com

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FROM THE POST ROOM TO THE BOARD ROOM, EVERYONE THINKS THEY CAN BE

THE MANAGER OUT NOW

‘peerless insights’ – Observer ‘a trove of interesting material’ – Independent on Sunday Book of the Week ‘its depth of shared knowledge is huge’ – FourFourTwo

The biggest names in football management reveal the secrets to successful leadership and surviving under pressure Available in hardback, ebook and audiobook www.themanager2013.com |

T he Ma na ge r 2013 |

Published with the support of the LMA, Barclays and Deloitte

@ The Ma na ge r 2013

welcome

FROM the The festive season is upon us and, for most people, it's a time for winding down and recharging the batteries. For football managers though, it's arguably the busiest time of the year, with games coming thick and fast. Teams can suddenly rise or fall in the league standings, which with the pressure to achieve short-term success often leads to managers losing their jobs.

So much for the 'season of goodwill'.

For the good of the game, all stakeholders need to take a more pragmatic approach by looking to the medium term. This is, of course, easier said than done. However, in recent months, by various means, the game has been setting aspirations around the development of English football.

The LMA believes that, in order to give coach education and development programmes a chance to prove their worth, owners must examine their recruitment

chief executive processes, set realistic targets for managers and coaches and then take responsibility to manage expectations, both within their clubs and among the supporters.

On behalf of everyone at the LMA, I would like to congratulate our President, Roy Hodgson, on guiding England to qualification for the World Cup Finals in Brazil. It was interesting to hear that he marked the occasion as his ‘proudest moment’ in a highly successful managerial career that began in 1976. I wish him and the team all the very best in their preparations for next summer.

St George’s Park recently celebrated its first birthday and our relocation there has already helped us improve how we deliver services to members. The LMA is extremely proud to be based at St George’s Park and to have a direct impact on the future of English football.

Staying with the theme of

development, I am also proud to announce that, in partnership with the University of Liverpool, the LMA will be inaugurating a new Diploma in Football Management in 2014. There is no doubt this qualification will play an integral role in enhancing the learning process for aspiring coaches and managers. We have recently launched a series of masterclasses providing insight from Howard Wilkinson, Walter Smith, Martin Bain, Alex McLeish, Simon Grayson, Sean Dyche and Aidy Boothroyd, where over 80 current and aspiring managers attended the sessions.

As 2013 draws to a close, I would like to end by once again thanking the LMA members for their unstinting support across all of our activities this year. It is absolutely fundamental to the success of our association. I wish everyone a fruitful and prosperous 2014.

England manager and LMA president Roy Hodgson celebrates with Gary Neville and the rest of his coaching staff as the national team secures FIFA World Cup qualification.

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CONTENTS

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

18

Behind every great manager What does it take to be an effective secondin-command and how do you get the most from the role? With Ray Lewington.

22

Perspectives: Pressure Chef Tom Kerridge and Michael Appleton are among those who tell us how they harness pressure to perform better.

32

28

Learning from the greats Who do top executives aspire to and why? Tony Pulis and James Gairdner share their thoughts.

In profile: Simon Grayson The Preston North End boss on creating new history and the people who shaped him as a man and manager.

38

LMA leadership Team spirit - what is it and how do you engender it?

40

Elite Performance: Guy Richardson, British and Irish Lions Meticulous planning and empowering management.

4

hEALTH & HAPPINESS

48

Help, my brain is full!

Dealing with distraction and data overload.

CONTENTS

12

Cover feature: Chris Hughton

The inspiration and influence behind one of the game's most popular managers.

pitch side

58

62

Can we kick it?

Kick It Out's Lord Herman Ouseley on 20 years of campaigning.

LMA Annual Management Conference 2013: the highlights

64 Hall of Fame: Bill Nicholson

also in this issue

06 Kicking Off 10 Howard Wilkinson 27 How to...

Send the right messages 44 Opportunities to grow 46 Good as gold 52 Away match: Sydney 56 Essential Kit

66 Big data for a bigger picture 68 Best practice 70 History Lessons 72 Park Life 74 Looking out for number one 76 LMA news and events

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NEWSBITES

KICKING OFF

72%

of employees expect their employers to be innovative in the way they develop people

INNOvAtION NAtION The uK is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to innovation, according to the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Innovators List.

No uK company features on the list, in which firms are rated according to the patents they have registered for new technologies, drugs, business processes, etc. The list, topped by chemicals firm 3M, is populated largely by uS companies (45 out of the 100),

with Japan coming second (28) and European nations accounting for only 22 places between them.

Innovation matters, not only as a means of getting one over on the competition, but in recruitment and retention.

According to research by FutureStep, people now expect their employers to be innovative in the way they engage and develop their staff and many will consider

moving on to pastures new if their employer fails to do so.

44 per cent say they are likely to look around for another role if innovation fails to materialise in their job, while two thirds would leave for another job that offered more innovative benefits.

72 per cent expect employers to be innovative in the way they develop people, but only 36 per cent think that their current company is.

COURSe wORK PRO TIPIP NO.1 Love it or loathe it, there's little doubt that golf can be good for you and for business. As well as providing ample time for relationship-building and bonding, time on the course can teach you much more about yourself and your fellow golfers than the average meeting or lunch date. It reveals how you deal with competitive situations, problems, tension and success, how you conduct yourselves and how well you communicate under pressure.

If you want to show your winning side rather than your strength in adversity, it's worth brushing up on your driving and putting skills. To help, here's the first in a series of practical tips from Simon Wordsworth, Chief Executive, Fellow of the PGA and R&A Qualified Referee.

Tricky downhill putts are usually a definite three putt – not anymore!

Two little set-up changes ensure two putts.

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STOP THAT DRILL - change your set-up to ‘dull’ the strike.

The key to playing fast downhill putts is to create an offcentre hit – almost a miss-strike.

Make two little changes to your set-up to ensure the ball ‘dribbles’ down to the hole.

1 Grip the club lighter 2 Have the toe of the putter touching the ground and the heel in the air

NEWSBITES

GRIN AND BEAR IT? Poor customer service is costing uK businesses £4.7m a day, says NewVoiceMedia, and 95 per cent of us take some form of action following inadequate service.

After a negative experience with a company, more than half of us would never use them again, more than a quarter would tell friends not to use the business, and a fifth would take their revenge online by posting a nasty review. 14 per cent would get even via social media.

Apparently, the younger generation is more willing to tolerate long hold times than the more mature among us and men are more impatient than women, with a fifth prepared to wait less than five minutes versus only 13 per cent of women. Women are also more vocal when it comes to recommending a company that has done well; men tend to respond by simply using the service more frequently.

tOP GRIPeS: #1 lack of appreciation from a business (28%) #2 unhelpful/rude contact centre staff (22%) #3 being passed around multiple agents (16%) #4 Calls being answered by someone without the required knowledge to answer a query (16%) #5 being kept on hold (12%)

now for the science bit...

AGAINST THE WALL

Tests have taken place on the world's first biosensor capable of detecting when athletes are about to burn out, say scientists. The biosensor can alert marathoners, cyclists, other athletes, soldiers and indeed anyone who embarks on intense periods of exercise when they are about to hit the wall. It could help them to monitor their stamina and fitness, says the study, in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry.

When we do moderate exercise, we produce enough energy through aerobic respiration, but when we move up a gear this energy is no longer sufficient. The body then shifts to anaerobic metabolism, which

produces lactic acid and lactate, a form of lactic acid that is released into sweat. When the lactate levels get too high, we experience extreme fatigue and just can't push on any longer. We hit 'the wall'.

Applied to the skin like a tattoo so that it can flex with the body's movements, the biosensor accurately measures lactate levels in sweat during exercise.

"Skin-worn metabolite biosensors could lead to useful insights into physical performance and overall physiological status, hence offering considerable promise for diverse sport, military and biomedical applications," say the scientists.

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Newsbites

INFOGRAPHICS

What's in a name? We all know that a strong brand is important in building and retaining a loyal customer base. But what impact does brand engagement have on employees and what damage can be done when that brand's reputation takes a knock?

Top 10 global brands

1

97%% 62

2

of people surveyed think a strong brand identity is important

yet

25%% 62

admit their company does not have one

CV

3 4 5

BIGGER

6

BIG BRAND

BIG BRAND

BRAND

7

(source: Interbrand)

8

8

9 10

51%

have been affected by a company’s brand identity at some point in their careers

Survey respondents said:

“No-one knew who my company was, which made me feel worthless”

“Branded company names on CVs make candidates far more appealing than those with non-branded career paths due to the reputation they bring with them”

Newsbites

85%

no!

SAY

Why? Because bad press...

- caused 48% to quit a job (or to consider doing so)

- caused 55% to reconsider their application to a company - is worse for a company’s reputation than no press (83%)

“Bad press may reflect an unworkable culture - a job that you are firefighting and not building”

77%

of hiring managers say reputational damage affects recruitment

How do you build identity and engender loyalty?

Best = word-of-mouth Worst = direct and email marketing

In its study of corporate brand engagement and its effects on retention and recruitment, Communicate Recruitment Solutions surveyed 142 mid-tosenior-level finance professionals (from finance directors to CFOs) across a variety of sectors.

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COLuMN | HOWARD WILKINSON, LMA CHAIRMAN

BIG ChANGe, lIttle IMPACt This season saw one of the biggest shifts in management for a long time. Many of the most successful clubs in European competition now have a new man at the helm.

Howard Wilkinson assesses the likely impact of the changes.

History, so often a great teacher, sometimes sends mixed messages. For instance, at Leeds United, Don Revie created a culture that had family at its very heart. To him and his players, it was them against the world.

'The Don' was in every sense the head of the family and, in true Corleone style, he looked after their every want and need.

They, in return, repaid him in bucketfuls with their performances and loyalty.

However, there can be a problem with top-down structures such as this; very often, when the head of the family dies, the

Meanwhile Liverpool, Leeds United’s great rivals, continued to enjoy a golden period after the departure of the late and great Bill Shankly in 1974. Shankly had developed a culture centred around the feeling of privilege and pride at representing the club and its fans. As a result, everyone at the club, at all levels, was similarly committed and actively contributed to the management team.

After Shankly's shock departure, however, events proved that the club was bigger than the man. After Bill left, those

Unlike in business, however, this rarely goes as smoothly as they would like. The histories of Leeds United and Liverpool teach us one huge lesson - change, when mismanaged, can bring disaster.

Don and Bill shared a desire to have total control of almost all areas of their clubs, including those unrelated to their teams.

Today, as manager tenures decrease, such control would be impossible, but control of all areas relating to the team is an absolute must. Of the six clubs under discussion, perhaps only Manchester United can be said

“These days, The big clubs are huge commercial enTerprises, each wiTh Their own philosophy, vision and sTraTegy”

Don Revie created a family culture at Leeds united.

family’s structure and unity dies with him, leaving little on which to build a new future.

Don was truly bigger than the club he had built and, when he left in 1975, he took the magic with him. It heralded the beginning of a slow thaw, which eventually became a meltdown that lasted until the late 1980s.

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remaining - Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish - simply shuffled along the bench and sat in his seat.

The history of these two clubs would indicate that the consequences of change on great clubs such as these will always be different and that difference will be much influenced by legacy.

These days, while the manager is often portrayed as the ruler of all he surveys, the reality is different. The big clubs are huge commercial enterprises, each with their own philosophy, vision and strategy. Critically, they recognise that success on the field is the beating heart of the business and that they must grow an infrastructure that supports and is aligned to the club’s aims for that success.

They are also acutely aware of the direct correlation between results, salaries and the ability to realistically compete in the transfer market. Managers can produce the extraordinary, but miracles are increasingly rare.

Clubs of this magnitude will also be very conscious of realistic succession planning.

to have outwardly maintained large portions of the old traditional model, the same manager for 26 years with an influence on the club far beyond those who have recently taken the helm at Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Of the new incumbents in the hot seats, it is David Moyes who perhaps has the biggest challenge. He has stepped into a great club with a long-standing culture that is embedded in its people and this is the glue that held relationships together. David has to rebuild those relationships in his mould, which will take time.

The recent changes at these clubs are unlikely to present major opportunities to would-be contenders. The seemingly relentless trend towards the growth of a fairly small group of European super-clubs will continue. In England, so long as the big clubs remain stable in the boardroom and maintain their desire and ambition to drive their businesses forward, we will continue to move slowly and inevitably towards an elite league within the Barclays Premier League.

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cover feature: chris hughton

Modest and measured in his approach, Chris Hughton is a rare find in the world of senior management. Confident in his own personality and abilities, Hughton has no reservations about drawing inspiration from a host of managers, past and present.

Words: Sue McKellar Photography: portraitcollective/Sam Bowles

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hile Chris Hughton remains true wherever possible to his calm and thoughtful style of leadership, underneath is a steel and determination that enables him to deal with the tough scenarios that inevitably arise in football, albeit in a respectful manner. It is perhaps because of this considered, well-balanced and open style of leadership that he has become one of the most employable and universally liked managers around.

Hughton retired from his 14-year playing career in 1993, aged 34, having spent 13 years with Tottenham Hotspur and brief spells with West Ham and Brentford. During that time, he also earned 53 caps for the Republic of Ireland - Hughton is the son of an Irish mother and a Ghanaian father - becoming the first mixed-race player to represent the country.

When retirement beckoned in 1993, it came as little surprise to those who knew him that he pursued a career in the dugout, having shown an interest in coaching during the latter stages of his playing career.

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During a fourteen-and-a-half-year coaching tenure on Tottenham’s backroom staff, Hughton worked as a coach under the likes of Glenn Hoddle, George Graham and Martin Jol. He also served as caretaker manager on several occasions before his departure from the club in 2007.

A year after leaving Tottenham, Hughton joined Newcastle United as first-team coach under Kevin Keegan. During the close season of 2009, Hughton was appointed as caretaker manager of Newcastle and promoted to permanent manager in November of that year. His first season in charge was outstanding – the side were unbeaten at home and went on to win the 2010 Championship title and promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.

Hughton won the LMA Championship Manager of the Year, not to mention the respect and admiration of the Newcastle team and supporters.

But despite his success at the club, Hughton soon found himself out of a job, to the widespread disbelief and anger of his loyal supporters, team and many observers across the football community. Newcastle were, at the time, a very respectable 11th in the table. ›

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cover feature: chris hughton

“I worked under seven managers while coaching at Spurs, so th new to learn and experience. It was exciting to see what each n In spite of the setback, Hughton showed remarkable resilience and it is testament not only to his proven ability, but also his likeability and desirability as a manager that he was soon offered another job, this time at Birmingham City. There, he made an immediate impact in the 2011/2012 season, taking the side to fourth in the league and into the group stages of the Europa League, before leaving to move back into the Barclays Premier League as manager of Norwich City.

Q: You coached at Tottenham for fourteen-and-a-half years before embarking on management - how well did that prepare you?

A: It was invaluable and formed the foundation of all of my philosophies as a manager. Such a long apprenticeship might not be for everyone and some can go straight from player to manager at a young age, but I wouldn't have been ready. I worked under seven managers while coaching at Spurs, so there was always something new to learn and experience. It was exciting to see what each new manager would be like, how he would involve me and what I would learn. The club could easily have said, ‘now that the manager has left we won’t be keeping you on’, but they showed faith in

my abilities and, in return, I provided some continuity.

Q: You then moved away from London for the first time to join Kevin Keegan at Newcastle - how big an adjustment was that?

A: When I lost my job at Tottenham after almost 15 years on the coaching staff my ambition was to find a completely new challenge. I’d spent my entire playing and coaching career in London, but any apprehension I felt at relocating to another part of the country was outweighed by the excitement.

I was going to a legendary club with an incredible tradition, rich history and great fan base and I was going to assist Kevin Keegan. I learned a lot from him during our time together, especially from his strengths in man-management.

During his playing career, Hughton earned 53 caps for the Republic of Ireland; Below: Hughton worked as first-team coach under Glenn Hoddle at Spurs.

Q: When the club appointed you manager were you ready?

A: Absolutely, although however much preparation you have as a coach, when you cross that line into management it is completely different.

My first job as manager of Newcastle was far from the stable, calm environment you would want when starting out. The team had just been relegated,

EARNING HIS SPURS

Hughton worked as a first-team coach under six managers at Tottenham “Christian Gross had great football knowledge and a terrific work ethic; football was his life. He taught me about attention to detail and dedication to the job.”

“Glenn Hoddle would include me and John Gorman in everything. He was always thinking about the game and tactics and his enthusiasm was contagious. Glenn loves working with players to improve them.”

“Martin Jol was excellent at tactics and I learnt a lot from him and his Dutch coaching background.

There was always a great deal of method in what Martin wanted to do during a training week and he

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was well educated in the physiological side of fitness.”

“George Graham was a vastly experienced and successful manager. He demanded discipline from his players and generally got it. George could make a notable impact during half-time team talks. ” “David Pleat was totally immersed in the game and his dedication was tangible.

When he came back to Spurs as a caretaker manager on two separate occasions he slotted seamlessly into the role, because he always had his finger on the pulse of the game.

“Jacques Santini was a very experienced manager with his own way of doing things.”

cover feature: chris hughton

ere was always something ew manager would be like” we’d lost a lot of players and the club was up for sale. I had to dig deep and draw on the wealth of experience I'd gained as a coach. I knew I still had a good squad, so the challenge was making sure each and every one pushed in the right direction to get us back into the Barclays Premier League.

Central to that was creating the right environment at the training ground, because the training pitch can provide great solace for players.

I knew that if I could get everyone on board, we could be a strong force in the Championship.

Q: Despite successfully guiding the club back to the top flight, you were sacked the following season. How do you reflect on that?

A: I was disappointed, but I didn’t let it knock my confidence and self belief. It helped to know that many managers and others in football thought I'd done a good job at Newcastle. The reaction was terrifically supportive. My coping mechanism was to keep busy and prepare for the next job.

Q: that came at Birmingham city, who you led to the play-offs in your first year. The opportunity then came to manage Norwich city - was that a tough decision?

A: Yes, because although it was challenging at times - especially in the aftermath of relegation from the Barclays Premier League - I really enjoyed my year with Birmingham.

My decision to leave was based on what Norwich City had to offer - the chance to return to managing at Premier League level at a club that had made great strides in the preceding seasons. It very much whetted my appetite. ›

Looking up As a player, Hughton didn't yet have his sights on management, but even then he was soaking up influence and inspiration.

“I had a lot of good football people around me, on and off the pitch, while playing at Tottenham - Glenn Hoddle, Ossie Ardiles,

Steve Perryman and Ray Clemence to name but a few, but probably the biggest influences were my manager, Keith Burkinshaw, and Peter Shreeves, my coach.

“Keith Burkinshaw was incredibly direct and straight in his approach.

If he had something to

tell you he would tell you. People sometimes perceived Keith as a dour Yorkshireman, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

You need good people around you and Keith had Peter Shreeves, who was a very talented coach and especially good at

building relationships between the players and the manager.

“I also played under Terry Venables who as well as being a gifted coach had great charisma. He had a very good rapport with the players and they really respected him. He came

with a big reputation, but lived up to expectations.

As a young player, I was also influenced by our club captain, Steve Perryman; I was in awe of his leadership abilities, enthusiasm and the captain/manager relationship that he had with Keith Burkinshaw.”

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cover feature: chris hughton

Q: You're known as a real gentleman of the game. How does that translate into your conduct as a leader? How do you treat your players?

A: It’s very difficult to lead outside of your personality.

Look at most managers and you'll get a sense of what they are like and how they lead. I try as much as possible to be accessible to the players and staff, respectful and honest with them. I have always felt that it's important to create an environment that players enjoy and buy into, where they want to do their best for each other and commit to a team ethic. The team is more important than any individual, so I also try to treat everybody the same.

Unfortunately, there will always be times in management when things don't run smoothly and moments when you need to be strong with the players. Discipline is part and parcel of the game. But, even then, it is not in my personality to be overly confrontational - I'd rather deal with someone in a respectful way, spend time with them and find a solution. However, when a situation arises that requires discipline I am more than capable of handling it.

Career Highs & Lows

Q: Having been a coach, what type of dynamic do you look to engender with your own coaching staff?

A: As a manager who is used to coaching it can be difficult to delegate, but it's important to appreciate the job the coaching staff do, step back when appropriate and allow them to take sessions with the team and express themselves. Most managers need to delegate more anyway, because of the range of responsibilities they now have.

When appointing coaching staff, aside from having a good training, trust and loyalty come first. You need people you can get on with. Often, though, you will look to appoint coaches who are a little bit different to you so you have a good balance of opinions. I have a great staff around me and I expect high standards from them. We make sure that

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we set the standards we expect from our players.

Q: You can prepare within the training environment, but how do you get players mentally tuned on match day?

A: Your influence on match day is really just about any changes that you decide to make and the team you select. You remind them of certain vital information in the pre-match meeting and everything else is down to how they are feeling on the day. At that point, there is only so much you can do. You have to be confident in the overriding philosophy that you have employed

“it is not in my personality to be overl I'd rather deal with someone in a resp time with them and find a solution” at the club and the work that you have done on the training pitch over a period of time. It should ensure the players believe in their ability to win and are ready for most things.

Q: You were the first mixed-race player to represent the Republic of Ireland and are an incredibly positive role model for black coaches and managers. How important is that to you?

A: First and foremost I'm a manager, but I am, of course, also black. While we’ve certainly seen some positive changes at grassroots and academy level, where there are more black coaches, there still aren’t at the top level. It is something I am very conscious of and I get a lot of letters and feedback. If, in any way, that helps somebody to make progress, inspires them or changes thinking within the game then, yes, it is something I am very proud of.”

With Hughton on board the coaching staff, Tottenham finished in fifth place for two consecutive seasons (2005–06 and 2006–07), while also winning the Football League Cup in 1998–99.

Hughton's first season start in 2009-2010, his first as manager, was Newcastle United’s best yet. The side lifted the Championship title after a 2–0 victory over Plymouth Argyle, and were unbeaten at home for the entire season.

In December 2010, Hughton was sacked as manager of Newcastle United. Angry fans protested outside St James' Park in support and gratitude of Hughton.

cover feature: chris hughton

y confrontational. ectful way, spend

Hughton was appointed manager of Birmingham City in June 2011, leading them to their first European campaign for 50 years. They reached the group stages of the Europa League.

Despite enjoying his time at Birmingham City, when the opportunity came to move back into Premier League management at Norwich City, Hughton grabbed it with both hands.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

W

hile the buck stops with the man or woman at the top, behind every good boss is a great second-in-command.

That second may not get anything like the recognition, nor the repudiation, of the leader, but their job is nonetheless vital to the success of the organisation.

And it’s a tough hand.

A good second needs to be fully aware of the pressure their leader is under, be proactive and preemptive and ensure the right messages are filtered down through the organisation, in the right way, to the right people.

But perhaps more importantly, they also have to ensure any concerns or issues are passed upwards. Managing upwards as well as downwards takes a skilled and diplomatic communicator.

According to Nicky Little, Head of Leadership at Cirrus, helping to implement strategy in this way is an important element of the role. “A good second-in-command can help to communicate vision and goals, make them relevant to others in the organisation and ensure successful delivery,” he says.

For many in leadership, the role can be a lonely one, so the secondin-command can be a supportive, yet challenging, partner. “He or she can act as a sounding board, but also be unafraid to pose the difficult questions that others in the organisation might shy away from,” says Little.

Tell me straight Essential here, adds Chris Bones, Professor of Creativity and Leadership at Manchester Business School, is the strength of the partnership between the number two and the boss. “The secondin-command needs to be able to act as a partner and collaborator, something that is built through developing trust,” he says. “That trust comes from a deep understanding of each other's values, such that you can operate independently without second thought.”

And trust, says England Assistant Manager Ray Lewington, is crucial.

“While Roy Hodgson makes all of the final decisions, I am involved with the process, so we talk continuously and exchange views,” he says. “However, honesty and trust is very important 18

Behind

every great manager...

Whether you're an assistant football manager, sous-chef, COO or deputy director, being second-incommand presents as many opportunities as it does challenges. So how can you make sure the position works for the organisation and for your career?

because a manager doesn’t want you to just sit there and agree all of the time; they want you to give an alternate opinion if you think there is one.”

“I certainly wouldn’t want my assistant to be a ‘yes man’, as I welcome ideas to assist with decision-making,” agrees former Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling, who adds that some of that honesty will come from the natural rapport in the relationship.

“You need to know that you are going to get on with your second-incommand, not least because of the sheer amount of time you will spend with them,” he says. “No doubt you will have differences from time to time, but it is vital to keep a strong and consistent relationship.”

The real challenge, then, can come in knowing when to be bold enough to speak your mind and when to keep schtum.

“You have to be able to think for yourself, but always remember that it’s not about what you want, it’s about what

Top: Ray Lewington has been England assistant manager to Roy Hodgson since May 2012.

Bottom: Maintaining a strong relationship and rapport with your number two is vital, says former Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling.

the manager wants,” says Lewington.

“Sometimes that means putting your own personal opinions aside.”

Bones adds that while it's important to ensure you are the instrument through which key decisions and directions are delivered and managed, you should never act as gatekeeper.

“You are part of the leadership fabric,” he says, “not the access point to power. Think about how you can operate independently and collaboratively, and use the position to hone your skills as an influencer, a communicator and an adviser.

“You need to be able to successfully interpret the instincts of the leader and yet be a strong leader in your own right to ensure that decisions are kept to and requests implemented,” he says.

Ground rules According to John McLachlan, Monkey Puzzle Training and Consultancy, getting the most from

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

the role of second-in-command requires complete clarity from the start over what is required from you.

“Do you know what your boss wants you to do, what they don't, and how they want you to communicate with them and on their behalf?” he asks. “If not, find out. Is there complete agreement over your responsibilities and what you have authorisation over? You can then discuss with them what you feel you can and can't do. It becomes a two-way discussion and agreement rather than a guessing game. Also ensure that your role is clearly communicated within the organisation so that others know that when you speak you should be listened to.”

If people still go over your head to your boss, it's important to nip it in the bud quickly by talking to the people in question and to your leader.

If it's allowed to happen again and again, your position will start to look increasingly less tenable.

Getting the basic parameters right from day one is also key to how well everyone else around you works and gets on, adds Little. “The two people at the top of the organisation are the

“ensure your role is clearly communicated within the organisation so others know that when you speak you should be listened to” ultimate role models. Colleagues look to them for consistent purpose and direction. Colleagues also look at how they behave. Are they open with each other, supportive and respectful of each other’s views? Or do they undermine each other and communicate different messages?

If so, it’s likely that others in the organisation will too.”

A successful fit An important factor in how well you and your boss gel and how › 19

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

productively you work together will be how complementary your skills and characters are. A successful second-incommand supports and complements their boss, says McLachan, so it's essential to work out how your skills blend with theirs. “Rather than emulating them or agreeing to everything they say, be yourself and use your skills to maximum effect.

“Find your fit and use it to bring success to the business and get yourself recognised for it, not simply for being second-in-command,” he says. “For example, if your boss is great at seeing the big picture, can you see the detail they miss and add that? Maybe they are great at communicating the vision, but light on the processes needed to get the job

done. You might add value by helping to communicate their vision further down the organisation.”

The quiet evolution However tough the challenges may be, they are like gold dust when it comes to personal and professional development. As well as providing ample practice for a whole host of leadership and management skills, being a second-in-command can help create and refine your personal style and brand until it is strong enough to take on the top job.

“Being second-in-command is a great way to learn what to do and what not to do in the boss role without all the responsibility and pressure,”says McLachlan. “There is a huge amount

Ray Harford - the finest assistant manager that Ray Lewington has worked with.

of information to be obtained by watching and noting how your boss speaks, interacts with others and handles issues and opportunities.”

Bones agrees. “Look at how many of Sir Alex Ferguson's supporting team have gone on to bigger and better things,” he says. “It's also worth noting that some people are great partners for people in the top leadership position and get satisfaction and motivation from doing this well.”

Lewington says working for Hodgson has certainly enabled him to evolve in the role of assistant. “It has really opened my eyes because Roy has so much experience, has worked in so many different parts of the world, and has so many ideas on things,” says Lewington. “Absorbing all of that can only make me a better coach.”

Ling says he has also benefited greatly from being an assistant, in his case to Paul Brush and before that as a player under Glenn Hoddle and John Gorman. “You learn from everyone you can and then try to pass that knowledge on,” he says. “I have encouraged every assistant that has worked for me to ask questions and we've had open relationships that can only be of benefit to them.”

He adds that it is great to see Dean Smith, once his assistant manager, now doing so well at Walsall. “I hope the experience he had with me at Leyton Orient was a good grounding for him to make the transition to manager.”

As Bones says, “Working for someone with whom you can collaborate closely and to whom you add real value is a powerful development process and can help build the capabilities and skills that make a person an effective 'number one'.”

Inspirational seconds – Ray Lewington “The best assistant manager I have worked with was Ray Harford, who was number two to Malcolm McDonald at Fulham in the early 1980s. Ray did a lot

20

of work that I'm sure Malcolm didn't know about. Ray would sort out any player problems that Malcolm didn’t need to be bothered with so that he could get on with his

job as manager. On the football side, meanwhile, he was an amazing coach and would come into the dressing room on match day to be in and around the players. He

would join in with the banter, but would also have quiet words with individual players who perhaps needed some last-minute reminders on instructions and

strategy. I have always approached my job with Ray in mind because he was my mentor and a perfect example of how to do the job of assistant manager.”

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pers pect ives

Coercion, constriction, stress, the word 'pressure' has all manner of negative connotations.

But is it always such a

bad thing? Moderated and handled in the right way, can pressure be a positive driver of performance and productivity?

Use it or lose it

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We ask our panel of professionals how they thrive in high-pressure environments?

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Tom Kerridge two-Michelin-star chef

A

s a chef, first and foremost you're under pressure to maintain a certain standard.

When you open a business, as I did at the Hand and Flowers, it's about ensuring you are still open this time next year.

The workload is massive, but as chefs are hardwired with the hard work ethic – we know how to survive on four hours' sleep – I've conditioned my body to deal with the physical stresses of the job. But there are so many more things you have to multi-task when you're running your own business.

I have learned that at the top end of the restaurant business it is incredibly important to maintain customer relations, and now that people know who I am that has intensified. I'm lucky however because, whereas some chefs see engaging with customers and PR people as a chore, I enjoy it. I'm genuinely flattered that people want to come and eat in my restaurant. The main challenge now is meeting their expectations, because once you get to a certain level people expect something incredible and you want to provide that every time.

I've also found that as the business grows, so

“Ultimately, pressure always comes from within, but that's not a fault it's a positive, because it's that pressure that pushes you to achieve more” does the pressure. But I have a drive to do better every day and I've been lucky to find staff who share that ethic. So much of it is about team building.

Making a TV series presented a new set of challenges and key for me in minimising that pressure has been maintaining honesty and integrity.

I've been very conscious of being myself and not creating a TV persona, a caricature or cartoon figure. I need to know that when someone meets me in the street they are meeting the same person they saw on the TV last night.

Ultimately, pressure always comes from within, but that's not a fault it's a positive, because it's

that pressure that pushes you to achieve more.

The problem is that once you start achieving something, everyone's eyes are on you and they expect you to be a certain way and to perform to a certain standard. Those pressures then add to your own. You simply have to learn to deal with it and that gets easier with age and experience. The most important thing about dealing with pressure, though, is you have to love what you're doing. If not, go and do something else.

Tom Kerridge was head chef at the one-star Adlards before leaving to set up the Hand and Flowers in Marlow.

There, he maintained his Michelin star until 2012 when he earned a second, making it the only pub to boast the distinction in the UK. His TV series aired in September.

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Dr Phil Hopley Deputy Medical Director, The Priory Hospital

W

hen we feel under pressure or stress we experience the fight or flight response, which is hard-wired in all of us. The effects are physical and psychological, but it is the physical that we're most aware of.

Our focus narrows right down, which can make it feel like time is passing more slowly, our breathing rate, blood pressure and heart rate go up, and our muscles may become tense.

While most of us are no longer exposed to acute, life-threatening danger, we have switched our perception of danger onto other things – workplace demands, personal issues, life events. What was once a vital protective response is now not always that helpful. But with resilience training we can modify our perception of 'danger' and our response to it.

First, we need to be aware of our own thinking and be able to monitor and control it. That becomes more difficult when we're under pressure. The second thing we look for are mind traps, which are errors in our thinking. Our brains are evolved to complete the picture when there are gaps in the information, meaning we sometimes perceive things incorrectly or jump to conclusions. For example, if we receive an email from the boss criticising us in some way, we might jump to thinking our job is on the line, when in fact the email contained lots of information, including compliments on our performance.

What is important is that we recognise that our brains work in this way and that we are more likely to make such errors under pressure. We can then enter into a process based on cognitive behavioural coaching, where we get people to check, challenge and change the contents of their thoughts.

By doing that, we find that not only are the negative effects of stress minimised, but that you can actually improve performance.

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As well as consulting in the field of general psychiatry at the Priory Hospital, Dr Phil Hopley runs mental health and performance consultancy LPP Consulting, where he specialises in resilience and other preventative approaches to psychological health.

Up, up and over "Research from over 100 years ago shows us that performance improves with increasing demand or arousal up to a certain point,” says Phil Hopley.

“But after that tipping point, which varies from person to person

according to a variety of factors, performance decreases. What this means is that at very low levels of stimulation we are not performing at our optimum, because there are no requirements on us

to do so. An absence of stress is actually unhealthily in terms of productivity.

Too much pressure, however, and we burn into our physical and psychological reserves, which if maintained can lead to burn out."

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Michael Appleton former Portsmouth, blackpool and Blackburn manager

“it is now crucial for managers to be skilled at dealing with the pressure of managing upwards”

After his professional football career came to an end due to injury, Michael Appleton was appointed assistant head coach at West Bromwich Albion. Aside from one match as caretaker at West Brom, he got his first managerial job at Portsmouth in 2011.

A year later, he became manager of Blackpool for a short stint before moving on to Blackburn Rovers between January and March 2013.

T

he pressure that comes with playing big matches is something managers can deal with; it's what we're here for, after all.

And you can use that pressure to your advantage, especially if you're the underdog. You can approach the game with a nothing-to-lose attitude.

For example, probably the biggest match for me as a manager was with Blackburn against Arsenal in the FA Cup. We did what no other team had done and beat them at the Emirates, which we did with a clean sheet. It was a massive achievement.

The pressure that comes from the expectations of fans, owners and everyone else associated with a football club is very different and actually harder to deal with. With the wide range of situations that managers face in clubs across the leagues and the desire for instant success, it is a pressure that is becoming increasingly difficult to handle. It is now crucial for managers to be skilled at dealing with the pressure of managing upwards as well as with the football side of things.

I think it's only when you cross the line and personally deal with difficult situations that you gain experience and get better at dealing with stress and pressure. My first job as a manager, at Portsmouth, was without doubt the biggest challenge of my career.

I was 35 and it was such a massive transition. I went from being in a very stable working environment as assistant to Roy Hodgson at West Bromwich Albion

to a club that went into administration. Soon after I joined the club there was a points deduction and a transfer embargo.

Only a few weeks into the job as a new, young manager, I found myself having to explain a very difficult situation to senior professionals and personnel at the club, some of whom had been there for over 10 years.

There were redundancies and, for two months, staff and players didn’t receive a penny. Sometimes the club couldn’t afford to travel away from home, and on one occasion I turned up at the club to find no balls or bibs because the company that supplied the containers where we kept all the equipment came during the night and changed the locks.

I will probably never have to deal with a situation as difficult or pressurised as that, but it was great experience and helped me become a better manager. It also taught me that, under pressure, people can come together, just as the Portsmouth players did when they deferred their wages to save jobs at the club.

It's your job as manager to find ways to either take the pressure off your players or use it to get a better performance out of them. Although we all deal with things in different ways, I think pressure helps most people to perform better. So long as it doesn't tip over and make you too excitable, pressure can bring out an inner strength and help you to realise that you can not only face but embrace new challenges.

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

David Young Performance Psychologist, The Sporting Edge

David Young is a sport psychologist with experience of working in the Barclays Premier League and ECB cricket and is a consultant for Sporting Edge www. thesportingedge.co.uk

U

ltimately, our level of perceived threat determines our feelings of pressure and this can play havoc with our decision-making, performance and even long-term physical health.

Sport regularly provides us with great examples of this in action. On paper, no lower league football team should be able to compete with a Premier League team, but they so often do. There are far fewer potential threats for the underdogs, who are expected to lose, than the higher league team.

Some people and some teams cope better with pressure than others, while some even appear to use it to their advantage, producing their best performances when it really matters. So what is it that sets the ‘big match players’ apart from the chokers? Recent research may provide us with some important clues. A number of studies have made a clear distinction between people that view stressors as challenges and those that view them as threats. The challenge state has been found to be accompanied by hormones associated with an efficient biological response, which enhances anaerobic power and decision-making, both crucial for performance. Conversely, the threat state is accompanied by a very different physiological response, leading to inefficient energy delivery to the brain and muscles and release of cortical, which is known to be an important contributor to stress-related health problems.

As a psychologist this is fascinating, as it demonstrates a clear link between what people think and their physiological responses.

Furthermore, it suggests that the people who use pressure to their advantage in sport are able to view stressors as challenges rather than threats.

In practical terms, the important distinction is that a threat thought focuses on our flaws, weaknesses and things that are out of our control. A challenge thought focuses on our strengths, our preparation and things that are directly within our control.

Here's a useful three-step plan. Don't try to block out sources of pressure, acknowledge 26

“The secret is not to ignore the sources of pressure, but to wholly acknowledge them, embrace them, view them as challenges and use them to your advantage”

them. Reframe the source of pressure from a threat to a challenge by bringing in the strengths and preparation that will give you the best chance of succeeding. And focus on controllable processes that will enable you to take on the challenge.

Anyone has the capacity to do this.

There is some evidence to suggest that people who are naturally (but not blindly) optimistic may view things as challenges more easily, but I have seen even the most pessimistic of athletes successfully reframe threats to challenges and benefit from it.

Traditionally, sport psychology has encouraged athletes and coaches to ‘not dwell on stressors’ and try to think ‘positively’. This approach, however, may well be too simplistic. The secret is not to ignore the sources of pressure, but to wholly acknowledge them, embrace them, view them as challenges and use them to your advantage.

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hOw tO... send the right signals Various studies have found that much of our perception of someone is established within the first five minutes of meeting them. When you think about how little is normally said during those first minutes, and how little of consequence, it becomes clear how important our non-verbal messages really are. So how do you ensure your body tells the right story?

MAKE AN ENTRANCE Some people command attention and respect the minute they enter a room. Chances are they are not the ones who slouch in, eyes to the floor.

If you want to convey confidence, straighten your back and pull back your shoulders as you walk in. Make eye contact, smile as naturally as possible and offer a firm handshake, but don't squeeze!

PLEASE BE SEATED You might think sitting would be the easy part of a meeting, but it's worth being aware of your posture if you want to get the most out of proceedings.

Unless the meeting is very informal, it's better to sit upright if you want to show strength of character or lean forward a little to appear keen and assertive. Lean in too much though and you can seem overly eager and in a one-to-one situation it can be intimidating.

If you really want to connect with another person try copying their posture, gestures and body position.

THE EyES HAvE IT Eye contact is also something to be aware of, as too little or too much can send out the wrong messages.

Looking someone in the eye when they are speaking shows that they have your full attention and respect.

Stare too intensely though and it can

be interpreted as aggressive and may make the other person uneasy. A lack of eye contact meanwhile can make you appear nervous or disinterested in what's going on, especially if you're looking elsewhere, like at the clock or your phone.

CLASSIC SIGNS OF...

CONFIDENCE – Standing tall and straight – Strong eye contact – Arm and hand gestures – Slow and clear speech – Moderate-to-low tone of voice

COMPOSE yOuRSELF It may be cold, but avoid folding your arms, which is a classic sign of defensiveness, discomfort or unease at your situation. Crossed legs have a similar effect.

Sit still with your feet firmly on the floor and your hands resting on your lap or wherever feels comfortable. Keeping them clasped together can stop you from fidgeting with pens, jewellery or papers, which can indicate nervousness and a lack of confidence, as can putting them in your pockets. Constant twiddling can also be very distracting to others in the room.

DEFENSIvENESS – Small hand and arm gestures, close to the body – Minimal facial expressions – Turning the body away – Crossed arms – Little eye contact

ARM yOuRSELF People tend to gesticulate far more with their arms and hands when they are enthusiastic, which is great as it shows natural confidence and purpose. Try, however, to avoid pointing or striking out with the hands as this can be viewed as aggressive or rude. Make sure your words and body language match; if they contradict one another, you won’t make sense.

strike a pose Richard Nugent, MD of Success In Football, says: “A high power pose - which includes a straight and centred stance, arms open rather than folded, eyes focused ahead and a smile - triggers the release of neurochemicals that help us to feel confident, in control and ready to perform at our best.

"Research from Harvard Business School showed that candidates who adopted high power poses for two minutes before an interview felt calmer, released more of the dominance hormone (testosterone) and had a significantly higher success rate.

Those who adopted a low power pose felt more stressed and less in control and were in every case unsuccessful."

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Photographs: Alamy; Bridgeman Art Library; British Library

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

winston Churchill

1 28

T

o find out who today’s leaders look to for guidance and inspiration, multinational professional services firm PwC asked CEOs across seven regions and from over 60 countries who from literature or history they most admired.

Can we learn anything from the results?

James Gairdner, an executive coach and director of organisational change consultancy the PDC was struck by the eclectic nature of the list. “It covers a breadth of personalities, contexts and time, but in spite of this there are some fairly obvious similarities between these individuals in terms of their attributes and behaviours,” he says.

However, he wonders if they earned

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

leARNING FROM the GReAtS

Thomas Edison famously said, "Genius is one per cent inspiration, 99 per cent perspiration”.

And yet that one per cent can be the spark that lights the bonfire. Great leaders do things their own way, but they also learn from the mistakes and successes of others.

their places in the list based purely on skills and achievement. “One can legitimately ask whether they would have been perceived as such great leaders had it not been for the particular context in which they found

themselves,” he says. Churchill – who was universally admired in the PwC list and named by CEOs in 30 countries – is, says Gairdner, a case in a point. “A great wartime leader who found himself all at sea

Mahatma Gandhi

Steve Jobs

2 3

when the context changed. The same could be said of Steve Jobs.”

What we do in order to be successful is heavily dependent on the context at the time, says Gairdner, and we will change what we do according to what is happening around us.

Indeed, commenting on its findings, PwC notes that people's choices of inspirational leaders may have been driven at least in part by the prevailing mood of the time, which might explain the wide range of typologies that feature in the list.

From war-makers such as Napoleon to reformers to peace-makers such as Gandhi and innovators like Steve Jobs, the list is nothing if not eclectic.

The qualities for which people chose these individuals also varied considerably, including having a strong vision, and being motivational, caring, innovative, persistent and ethical. Many CEOs clearly chose leaders who showed persistence and resilience in the face of adversity.

Tony Pulis' interest in historical battlefields and leadership strategies has taken him as far as Yalta in Crimea, where with WWII drawing to a close, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin divided the world up, and to Sevastopol, the site of the Battle of Balaclava and the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Pulis says he is most interested by great leaders such as Napoleon and Oliver Cromwell, who worked their way up from nothing to the very top of the tree.

“I like to examine how people got where they did and how,” he says. “For example, ›

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

"If you focus on copying another leader, you may find you can't achieve their level of success, because your context is not the same"

Jack Welch

Nelson Mandela

4 5

the leadership journey of Oliver Cromwell is fascinating. While classed as gentry, he was actually on the bottom rung and fought for the wealth of the common man,” says Pulis.

“People wanted him to become king, but he refused and instead became the Lord Protector.

“I also greatly admire Napoleon because, as well as having led his troops from the front in the battlefield, he did many good things.

He was a very clever man, a great soldier and a great motivator of men.”

But while admiration is one thing, replication is another. “If you focus on copying another leader, you may find you can't achieve their level of success, because your context is not the same,” says Gairdner.

He cites the case of Jack Welch, who famously put out an edict on joining General Electric as chairman and CEO that all of his businesses should be first or second in their industries or he would divest them.

“Decades later, he put out a very different edict demanding that his leaders now consider their businesses to be small; 'think of yourselves as 15 per cent or less of your market or you will make me unhappy'. These were two very different actions in two very different contexts,” says Gairdner.

Bill Clinton/ Napoleon Bonaparte

John F Kennedy

Ronald Reagan

Marg aret That cher

Abraham Lincoln

678910 Sir Alex Ferguson and the 1812 Civil War (Extracts from an interview with Charlie Rose, PBS in October 2013) “It is a great history; a young history. I bought a couple of books when I was in Chicago having a week’s holiday, about 14-15 years ago now.

Then later, in London, Gordon Brown came over and asked me what I was

30

reading. I told him I had started to read a couple of books about the Civil War and he said, 'I’ll send you some tapes'.

“He sent me a dozen tapes by Professor Gary Gallagher, which I played in my car every morning going to work. I became really fascinated by it and have since been to

Antietam, Gettysburg and Manassas, the site of the first battle of the Bull Run. I also went to Princeton to meet James McPherson, the great Civil War historian, and visited a gentleman’s house in Atlanta, where I saw the original armament and battle plans used in the war.”

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No regrets Simon Grayson has developed something of a speciality as a manager.

He takes clubs with a rich heritage and helps them to regain some of their past glory through promotion and the kind of competitive performances not seen since their heydays. Little wonder he has barely been out of a job since he retired as a player in 2005.

Words: Sue McKellar

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

W

hile some people find the transition from playing to management a tough one, for Grayson it was a gradual process and a natural progression. A professional footballer for 18 years, he got his first stab at management at Blackpool in 2006 while still playing for the club.

Having earned his coaching badges, he was asked to take on the reserve team, and then, when Colin Hendry left a year later, Grayson hung up his boots for good to focus on his management career.

“Very quickly I found myself in the difficult situation of having to manage players who had recently been my friends and colleagues, choosing who to leave out of the team or even release from their contracts,” he says. Even so, he quickly ›

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

realised that he was very comfortable in the manager's role and more than capable of making the tough decisions necessary for success. He even managed to retain a good, albeit different, working relationship with the players, something he puts down to always treating them as he would want to be treated.

Looking up Young and inexperienced in management, Grayson was never above seeking advice from his past managers and has incorporated some of the lessons he learned as a player into his own approach and philosophy. “As much as you think you know about the game from your playing days, management is a totally different proposition,” he says.

“I was a young player for Leeds United during a very successful era for the club under Howard Wilkinson, when Gordon Strachan was a mainstay of the club,” he says. “Gary Speed, David Batty and I were all coming through at the time and Strachan taught us how to conduct ourselves and how to lead by example. He worked so hard and I’m sure his example shaped all of our careers.”

Grayson later spent six years at Leicester City under Martin O’Neill and Brian Little, during which time the side achieved four play-off finals and a League Cup Final win.

“Martin and Brian were also a big inspiration,” he says, “and helped to shape not only my playing career, but also who I am as a manager. They were very different in character; Martin would get every last drop of performance out of an individual and make it work for the team.

His leadership abilities and the team spirit and camaraderie he engendered helped us to exceed all expectations. Brian Little, meanwhile, was very hands-on and involved in the day-to-day coaching of the team,” says Grayson. “I have a huge amount of respect for him, because he took me to Leicester in the first place and then to

2005–2008 Blackpool

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Aston Villa. He loved to be creative and try different things out on the training pitch.”

Grayson is also thankful for some guidance during his early days as manager of Blackpool when, he admits, he tried to be a bit too radical and change things too quickly. “Tony Parkes was a calming influence and the ideal person to have alongside me,” he says. “He was full of enthusiasm and had so much experience working alongside the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ray Harford and Graeme Souness at Blackburn.”

Now with the benefit of considerable experience, Grayson's own management philosophy centres around the love of the game and the willingness to give 100 per cent to each performance. “My mantra is be hardworking, express yourself and do your best,” he says. “What I communicate to my team is that if they know they have given everything they have to give, they can have nothing to regret or reproach themselves about.”

He also wants people to come to work

2008–2012 Leeds United

With a win in the League One play-offs Grayson led Blackpool into the Championship.

each day with smiles on their faces. “It is a fantastic opportunity to work in professional football and be paid for playing football,” he says. “I will have a laugh and a joke with my players, but they also know that when it’s time to work we have to apply ourselves fully and get on with the job in hand.”

Creating history During his time with Blackpool, Grayson's achievements included a near-undefeated run of 14 games, promotion to the Championship and taking the side to the fourth round of both the FA Cup and the League Cup, their best progress in 17 and 35 years respectively.

Then, in 2008, he took up the post of manager of Leeds United, where he took them to a fourth place finish in his

2012–2013 Huddersfield Town

2013– Preston North End

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

first season and won promotion to the Championship in 2010.

Despite his success with the club, Grayson lost his job in February 2012, but found a new challenge just weeks later when he replaced Lee Clarke as manager of Huddersfield Town. True to form, Grayson took the side from League One up into the Championship, but after a spell of consecutive losses in autumn 2012, his contract was terminated in January 2013.

Once again, Grayson's proven ability saw him snapped up within weeks, this time at Preston North End, yet another club with a rich history. Taking the helm of an organisation with such a strong culture and heritage is never an easy task, carrying with it a weight of responsibility that many managers will never experience. It takes determination and tenacity to achieve the kind of results that Grayson has in his career to date.

“I have had the motivation at each club to try to create the next chapter of history,” he says, “and I've tried to use that to motivate the players as well. I encourage them to be the next batch of heroes, so I'll show them the pictures

“Martin [o'neill] would get every last drop of performance out of an individual and make it work for the team. His leadership abilities and the team spirit and camaraderie he engendered helped us to exceed all expectations” on the wall and say ‘now it's your turn to create history; something that people will also look back on in years to come'.”

To date, Grayson has certainly created a little bit of history with each of the clubs he has managed, including, he recalls, breaking some of the records set by Don Revie’s team at Leeds United. More recently, he has led his current club, Preston, to their best start to a season in 110 years.

Family business Interestingly, the career pattern of Simon's brother, Paul, has almost mirrored his own.

After a successful career as a professional cricketer that lasted 15 years and included representing England, Paul Grayson stopped playing in 2006 and took up a coaching position at Essex a year later. The two brothers, close in age, have also been close in interest and ambition. › 35

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“We don't get too carried away with success nor too despondent with failure.

I believe that's one of the most important things you learn as a manager” “From an early age, we have understood one another's preferred sports - I also played cricket and Paul was a good footballer - and they were always a topic of conversation,” says Grayson. “It has been really interesting to see how Paul dealt with different situations, first as a player and then as a coach. We’ve always shared and cross-referenced our thoughts and approaches on coaching.”

Having careers so similar in nature also means the brothers can offer one another

Playermanager, now and then 36

support, something many managers would value given the often lonely nature of the job. “We are always on the other end of the phone if one of us needs advice or a sounding board,” says Grayson. “It’s good to be able to look at things from a different perspective.”

Given the similarities, one might naturally ask if there were early influences or sources of inspiration that channelled the brothers into sport or equipped them with

their obvious natural coaching skills.

“Our mother has had Multiple Sclerosis for the past 30 years and, despite the problems she has to cope with, she keeps enjoying life on a day-to-day basis,” says Grayson. “That has always been a big inspiration and motivator to me.”

And his parents are, he says, both winners in quite different ways. “My dad was a PE teacher and a good non-league footballer,” says Grayson. “He also played non-league cricket to a good level and captained both football and cricket teams. I think he was a natural leader.” Between the ages of five and 15, the two brothers would go to watch their father play or go to a sports hall to practice together. Yet, he says, they were never pressured to take a sporting career path.

“What dad did do was guide us and inspire us,” he says. “Like him, Paul and I are level-headed and take things in our stride.

We don't get too carried away with success nor too despondent with failure. I believe that's one of the most important things you learn as a manager, because players look to see how you are reacting to situations. You have to strike the right balance and send out the right messages.”

While Grayson is a believer in learning from his mistakes, he isn't one to wallow in failure. “I’ve experienced the disappointment of losing my job twice when I least expected it, but on each occasion I have bounced back and been in work within three weeks,” he says. “I put that down to the confidence I have in myself, but also to the confidence other people have in my abilities. Football management is a very precarious industry, but it's important not to beat yourself up when things don’t go well. You can’t change the past, you can only influence the future.”

“There was a time when the manager could also be one of the best players in the team - think Kenny Dalglish, Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan. Now, although there are still one or two player-managers around, they tend to be players who are coming to the end of their careers and not quite so involved on the field. There is now such an array of responsibilities involved in modern management and such media and global interest that it would be too tough to combine the roles of player and manager as I did at Blackpool. On top of turning up for training each morning and taking charge of the match, you have to meet with your chairman, liaise with the medical staff, deal with important supporters and meet media and sponsorship obligations, among a host of other responsibilities. It is a full-time job.”

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The Spirit of success

We know we need it, but we don't always know why or even what it really is.

Howard Wilkinson sheds some light on 'team spirit'

“You know you have team spirit when, before a game, each player sitting in your dressing room can look to his right and left and know that he can trust those people” Sir Alex Ferguson

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E

very football manager and coach knows that team spirit has a huge impact on performance and results, but ask them what it is and the answers can be varied and, at times, vague. Like morale and mental wellbeing, team spirit is an intangible quality that is difficult to define and even more difficult to quantify or measure.

So what is it? For me, it is the cultural, emotional and psychological glue that binds the group together.

It is a spirit, energy and a power that is fuelled by the team’s collective, mutual and unequivocal agreement to a set of objectives, goals, ways of behaving and ways of doing things.

There is no doubt about its impact on team performance, resilience and success. The team will take great pride in performance and achievement; they will create, enhance and be proud of their identity, their team’s brand. Team members will value and display high work ethic, be disciplined and committed to learning and improving. They will be prepared to take ownership of their performances and recognise that mental toughness and resilience are qualities that have to be taken as read. ‘A good night out together’, as they say, may help cement unity, but it will do little to create the essentials.

Behind you Good leadership is the bedrock of strong and durable team spirit. As well as earning the players’ respect as a manager who is competent and up to the job, he must also earn their respect for him as a person. Ability alone will not carry the day, so it’s important to display genuine warmth, be approachable and care.

The manager must ensure that every member of the group feels valued and knows that the successes of the team will always be attributed to the group as opposed to the individual. If you cannot be a star, don’t be a cloud.

But while this trust in the leader is essential, in a group with team spirit there will also be trust among the players. As Sir Alex Ferguson said, “You know you have team spirit when, before a game, each player sitting in your dressing room can look to his right and left and know that he can trust those people and is pleased they are there.” These common bonds can make the ordinary perform the extraordinary.

Shared values Also central to team spirit are values and beliefs, and the strength and durability of this can be seen in the degree to which the group commits to their mutually agreed goals, objectives and ways of doing things.

Here again, strong leadership is critical. It is the leader who must create a crystal clear and understandable vision of the future, one that is real and achievable. He has to provide the what and the how.

The culture that he creates and demonstrates in his own behaviour will shape the behaviour of others. His values, beliefs and attitudes will set the tone.

These common values and expectations are the emotional glue that cements group unity.

Each player will understand that to be his best, he needs others to do their best. They will also take confidence and comfort in knowing that, whatever the pressures, the manager will maintain his focus and composure, be objective and fair, and that performance not results, process not outcomes will be the basis for his judgement on progress.

For me, the best example in modern times of manager and team alignment of this kind was Barcelona under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

Despite their huge individual and collective abilities and successes, these players, each one a world star in his own right, clearly demonstrated humility and respect for each other, the team and the game.

Their team spirit, embodied in the way Guardiola went about his business and developed over his time in charge, was evident every time they played. They had a phenomenal work ethic; not one of the stars was too big or self-important to roll up his sleeves and do his bit. For them, including Mr Messi, the team really was the star.

As Dave Sexton was so fond of saying, “It’s amazing what a team can achieve if nobody minds who gets the credit.” Barcelona’s shared qualities and team ethos were no accident, no coincidence; they were consciously developed over time. If it’s good enough for the best, it surely has to be good enough for the rest.

From left: Barcelona celebrate victory with one another and with manager Pep Guardiola; passion and camaraderie

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military precision

The 2013 British and Irish Lions series against Australia lasted for just six weeks, yet the planning was three years in the making. Director of Operations Guy Richardson explains how he mapped out, in great detail, the first successful Lions tour in 16 years.

Words: Simon Cleaves

S

ince rugby union turned professional in 1995, the nature of the sport has changed drastically. Fulltime playing contracts, new commercial deals and increased media coverage have all provided challenges to leaders and stakeholders that would have been unheard of 20 years ago.

In front of such a different landscape, the task facing the British and Irish Lions appeared to have grown exponentially, with three successive series’ losses since the

Responsible for all preparation and planning for the tour, Richardson (left) could leave nothing to chance.

40

team beat South Africa 2-1 in 1997. While their opponents - Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - had all the resources of their home unions to call upon, as well as players who knew their team-mates and tactics intimately, the Lions were bringing together players from four nations for a six-week window every four years.

Only through meticulous planning and empowering management could the challenge be conquered - and Guy Richardson was right at the sharp end in 2013 as the Lions emerged with a dramatic 2-1 series win in Australia. As

Director of Operations, Richardson was responsible for the planning, logistics and implementation of the tour and played an integral role in providing what he describes as ‘the optimal environment for success’ for the team.

A retired Major with The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), he moved into sports administration as National Team Manager and Head of Rugby Operations with the Scottish Rugby Union, and his experiences stood him in good stead for his work with the Lions, which began in 2010.

RECONNAISSANCE MISSION Organisation and preparation are watchwords for Richardson, who was involved in the 2009 tour of South Africa as Logistics Manager before stepping up to his current role in September 2010.

With that in mind, he first set about investigating what was required for a Lions tour to be successful, meeting and interviewing 45 players and staff from previous tours, going as far back as the 1955 squad. From this he produced an internal document for the senior Lions hierarchy to refer to and help establish how to create an environment in which the team could emerge victorious.

“Even going back more than 50 years, certain themes became clear in my meetings with the former players,” says Richardson, “such as what did and didn’t ›

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

“You want everyone to buy into the values of the organisation. It was crucial that the choices I was making were supported by all the relevant people” 41

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

work in training and how to generate funding for the tour.”

Next, he headed to Hong Kong and Australia in June 2011 - two years ahead of the tour - to do a detailed ‘recce’ of potential hotels and training venues, visiting more than 60 hotels over a five-week period, as well as the grounds for all the matches.

At the same time, he was mapping out how a group of 85 people with up to 20 tons of freight would move around the country.

“My role was to take responsibility for planning and preparation for the tour, so anything that affected the team was part of my remit,” he explains. “I was in place well before the head coach, Warren Gatland, was appointed, so it was important to have different options set out for every decision he might make. For instance, when we discussed where the squad should stay in Sydney I was able to present him with three suitable hotels.

“We were working to put all the building blocks in place well in advance - to get the foundations rock-solid,” he says.

“We must have been doing something right because, as the tour came closer, I got messages from my Australian counterpart saying we had booked the hotel or training ground they had wanted to use.”

DRIVING FORWARD Richardson's job is to empower those around him to make the right decisions. As he puts it, “I’m accountable for everything, but where possible I delegate responsibility.”

With the Lions, that can mean managing upwards as well as downwards, to his CEO, John Feehan, Gatland and the four individual playing unions. “They want their voices to be heard,” says Richardson.

42

“Of course, you have to be able to handle the politics, and that is a definite skill.

“You want everyone to buy into the values of the organisation. With the Lions that’s not hard, as the history and prestige attached to the team draws everyone together towards a common goal. But it was crucial that the choices I was making were supported by all the relevant people - so that the head of security agreed with me about where the team bus would park on match-days, the head coach for strength of conditioning was happy with training facilities at a particular venue, and so on.”

INNER CONVICTION With such an important role to play on the tour, there was plenty of pressure on Richardson’s shoulders, but his ability to remain level-headed served him well at crucial times, such as when the squad needed to call up replacements to cover for injuries.

“On average, a Lions tour will see 7-10 players get injured and you have to be ready to deal with that,” he says. “I remember

being asked by Warren Gatland at 12.45am to get a player into the squad from abroad.

Now, getting hold of a player isn’t a problem, but ensuring they have their visa lined up in 24 hours? That’s where you need to have made connections with local consulates and ambassadors to help you out. Although I ended up getting the Irish Ambassador out of bed at 3am, he did the job for us.

“As a leader, it’s important that I give out an aura of being calm and making the right decisions, even in stressful situations,” says Richardson. “While serving in the army I trained in how to deal with stress - being placed in scenarios where I was commanding soldiers and having to deliver under pressure.”

Richardson has great belief in what he does and his abilities, but he also understands that in a job like his you are only ever as good as the people around you. “Their skills must complement mine,” he says. “I’m not going to claim to know everything, but if you get the blend of people around the team right, the basis is in place to be successful.”

successful planning at elite level 1 Have the right leader in place “I like the saying: ‘An army of deer led by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lions led by a deer.’ If they have the appropriate skills and can manage upwards and downwards, you have one of

your crucial building blocks.”

2 Understand what the values of your organisation are “You have to make people understand and live by those values. Those values will bring you together in the good and the bad times.”

3 Internal motivation “People have to want to be there, to be persistent and have the will to win.”

4 Know your enemy “I like the military analogy. You have to understand them, and be able to outmanoeuvre and outfox them.”

5 Know and trust your allies “You have to have trust within your team, support them and be completely honest with one another. That will encourage good teamwork.”

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Opportunities to grow

The economy and health of UK plc has become as mainstream a topic as football. Providing young people with the opportunities they deserve will be key in ensuring that debate is a positive one.

they come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Each season, the Barclays Premier League attracts To help transform the opportunities open millions of spectators to football grounds up and down to young people, Barclays, in collaboration with the country, while new deals secured by the Premier businesses and education providers, has launched League mean the league is now broadcast to over LifeSkills. An education programme and work 700 million homes around the world. The Premier experience matching service, LifeSkills brings League has become one of UK plc’s greatest export success stories, bringing in billions of pounds in export together employers and schools to deliver the resources and support that teachers need to get earnings. Football not only keeps us entertained, it is students ready for work. increasingly helping to pay our way in life.

Teachers have access to a range of free resources The good news is that while English football has designed to develop the skills employers most seek in been succeeding the rest of UK plc seems to have young people, such as writing a CV, managing money, been moving away from its survival period and onto a focus on long-term, lasting growth. Like football clubs, businesses understand just how important it is to find and retain talent in driving long-term success and future-proofing their operations.

Businesses could look no further than one of the UK’s greatest sources of innovation and productivity – young people. However, it seems that much of this pool of talent is still uptapped. Many young people are being left behind before they’ve had the chance to prove their potential.

When we look at the statistics showing youth unemployment at nearly one million, a record high, we should stop to consider that in 2012 only one business in 10 hired anyone directly from school.

Looking behind the trend, Barclays research found SPONSORED BY that businesses are held back, as they believe there is a lack of access to young people with basic work skills.

Young people are finding the transition from education to employment more challenging than ever before. For those soon to leave school, it is essential to gain the skills they will need to move into work

Pass it on Young people are finding the transition from education to employment more challenging than ever before. For those soon to leave school, it is essential to gain the skills they will need to move into work, particularly if 44

communication and building self-confidence. After completing the modules in class or online, teachers can then match students to local work experience opportunities. This service benefits the businesses as well

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All businesses in the UK can play a critical role and it is simple to get involved – set up opportunities for work experience. Give young people the chance to come into your business, learn what is needed in the workplace, understand the skills they are likely to require in the future and inspire them about what they might achieve. Most importantly, give them self-confidence and help them to recognise their strengths.

Playing its part Football has also been contributing. While best known for fostering the best in footballing talent, the football industry as a whole is much wider, encompassing a broad range of skillsets and job types. Thousands are employed in everything from coaching and administration to ticketing, sales and marketing and community work.

Barclays has been working with Barclays Premier League clubs, the Premier League, and companies and agencies that work in football to help generate opportunities for young people. The majority of Barclays Premier League clubs now offer work experience and one lucky person will have the chance to meet an LMA manager and his support team for a day to see what it’s like at the top of the profession.

The LifeSkills programme aims, by 2015, to equip one million young people with the skills they need for work and connect them with work experience opportunities, whether for a day, a week or more. This year alone it aims to make 50,000 placements available through UK businesses, large and small.

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LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

Good as gold David M Robinson has established a reputation for fine, innovative jewellery. But its success wouldn't have been possible without integrity, trust and a strong work ethic.

D

avid Robinson set up the firm in the 1960s having spent several years on the bench undertaking his apprenticeship, but it was when his jewellery won the DeBeers diamonds International Award – the jewellery equivalent of the Oscars – that things really took off.

The company started out small, relying much on the hard work and dedication of its young staff. “I started work at the age of 11, running jobs between the workshops in Liverpool, be it sweeping the floors or cleaning customers' pieces,” recalls managing director John Robinson, who also worked through the school holidays from the age of 15. “The business is definitely in the blood.”

It's a work ethic that has stayed with the company and its staff, who Robinson says work very much as a team.

Shiny, happy people Robinson describes his leadership style as inclusive and honest. “We agree on what we want to achieve and it’s a real team effort to get everyone over the line,” he says. “I'm there as much as possible, helping everyone to get that little bit better all the time.”

Robinson also constantly communicates 46

with them, face-to-face and on the phone.

“It's a great industry to be in because the stories we hear from our customers are inspiring and at times hilarious.”

While the business has been through its rough patches, Robinson is a great believer in learning from the tough times and moving on. “We are always aware that

customers and staff alike,” says Robinson.

“I don’t see any reason why people can’t talk to the experts and share their knowledge. We are interested in how we can help our clients in the best way possible.”

Ultimately, much of the success of David M Robinson comes down to the dedication of the team behind its jewellery,

“While everyone is very serious about the business, they also don't take themselves too seriously” anything can be improved if you focus on it enough and give it time,” he says.

“As a team we constantly update each other and share a lot of information with the watch brands that we carry, who also train our teams, either in the UK or in Geneva.” good as gold The company works closely with only eight brands of watch, including Rolex and Patek Philippe.

“The goldsmiths and watchmakers that we employ are always on hand to help

something it fosters through a culture that aims to delight both clients and employees.

For example, the business organises events for its clients as well as its staff, whether flying them to Geneva to see a particular watch house or organising a day of golf somewhere special.

“While everyone is very serious about the business, they also don't take themselves too seriously,” says Robinson.

“We love what we do and we are passionate about craftsmanship and design, but we also like business to be fun.”

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head strong

Help, my brain is full!

A recent study showed that executives are distracted every 11 minutes at work and take eight minutes to recover. Never before has a generation found it so hard to focus, says Sporting Edge's Jeremy Snape.

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oday's managers face a barrage of information on a daily basis. With the fallout from the weekend’s headlines, endless phone calls and emails, a meeting with the chairman, family mayhem, tomorrow's 48

training and forums and blogs to deal with, life can be a blur.

Many football managers, desperate to be a success and lengthen their tenure, even go in search of additional information - more clues, advice and opinions - in an effort to constantly develop and improve.

However, it is technology that has played the most powerful, albeit subtle, role here and in being blinded by all the flashing lights and gizmos we have missed a trick. The old world in which we went in search of the things we needed has imploded. Now, we are constantly bombarded by enticing messages; they come and find us.

Sophisticated algorithms track our every move and seduce us with unsolicited information that is tailored to what we 'might like'. Our digital fingerprint tells the algorithms what we are interested

in, which drives a variety of fascinating distractions straight to our handsets.

Mobile technology consultant Tomi Ahonen recently reviewed a study that found people interacted with their phones an incredible 150 times per day, with 50 of those interactions being to send or receive messages or calls. Accept it - we're addicted.

Multi-task, multi-fail It's likely, however, that this addiction will pass. The next generation will probably laugh at our indecision, our ease of distraction and how we have become conditioned to the Pavlovian ping of our phones. The next frontier will not be in the production of more information, but in its curation. Future generations will have digital tools and daily habits to ensure their main thing remains the main thing. They will be blissfully insulated from the rest.

hEALTH & HAPPINESS

These changes can't come too soon.

While we see the ability to multi-task as a must-have skill and a badge of honour for modern living, we are, says molecular biologist John Medina, biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously.

What, then, can our modern manager do in the face of such information overload? When we get into a mental tailspin it’s a good idea to stop for a minute and ask ourselves the very simplest of questions: What does success mean for me in the medium term? Where do I have the biggest impact? How can I insulate this impact from distractions? Given a blank sheet of paper, how would I build days of supreme impact with my team?

How do I politely decline anything that threatens my focus without seeming rude?

To return to the science, our brains consume one fifth of our body’s energy,

Prioritise

Brave new world Fast-forward to the year 2020 and the current honeymoon of choice, information overload and data is well and truly over. It will be a time when simplicity, meaning and focus are celebrated much more highly than round-the-clock working. Saying that you are 'working flat out’ will be more of a confession than a boast.

The 2020 manager will have personal focus. He will know exactly what contributes to his personal success and will understand that working to his strengths is the key. He will switch his phone on only when he needs it rather than responding to every ring and beep and will focus on what is within his control rather than worrying about what is not. The 2020 manager will craft his day into blocks of similar tasks to avoid the cognitive drain of multitasking and will value his rest as much as his work.

And all of this will give him a new freedom

Future generations will have digital tools and daily habits to ensure their main thing remains the main thing. They will be blissfully insulated from the rest”

While we are all expected to multi-task these days, our brains are just not evolved to do so.

so it's vital we start to think about the importance of our mental energy just as we do our physical energy. Two hours less sleep doesn’t mean you can fit more into your day, it means your day is less effective.

If your desk looks like a recycling bin, your subconscious brain picks up the cognitive load of each task and then drops it. Based on your preferences, skills and deadlines, you choose which jobs to tackle first. The more difficult tasks often get pushed back in the queue as we go in search of quick wins and instant gratification.

From a psychological point of view, this is like trying to lift the heaviest dumbbells in the gym when we are at our most fatigued.

Herein lies the challenge of our generation. Our desire and need to survive in the short term prevents us from creating new energy and focusing on efficient strategies. We have to hope that the change comes before we reach our breaking point.

that fuels his effectiveness.

The 2020 manager will also focus on his interpersonal impact. He will understand that 10 minutes of being fully present in a conversation is worth 10 hours of shallow listening and distraction. He will have the time to consider his impact with a group and tailor his message to their needs. He will have a trusted team to manage half of his workload, allowing him to be more strategic, and he will help the members of that team grow into leaders. He will know that saying yes to everyone and everything actually means saying no to his most important work – he will be diplomatic, but strong when he declines peripheral requests.

Technology and the distractions that come with it have crept up on us. Now, all of us need to consider how we can manage our precious mental energies better and become the masters of technology before it becomes the master of us.

Find out more about Sporting Edge at www.thesportingedge.co.uk or follow Jeremy Snape on Twitter @thesportingedge

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Illustration: Ellie D'Eath

It tAKeS twO Often working under extreme pressure and duress, today's managers need to be fit and healthy if they are to cope with the demands made on them. A manager's lifetime partner can be crucial to achieving that, says Dorian Dugmore.

I have worked for nearly 25 years educating and coaching chief executives from the world of business to recognise the key elements of wellbeing and how to improve them from a health perspective. And yet, it took me some time to realise that, in many cases, I was working with only half of the equation. I was missing the vital link that is the CEO's partner.

Recently, on a wellness lecture tour for leading CEOs throughout Australia and New Zealand, the penny well and truly dropped. I was invited to speak at no fewer than six retreats, all of which focused on the CEO and their partner, and was overwhelmed with the response from those partners. They treasured their involvement in the events, as they felt more included in that part of the CEO’s life, and were thankful to be able to actively share their journey towards success in business and life.

More recently, upon my return from Australasia, I helped to launch a 'Couples Weekend', where we brought together eight couples from the world of business and football to focus on the importance of working as a couple towards health and wellbeing. As well as getting to enjoy the luxury of the hotel, deep in the Dorset countryside, the response was equally overwhelming. tHe Couples experienCe What is apparent is that the responsibility for the social and community wellbeing of a couple often lies firmly on the shoulders of the partner. For many CEOs

and football managers, the safe haven of family togetherness provides a cushion for the stresses and strains of the day. But the partner also has a vital role in everything from ensuring the family gets the right nutrition to organising vacations and supporting career moves.

Being together as a couple can provide real strength.

During that same tour of Australia and New Zealand, I surveyed over 200 CEOs, working with Shawn Acor’s 'five elements of happiness' (Harvard Business Review Jan/Feb 2012), featured in a previous edition of The Manager. When these executives were asked to share the three most important gratitudes that influenced their lives, the support, friendship and love of their partners and families came top. perfeCt pairs What, then, makes for the most beneficial relationship in terms of wellbeing? When they explored the 'Science of a Great Relationship', Dr Christian Carter and Stanford lifestyle coach Professor Dr Fred Luskin cited certain habits as leading to successful partnerships.

You should: Be one another’s biggest fan Respond positively to bids for attention Prioritise time for affection Make time for one another Cultivate forgiveness Be there for each other and help one another grow

• • • • • •

“for many ceos and fooTball managers, The safe haven of family TogeTherness provides a cushion for The sTresses and sTrains of The day" 50

PHYSICAL WELLBEING

SOCI WELLB

HEALTH & HAPPINESS

CAREER WELLBEING

In wellbeing, the five essential elements, Tom Rath and Jim Harter highlight certain areas as crucial to health and happiness

FINANCIAL WELLBEING

COMMUNITY WELLBEING AL EING

It is common for couples in their 20s and 30s, even their 40s, to place some focus on their personal fitness. This is especially true of former managers, many of whom will have been professional players.

But in most cases solitary fitness tends to be the main priority.

As the years progress, however, more couples and families are sharing the enjoyment of working out together and engaging in recreational physical activity.

Whether it be going to the gym or completing their first 5km or 10km run, couples in adult life are increasingly realising that the shared goals of exercising together bring real improvements to fitness, as well as strengthening relationships.

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hEALTH & HAPPINESS

AWAY MATCH Sydney Settled by the British in the late 18th century, this east coast city has since shed much of the influence of its Anglo-Irish origins, exploiting its beauty and resources and becoming one of the most ethnically diverse and exciting cities in the world. With its hip bohemian side, internationally renowned restaurant scene and stunning natural assets, a trip to Sydney is no longer a penance.

Sydney

HOTELS Room with a view Many of The Sheraton on the Park's 557 rooms offer fantastic views over Sydney's Hyde Park, while all are kitted out as you would expect from a hotel of this opulence. Take the lift to the top for treatments at the Rejuventation Day Spa and a rooftop pool and jacuzzi.

A hotel with heritage In the heart of the CBD, minutes from the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, NSW Art Gallery and Sydney Harbour, is the Westin Sydney, housed in one of the city's most treasured buildings.

No.1 Martin Place operated as Sydney's General Post Office from 1874 until 1983 and the building still boasts many of the original features.

Water, water, everywhere Sydney's waterfront is all sparkly lights and excitement at night. Be part of it by staying at the only deluxe hotel over the water. Located on the Wharf at Woolloomooloo, 10 minutes walk from Sydney's main attractions, the BLUE Sydney is a boutique hotel with 100 rooms, all with high-speed internet, a lap pool and a small gym.

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FIVE NOT TO MISS Darling Harbour - bars, restaurants, museums, cruises, exhibitions... just leave lots of time and take plenty of cash.

Opera House - even if you haven't bagged tickets for a show, a stroll around this UNESCO World Heritage site is a must.

Harbour Bridge - drive it, walk it or, if you're feeling brave, climb it (the bridge is 134m high at its summit).

The Rocks - originally a slum, now very much gentrified and packed with some of the city's most historic buildings.

Bondi Beach - not the area's prettiest beach, but a great place to people-watch or learn to surf.

Into the arena Sports fans will not want to miss a visit to Sydney Cricket Ground, the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and Sydney Swans (Australian Football League). The stadium also plays host to Test cricket, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, Australian rules football, rugby league football and rugby union games.

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HEALTH & HAPPINESS

THE GREAT OuTDOORS

EATING

SHOPPING

Walking in Sydney is a very manageable and rewarding experience, with something going on at every turn. Hop on board a boat, though, and the city is your oyster.

Catch a ferry to a nearby island or north to the beautiful beaches of Manly, or simply cruise Sydney's waterways, glass in hand, barbequed prawn in the other.

More of the area's natural beauty can be found a short drive out of the city, with the Royal National Park to the south and the Blue Mountains inland. Here, Australians demonstrate their love of the outdoors doing everything from bushwalking and hiking to camping, mountain biking, abseiling and canyoning.

Your biggest problem when dining out in Sydney is deciding where to go.

The choice of high-end restaurants is extensive, but even in more modest establishments the locally caught seafood and influence of the city's cultural mix mean quality is generally high. Stand-out restaurants include Tetsuya's, where those lucky enough to get a table can dine on Japanese-French fusion cuisine overlooking a beautiful Japanese garden.

Head to the Rockpool Bar and Grill for great steak in magnificent art deco surroundings or Quay for fantastic views over Sydney harbour. Meanwhile at Momofuku Seiobo, executive chef David Chang has gained worldwide recognition for his innovative tasting menus.

Head to Castlereagh, Elizabeth and King streets for famous designer brands or two of Australia’s largest department stores, Myer and David Jones.

The city also boasts a range of lively markets, many showcasing Sydney's funky and artistic side. Glebe, Rozelle and Paddington markets are open every Saturday, while outside the city regular farmers’ markets offer the chance to sample locally grown wine, cheese and honey.

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getting there Virgin Atlantic flies into Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport seven days a week, with Premium Economy and upper Class making the 23-hour trip via China a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Flights from London leave in the evening to allow maximum time for sleep and to maintain the body clock's equilibrium.

Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy flights focus on the little details, such as an in-seat power point to ensure you don’t miss a day's work.

LMA members and commercial partners can receive VIP treatment with Virgin Atlantic. Contact the Flightstore on 0844 811 1518 and quote LMA. Further flight details to any Virgin Atlantic destinations can be found at www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en.html

SPORT MOBILE

The devices shown are the iPhone 5s.

hEALTH & HAPPINESS

ESSENTIAL KIT 01

bling!

Ok, they're not subtle, but wear these on your winter break or at next year's World Cup and you're guaranteed to make a statement.

From a limited edition range of Ray Ban Ultra Aviators from Stuarts London, these sunnies are coated in 18K gold and even have the trademark Ray Ban logo emblazoned on the lens in gold.

Thankfully, this isn't a case of style over substance, as the sunglasses still provide the brand's enhanced polarised protection and hydro-oleophobic coating, which allows moisture to slide off the lens. www.stuartslondon.co.uk

02

worth its weight If you're a perfectionist in the kitchen and like to follow each recipe to the letter, you need professional kit.

03

Plug and print

The new Home Edition xPrintServer from Lantronix is specifically designed for people who want to print from their iPads, iPhones or iPod Touches to either a USB or up to two network printers. Roughly the size of an iPhone, the printer is so simple to use it doesn't require the installation of any software or device drivers, or connection to a PC or Mac. Just plug it in and you're off. www.lantronix.com

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The Heston Blumenthal Precision Scale can weigh ingredients from as light as 0.1g to as heavy as 10kg in metric and imperial measurements, as well as liquids in ml or fl.oz.

It is slim, easy to use, features an add-and-weigh function and is hygienic, with an easyto-clean stainless steel dual platform. It also comes with its own storage case.

The downside is you'll no longer be able to blame the dodgy scales for your baking horrors.

hEALTH & HAPPINESS

04

Top festive picks

i spy

A true legend

Anyone who spends a lot of time at the office or on the road knows the anxiety of being away from the things you care about, whether your house, car, pets or loved ones. The HomeMonitor is a Wi-Fi video camera that provides peace of mind when you're not at home. Available for indoors and outdoors, the camera connects to your home broadband and records high-quality image and sound whenever motion is detected on multiple cameras. The footage automatically records to your online account and you can watch what's going on using your smartphone, tablet, PC or connected TV, wherever you are in the world. www.homemonitor.me

ESSENTIAL READ Focus by Daniel Goleman It might be a cliché to say that Focus grabs your attention and turns the spotlight squarely on you, but it's true. From a similar genre to recent bestseller The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters, Focus draws on medical and scientific knowledge to deliver a practical insight into the benefits of mastery of the mind.

For a book on focus and attention it does well to keep the reader engaged by exploring the complexities of the academic research through stories, anecdotes and quotes from as varied sources as Robbie Burns, Steve Jobs and Sesame Street's Cookie Monster.

It is a brilliant resource for anyone looking to develop their own selfawareness and effectiveness in the modern world of stress, information overload and distraction. However, where this book differs from many of its sister publications is in framing the development of personal development in the context of the team, coaching and leadership. It explores in detail the

mental capacity required by leaders and those being led and how the two need to be in harmony to be optimally effective.

It covers areas such as positive coaching, emotional resilience, creativity, empathy and meditation and builds credible, practical cases for considering and adopting a range of techniques to deliver enhanced performance.

It is widely acknowledged that the biggest leaps forward in personal and team performance over the coming years are set to be delivered not by number crunching or enhanced physical performance, but improved capacity and clarity. 'A negative focus will lead us to survive, a positive focus will lead us to thrive'. This book offers a very practical guide to some of the tools available to enhance performance and puts the leader in charge of that within the group. It demands some attention.

Zind ChardonnayAuxerrois, Domaine Zind Humbrecht 2010, Alsace, France £13.88 Voted White Winemaker of the Year no less than seven times by his peers worldwide, Olivier Humbrecht MW is a hero in the wine world. He produces highly individual wines, which are pure expressions of terroir and that elusive combination of the grape, vineyard and vintage. This particular offering is a fabulously complex wine, showing overtones of toasted almonds, stone fruits and minerals. It is dry with a crisp acidity and well-defined fruit flavours that lead to a long and sensational finish.

An elegant red from an awardwinning winery

5 Fincas Tinto Reserva, Castillo Perelada 2007, Emporda, Spain £10.90 Castillo Perelada is one of Spain’s most dynamic wineries, with spectacular vineyards that produce elegant, exciting and highly acclaimed wines.

They include this Fincas range of single-vineyard wines. The 5 Fincas is a deep ruby red colour with ripe dark fruits and spicy notes on the nose.

On the palate it is soft and easy-drinking, but shows real complexity, finesse and a persistent length. DWWA 2012 – Silver; IWX 2012 – Commended

Our wines have been selected

by Ceri Walden, Coe Vintners Key Account Manager. For offers open to LMA members, contact Ceri on 07814 704085 or email ceri@coevintners.com

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PITCH SIDE

CAN we KICK It? WHEN PEOPLE WERE FIRST uRGED TO 'KICK RACISM OuT OF FOOTBALL' MANY ASSuMED IT WAS JuST ANOTHER PASSING CAMPAIGN. NOW, 20 YEARS ON, KICK IT OuT IS STILL GOING STRONG, SAYS ITS CHAIR, LORD HERMAN OuSELEy.

L

ook at the number of complaints of abuse reported to Kick It Out and The FA over the years and it could leave you feeling either very encouraged or rather alarmed.

Reported incidence of discrimination to players or in the terraces has shot up since Kick It Out started campaigning back in 1993. But while some might interpret this as a sign that racist abuse is a growing problem, Lord Ouseley has good reason to 58

believe the statistics tell a different story.

“Kick It Out works throughout the football community, as well as with schools and external bodies such as local authorities and the police, to challenge discrimination in all areas of the sport,” says Ouseley.

“It isn't always easy from the statistics to determine how much progress is being made towards these goals, but we can learn a lot from the surveys that we conduct among fans and players.

“What they tell us is that many more people are now aware of Kick It Out's presence and what we do,” he says. “They know how to complain and feel more confident in doing so without the negative repercussions that they once feared. And more people are also aware that more needs to be done.”

LOuD AND CLEAR The fact that discrimination in football, in

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“Discrimination is not something you get the banners out for once or twice a year; it's a real-life, daily experience for some people. It's in the boardroom, it's in the dressing room, it's in administration and in the terraces” whatever form, is now more widely recognised as a problem and as an unacceptable one is testimony to Kick It Out's achievements. It has succeeded in getting its voice heard at all levels of the sport, through its work with the game's stakeholders, within the community and in lobbying the government.

“We see ourselves as a facilitating and enabling group,” says Ouseley, “because we try to improve processes around challenging discrimination and push positive change through.” He considers the changes made at The FA as one of the stand-out successes of this side of the campaign's work.

“We have put pressure on The FA for many years to improve its processes and performance around disciplinary matters, and we have seen some very positive changes,” he says. “We're now at a point where we see The FA deal with accusations of racism and unacceptable discrimination in a fair and measured way. As a result, players, clubs and fans are much more alert to the fact that there will be repercussions for offences related to discrimination and that those punishments will be harsh enough to be a genuine deterrent in the future.”

Taking the lead Confident in the way that bodies such as The FA handle issues when they arise, Ouseley can now turn his attention more heavily to bringing about a generational shift in attitude, something he believes is vital. “Prejudice and racism stem from ignorance, so the most effective way to change things is to influence and educate children from an early age,” he says.

“Our main focus for the future, 59

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therefore, is the next generation of players and fans. That means getting to young children, youth clubs and schools with awareness programmes and working with clubs to maintain interest and awareness in the aims of the campaign from an early age. Our hope is that the next generation will take this forward in a much more meaningful and positive way than the

present and past generations.”

Clubs also have a big part to play in stamping out discrimination and, while much progress has been made at club level, there is still work to be done.

“In the past, there was a reluctance among clubs to admit that they had a problem with discrimination,” says Ouseley. “They would claim to be handling

Heads up Kick It Out has now made it even quicker and easier for people to file complaints discreetly and anonymously.

The free Kick It Out app for iPhone and Android phones provides another channel for fans, players, officials and administrators to report incidents of abuse confidentially, supporting

60

current platforms such as text, email and hotline services.

Tested and endorsed by all Premier League and Football League clubs, and backed by the game's governing bodies, the free app also provides news updates on the campaign’s latest projects, events and initiatives.

the matter, but do very little. Now, if an issue is raised, they will acknowledge it and try to deal with it.”

But Kick It Out wants clubs to now take even greater responsibility in dealing with any problems that come to light and be even more proactive. “Clubs shouldn't focus on the negatives or see a complaint as a criticism,” says Ouseley.

“By demonstrating that they are dealing with the issue responsibly, they can actually enhance their reputation and uphold the values of the game.”

And that, he says, is the only way forward. “You can't rely on an organisation like ours to keep bringing complaints to the fore,” he says. “As a club, you have to be proactive and committed to stamping out discrimination. You have to let your fans know that you want to offer a great experience for everyone who comes to play and watch football.”

Non-stop This message is very much at the heart of the organisation's Season of Action, which runs from the start of the 2013/14 season until next May in recognition of Kick It Out's 20th anniversary. A series of events will be held to acknowledge the work of the many groups and individuals that support Kick It Out in their own communities. Meanwhile, for professional clubs, community groups and County FAs, the Season of Action hopes to reaffirm their continuous commitment to the campaign's objectives for the long term.

“The message is very clear,” says Ouseley. “Discrimination is not something you get the banners out for once or twice a year; it's a real-life, daily experience for some people. It's in the boardroom, it's in the dressing room, it's in administration and in the terraces. Clubs have to recognise that this is an everyday battle.”

Societies and economies are constantly evolving and so are the issues thrown up for debate, not least the rights and needs of our immigrant communities. All of this will create new challenges for those determined to change attitudes around discrimination. While much progress has been made by Kick It Out over its 20 years of campaigning, Ouseley recognises that it is an ongoing process. “We may never entirely succeed,” he says, “but we can and will work towards even more positive changes in the future.”

Creating Memorable Experiences

T: +44 (0)20 8453 5060 E: uk@dncinc.com

W: delawarenorth.com @delawarenorthUK

A global leader in Hospitality and Food Service

LMA ANNUAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

1

LMA annual management conference 2013, sponsored

by Barclays Theme: Change and innovation Venue: St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

“If we can learn to think effectively, particularly under pressure, then we are a long way down the road to building our own personal resilience” Dr Phil Hopley

2

“Do you know what it takes to win?

Where are your athletes relative to that target?

What are the risks in the process? Write your plan, then be prepared to change it quickly” Dr Scott Drawer 62

3

4

LMA ANNUAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

1. Conference host Manish Bhasin

5

2. Dr Phil Hopley, Dr Scott Drawer (3) and Richard Gerver (5) spoke at the event 4. Roberto Martinez joined Phil Brown (6) and Glenn Hoddle for a panel discussion 7. Richard Scudamore, Hugh Morris and Kate Hoey came together for a roundtable

“When we're under pressure, we tend to silo.

But some of the most innovative and creative moments occur when we are outside our silos” Richard Gerver

6

7

63

hall of fame | in association with the fa

bill nicholson

H

e may have been awarded an OBE in 1975 for his services to football, but many at Tottenham Hotspur believe Bill Nicholson didn’t receive the recognition he deserved for his achievements. ‘Billy Nick’, as he was affectionately known, was involved in nine of the club's 16 trophy triumphs, and no one has contributed more towards establishing them as one of the giants of the English game.

Scarborough-born Nicholson began his 36-year association with Tottenham Hotspur in 1936 as a 16-year-old groundstaff boy. Two years later, he was signed as a professional player and, although the 64

Second World War seriously disrupted his playing career, he was determined to make up for lost time.

After two seasons operating at centre half, Nicholson established himself at right half and became a key member of Arthur Rowe’s legendary ‘push and run’ team that won the League title in the 1950-51 season.

It was a success that would earn him an England call-up against Portugal but, despite scoring with his very first touch of the ball after just 19 seconds, it was to be his only international appearance. Despite the setback, Nicholson continued to dedicate himself to the Tottenham cause and, after a 17-year playing career that saw him make 314 appearances, it was

Words: Terry Bowles

time for a change of direction.

On joining the coaching staff at White Hart Lane, Nicholson’s progress was rapid.

He became first-team coach in 1955, went to the 1958 World Cup as assistant to England boss Walter Winterbottom and within months of his return Tottenham made him their manager.

The side were sixth from the bottom of the First Division at the time, but with Nicholson at the helm, his team - among them the likes of Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay, Cliff Jones and Bobby Smith - were a formidable force, scoring 115 League goals and bagging the first League and Cup double of the 20th century. Two years later, he became the

hall of fame | in association with the fa

Bobby Smith with captain Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Greaves after Spurs retained the FA Cup in 1962, beating Burnley 3-1.

LEFT: Rangers' manager Scot Symon meets Bill Nicholson ahead of their European Cup Winners' Cup clash in 1962/63 Spurs went on to win the trophy that season.

first manager of a British club to win a European trophy when Spurs beat Atletico Madrid 5-1 in Rotterdam to claim the European Cup Winners’ Cup. These successes were no fluke. The club won the FA Cup again in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973 and the UEFA Cup in 1972.

It is a list of achievements worthy of the likes of Sir Matt Busby, Bill Shankly, Brian Clough, Jock Stein and Sir Alex Ferguson and not lost on his home fans, who named one of the approach roads to White Hart Lane 'Bill Nicholson Way' in his honour.

Nicholson resigned as manager of Spurs in 1974 and spent a year as an adviser at West Ham, during which time Keith Burkinshaw took over the manager's role at White Hart Lane. When a member of his coaching staff mentioned that Nicholson would love to come back to the club, Burkinshaw jumped at the opportunity because he knew the experience of the local hero would be invaluable.

“Although he was renowned for being

strict with his players, he was very easy to get along with,” says Burkinshaw.

“We used to spend a lot of time in the afternoon talking football and I learned so much just listening to him.

“Bill was a quiet guy, and he wasn't interested in seeking personal glory,” he recalls. “He worked for the club and the team, and you didn’t have to spend long in his company to realise why Tottenham became the Barcelona of English football in the 1960s and 1970s.”

Nicholson’s main responsibility when

he came back to the club was to spot new talent, something for which Burkinshaw says he had a real talent.

“He had a tremendous ability to recognise whether or not a player would fit in with the club,” he says. “Football was his life; in fact, I don’t think he ever thought of anything else. He was a very shrewd character and as straight as they come.”

Nicholson continued in the role until 1991, when he became Tottenham’s Club President until his death in 2004, aged 85.

keith burkinshaw on his mentor:

“Bill was a quiet guy, not interested in seeking personal glory. He worked for the club and the team and you didn’t have to spend long in his company to realise why Tottenham became the Barcelona of English football” 65

PITCH SIDE

PRIMARY LOGO

SECONDARY LOGOS

BIG dAtA FOR A BIGGeR PICtUR Performance analysis has never been so important. As big data plays an increasingly prominent role in sport, deriving insight from a sea of information can deliver genuine competitive advantage to teams willing to explore football’s statistical revolution.

There has traditionally been a separation between technical and physical data within analysis, with the two types of information being treated as entirely separate entities. In order to cure this dichotomy, Prozone’s analysts are pioneering new metrics that synergise technical and physical data in order to achieve a more complete view of performance.

THE NATuRE OF PERFORMANCE By combining technical and physical data captured across a season, it is possible to more effectively evaluate the effect each technical variable has on the physical performance of a player. By determining the strength of the correlation between each output, analysts are able to build intelligent, contextualised

by enhancing player and Team analysis, The nexT generaTion of analyTical research will more comprehensively supporT The preparaTion of appropriaTe Training programmes and more diligenT Team selecTion models of a player’s physical demand.

A valuable coaching aid, these Intelligent Player Profiles indicate the technical skills that positively or negatively influence specific physical indicators, such

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e

as recovery time and high-intensity distance. This enables coaches to more thoroughly evaluate player output and develop specialised training programmes to better scrutinise the nature of each player’s performance.

In the case of one profile, for example (a defender for a top six Barclays Premier League club), we can see that technical indicators such as interceptions and possessions won have a strong correlative relationship with the number of explosive sprints (25% increase), while balls received (1%) and shots outside the area (1.4%) had far weaker relationships with the physical variables.

Through the analysis of these profiles, technical staff are better able to use objective information to identify potential performance gaps in their teams.

Insights such as those delivered by Intelligent Player Profiles also facilitate the creation of bespoke training programmes that can evidence the impact of tactical changes on technical and physical performance.

By enhancing player and team analysis, the next generation of analytical research will more comprehensively support the preparation of appropriate training programmes and more diligent team selection.

DyNAMIC, HOLISTIC EvALuATION Innovative new ways of evaluating performance, such as Intelligent Player Profiles, are just the first step towards the development of new forms of analysis.

As the field advances further, the consolidation of technical and physical data will become integral to the industry’s continued evolution.

As new analytical methods are developed to meet the dynamic needs of managers and their coaching staff, the next generation of analysis is being designed to centralise performance evaluation and, ultimately, continue to support industry professionals as they seek to understand performance in as much detail as possible.

The pioneer of performance analysis, Prozone has been empowering data with meaning since 1998. Working with football’s elite, it provides expert technology and analytical consultancy to create world-leading insights. Analysing objective data from more than 10,000 games every season, Prozone helps 250 clubs across five continents to achieve genuine on-field advantage.

EAST MEETS WEST

prozone is always seeking opportunities to share insights and experiences with partners from different football cultures around the world, to drive forward the development of analysis across the globe. as part of prozone's commitment to enhancing the use of performance analysis in leagues and competitions worldwide, prozone’s office in düsseldorf recently welcomed a Chinese super league (Csl) delegation, in germany on a fact-finding mission. the four-day visit saw the Csl representatives visit the german fa in frankfurt as well as bayer leverkusen and the youth academy of 1. fC köln as they learned about analysis, talent identification and coaching methods in german football. a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and best-practice, the visit was an element of prozone’s long-term partnership with the Csl. forming part of a flourishing exchange programme, the scheme is designed to improve infrastructure and future development in Chinese football.

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PITCH SIDE

BEST PRACTICE the needs of coaches at all levels of the game are at the heart of a recent collaboration between the fa and the team at i-drills.

Together, they have created the FA Coach’s App, giving coaches an exciting and innovative new platform on which to build and share training sessions and practices via their iPads.

Using the original i-Drills platform as a starting point, the comprehensive new tool builds on what was already on offer, allowing coaches to create detailed training practices and sessions. These can then be saved and shared in seconds via the revolutionary ‘CoachMates’ sharing system or to the newly created ‘TransferMarket’.

CoachMates enables everyone using the app to invite others to view and use their practices privately and securely. Coaches can choose who sees what, limiting their CoachMates network to other coaches at their club, or share basic practices between players, parents and other volunteers.

Meanwhile, standard membership of TransferMarket, accessible through an InApp Purchase, lets coaches share practices with the world, download those that other 68

coaches have shared and also provides access to a selection of regularly published FA practices. A range of premium channels will also be unleashed over the coming months, including practices developed and delivered on The FA Tesco Skills programme.

PERSONALISED PRACTICE Sessions can be designed to incorporate an array of equipment and pitch types, and any practices a coach could ever want to deliver. The ability to capture text and areas of movement, as well as having full control over the size and rotation of all elements on the pitch, gives coaches the power to build highly bespoke sessions.

With a library of practices, coaches can then build, edit and schedule the delivery of sessions, sharing them in advance through the web, Twitter, Facebook or email.

Darren Sandbach, The FA’s Digital Learning Manager, who is based at St George’s Park, says: “By directly linking key features to the learning process, as well as enabling coaches to come together and share ideas and best practice, coaches can be certain they’ll get a quality product that directly supports their needs through content and capabilities.

“As the first coaching application released by any National Football Association, and in the 150th year of The FA, this represents real progress and awareness of contemporary use

of technology within sport.”

Dave Carolan, Director at i-Drills, adds: “CoachMates and TransferMarket are exciting developments that will enable all coaches to interact, integrate and innovate.

This unique offering is a landmark step to support the development of coaches along their pathway.”

To buy The FA Coach’s App or find out more, go to www.

TheFA.com/ FACoachsApp Coaches who have previously bought the i-Drills Soccer app and who upgrade to The FA Coach’s App will receive a complimentary six-month subscription to the TransferMarket. They’ll also have an unlimited number of CoachMates accessing the practices they choose to share.

Premium channels of content will be made available on TransferMarket, which will be accessible with or without the above subscription. The first of these is The FA Licensed Coaches’ Club channel, which will be free to all Club members and is updated weekly. i-Drills joins Performance Innovations (Focus X2 analysis software) and TactX (animated session builder) in supporting The FA Licensed Coaches’ Club through the provision of technology. The FA Licensed Coaches’ Club is free to join. For more information visit www.TheFA.com/FALCC

Are you fit to Perform?

Available free to all LMA members, Fit to Perform is a performance and lifestyle based assessment which utilises the world’s leading sports medicine technologies and expert staff. » Helps identify and prevent health issues » Helps you to Perform better The assessment takes place in our brand new facility, Perform at St. George’s Park, which combines 25,000 square feet of cutting edge technology with medical expertise to create the most advanced human performance centre in the UK. To make an appointment or for any further queries, please call the Perform Support team on 01283 576333 or email support@spireperform.com

www.spireperform.com

@Perform SGP

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History lessons As well as aiming to develop more homegrown players, the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) has the education of young players at its core. Here, history has a key role to play.

2014 marks the centenary of the Christmas Truce, when soldiers in combat on the Western Front laid down their arms on Christmas Day and ventured into noman’s land to sing carols, exchange gifts and play football. This outbreak of peace amid the harrowing ordeals of WWI served to demonstrate the enduring power of the sport to unite people.

Since 2011, the Barclays Premier League has remembered this unique event each December with its Christmas Truce Tournament. Held in Ypres, Belgium, where much of the fighting took place in the Great War, it has become a successful platform to educate and develop the best young players from England, France, Belgium and Germany.

“The EPPP talks a lot about the holistic development of our young players and wanting to encourage rounded individuals, and that's very central to the plan,” says Martyn Heather, Head of Education at the Premier League. “We try to develop this idea about the 24-hour professional, that what you do off the field is just as important as what you do on the pitch. That’s why this is such a successful tournament.”

The national finals, where two English teams qualify to play in Ypres, have taken place at St George’s Park over Remembrance Weekend in November for the past two years. The aim is to provide the players, parents and coaches with an 70

Tournament weekend, enabling a wider “The competing audience to see the impact of bringing teams also socialised history to life for young people.

The tournament in Ypres is a very together and interactive educational experience for commemorated players and coaches. The day before the those who had lost matches, players tour the sites, the war their lives fighting graves and the museum before they take in the Last Post ceremony at the for their country” part Menin Gate. Members of each team experience they will never forget. The competing teams also socialised together and commemorated those who had lost their lives fighting for their country. At 11am on Remembrance Sunday, play stopped for two-minute’s silence and a ceremony where the names of players who died in WWI were read out.

Honouring soldiers The Premier League is already scaling up the event to mark the 100th anniversary.

The 20 Premier League clubs will come together for a Heads of Welfare conference over the Christmas Truce

lay a wreath at the memorial, whose large Hall of Memory contains names on stone panels of 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers whose bodies have never been identified or found.

In between the elite eight-team tournament over the Saturday and Sunday, the boys all come together for a special dinner, which provides another cultural experience, explains Heather.

“We’re not here to glorify war, we’re here to highlight that out of something terrible, something humane happened, and football’s part of the reason for that.

Those messages are the same today as they were nearly a century ago.”

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PARK LIFE

Happy Birthday St George's Park!

First-birthday celebrations were among the highlights of an eventful quarter.

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1 Steven Gerrard joins St George’s Park staff to celebrate its first birthday.

2 Coaches from 11 countries attend The FA's International Licence course.

3 New England U21 manager Gareth Southgate in action.

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4 Poppy wreaths at the All Together Now - Christmas Truce 1914 Memorial at SGP; the England U21 players and staff observe a two-minute silence at 11am to mark Remembrance Day.

The FA’s National Football Centre 12 months on...

St. George’s Park, The FA’s national football centre, officially opened in October 2012 and one year on is already providing an inspirational training home to all 24 England teams.

In addition, St. George’s Park has provided worldclass training facilities for over 50 domestic and international clubs and 230 grassroots teams.

St. George’s Park is the national home for coach education. Since opening over 50 different courses have been delivered across football coaching, safeguarding, medical and refereeing - including the completion of the first FA Advanced Youth Award.

Perform at St. George’s Park is a world-class sports medicine, rehabilitation and human performance facility. As well as providing services to England teams, Perform has provided 110 rehabilitation service weeks across 36 clubs.

St. George’s Park is also a place where sport and business can interact and has already hosted over 1,370 conferences and events. We look forward to supporting the game and developing winners for many years to come.

ALL 24 ENGLAND TEAMS HAVE VISITED

A TOTAL OF

54 TIMES

231 COMMUNITY TEAMS HAVE PLAYED

OVER 1,000

COACHES ATTENDED THE FA LICENSED COACHES’ CLUB

WELCOMED OVER

50 NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL

CLUBS

CONFERENCES

57COURSES DELIVERED ACROSS

814 PHYSIO SESSIONS

SAFEGUARDING,

RECEIVED

REFEREEING

SCREENING

HAVE BEEN DELIVERED

COACHING,

AND 266 PLAYERS

MEDICAL AND

CARDIAC

For more information or to discuss your individual requirements please call 01283 576200 or email sgpenquiries@TheFA.com TheFA.com/sgp

Follow us @StGeorgesPark

PITCH SIDE

LOOKING OuT FOR NuMBER ONE Our careers need to be managed as well as our teams, says Paul Daniels, Slater & Gordon.

W

hen you first take a new job, the role can seem very attractive and exciting, but it's important to do your research. What will your relationship with the chairman or chief executive be like?

What resources does your employer have to take the business forward?

Careful negotiation of your contract from the outset can also pay dividends, as this is when you are likely to have most negotiating power. Think carefully about the terms and ensure that the agreement represents a fair and workable bargain. For example, does it contain a weak termination clause that might expose you as the manager? An employer will very often agree to make reasonable changes to a contract at the outset if the reason is properly and clearly explained.

FIRST AND LAST Bizarrely, the most important thing to get right at the start of a job is the termination payment in your employment contract. The best form of termination payment is a fixed one, which applies however long it may take to find a new job. Typically, this will be around 12 months or until the end of the contract term in question.

It's also important to understand your commercial value and be aware of any changes in this. If your business has been very successful recently, for example, consider this an excellent opportunity to renegotiate elements of your contract.

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biZarrely, The mosT imporTanT Thing To geT righT aT The sTarT of a Job is The TerminaTion paymenT in your employmenT conTracT” Be aware also of the danger areas, where employers may argue there has been misconduct to avoid paying severance.

Typically, the only way an employer can avoid paying a notice payment or an executive’s termination payment in the contract is where the executive has been guilty of 'gross misconduct'. Although this is narrowly defined and difficult for an employer to prove, typical areas for employers to seek to try and rely upon include comments to the media, breach of expense policies, breach of email or IT policies, or insubordination to the board.

It is crucial to make sure that you are speaking to and negotiating with the right people, either at the start or end of a contract. Lines of authority in a business can change quickly, as can the business’ owners.

BACK uP If things are becoming difficult or you sense the employer wants you to move on, it is advisable to seek advice at an early stage and nip problems in the bud. Ask the opinion of a staff association, friends, colleagues or seek professional legal advice at an early stage. This can often be done quickly and cost-effectively, and can put you in a much

better position to negotiate.

If preventative measures are unsuccessful, however, you may be asked to leave. Some bosses will ask you to agree to resign or leave 'by mutual consent', but be very wary of agreeing anything too quickly. Make it clear you are happy to discuss a resolution, but no statements or agreements can be made until all of the key provisions are documented in a settlement agreement.

Remember, your reputation and brand are very important, so the messaging of any departure needs to be properly dealt with.

Make sure your references are suitable and fair as, in business and sport, the rumour mill moves very fast. Failing to take adequate steps to protect your reputation can live with you for a long time.

Finally, try to resolve disputes internally and informally first, as it is often the best and most productive way to sort out a problem. Taking legal action should only ever be a last resort.

Paul Daniels is a senior Employment & Sports Partner at Slater & Gordon Lawyers. He has over 20 years’ experience in advising executives and managers on employment issues.

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SPONSORED BY

LMA news, views and events

Giving undiscovered players their chance Nike “It simply isn’t possible for every pro-club in the UK to see every young player out there. Some real talent will slip through the net,” says LMA member and England scout Jimmy Gilligan, who is also head coach of The Nike Academy.

A part-time training initiative launched five years ago, The Nike Academy gives aspiring young players in and around London the opportunity to receive a higher level of coaching and football education than they would otherwise get, as well as the chance to play a small number of competitive games.

Having already made a real difference, the Nike

Academy went to the next level in 2010. Nike opened up trials around the world, called The Chance, with a place at The Nike Academy as the prize. This time, the Academy would be fulltime, residential, have full back-room staff and provide competitive games each week against Barclays Premier League and Football League Academy squads.

“The Chance trials provide the opportunity and the Academy gives the platform,” says Gilligan. “There are enough Nike Chance trials globally for all young players to sign up to.

“If selected, the Academy will give them everything

they need to develop as young professional football players: a daily training schedule, top-level coaching, elite performance facilities and a competitive games programme that gets them directly in front of pro-club staff and scouts,” he adds.

“This is the platform they have to show the professional game that they are good enough to be signed.”

In 2013, The Nike Academy moved to The FA’s new home, St George’s Park, meaning the players also have access to the ultimate in football and performance excellence.

In addition, and as part of the ongoing partnership between the LMA and Nike,

LMA members Greg Abbott, Kevin MacDonald, Martin Allen, Paul Simpson and LMA executive board member Dave Bassett have all offered their coaching expertise by taking training sessions.

Since the programme became full-time and residential, 44 players have earned a place at The Nike Academy, with 19 going on to earn a professional contract across the UK, Europe and even as far as Australia. The most notable example is Tom Rogic who, after six months at the Nike Academy, earned a contract at Central Coast Mariners before moving to Celtic.

Of the other 18 procontract successes, clubs represented include top sides in the Championship in England, the Scottish Premier League and the Allsvenskan in Sweden, where Academy graduate Titi Accam of FC Helsingborgs has also gone on to earn a full call up to the Ghanaian National Squad.

“The programme is true to the realities and demands of the game," says Gilligan.“Last season, we played more than 50 matches against proacademies, with clubs taking players on trial throughout the whole season.”

Bringing young, homegrown talent through to first team football in the UK is now of paramount importance, especially for lower league clubs. Initiatives such as the Nike Academy might just be the answer to finding the raw talent that pro-clubs need, and turning undiscovered talent into professional footballers.

The Nike Academy gives aspiring young players in and around London the opportunity to receive a higher level of coaching and football education" 76

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SPONSORED BY

Book launch In partnership with Bloomsbury, Barclays and Deloitte, the LMA has published its first book, The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football’s Leaders. An in-depth exploration of the most significant challenges of managing and leading a football team in the modern game, the new book offers leadership and management insight that is as applicable to the boardroom as it is the changing room.

LMA members and contributors to the book José Mourinho, Brendan Rodgers, Harry Redknapp, Alex McLeish, Gerard Houiller and Mick McCarthy, along with LMA board member Sam Allardyce attended the launch at The Grosvenor House Hotel, where they discussed their management styles and offered their endorsement of the book.

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said, “The LMA is uniquely placed to be able to access insight into the lives of some of the most recognisable leaders in football and we are extremely grateful for their collective contribution.”

Half-term kids coaching During the October half-term school holidays, the LMA hosted, in collaboration with FA Learning, its first family coaching day for LMA partners and supporters. Over three sessions, 30 boys and girls between the ages of four and 11 took part in drills and games designed to improve co-ordination and skills, but with an emphasis firmly on fun.

The day included a tour of the facilities at St George’s Park, offering a glimpse at what the children might eventually achieve if they continue to work hard enough.

One parent said, “My son was absolutely thrilled with the whole experience. He loves football with a passion and to have the opportunity to train with such a great group of coaches and in an inspirational environment was a real motivation.”

All the attendees left with a goody bag full of mementos from the LMA and St George’s Park.

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SPONSORED BY

LMA CORPORATE FOOTBALL TOuRNAMENT The home of the LMA, St George’s Park, played host to the inaugural LMA Corporate Football Tournament, with eight LMA members – Peter Taylor, Walter Smith, Steve Staunton, Greg Abbott, Martin Ling, Paul Simpson, George Burley and Michael Appleton – taking on teams. These ranged from auction prize-winners to LMA commercial partners and suppliers.

After the managers were assigned their teams and gave their pre-tournament talks, the action got under way, with every team playing a minimum of five matches on the 4G indoor pitch.

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As the tournament progressed, the competitive nature of players and managers alike became apparent and at least one semi-final was decided by a tense penalty shoot-out.

Jordan Garbutt, uK head and team captain of the eventual winners, Prozone, managed

by Peter Taylor, said, “The tournament couldn’t have picked a better setting than the National Football Centre at St George’s Park with its amazing facilities. The event was thoroughly well organised from start to finish, and it was, of course, capped off by Prozone winning the tournament!”

You can watch a review of the event at http://bit.ly/1cF8ocx

The TournamenT couldn’T have picked a beTTer seTTing Than The naTional fooTball cenTre aT sT george’s park wiTh iTs amaZing faciliTies" JORDAN GARBuTT, PROZONE

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SPONSORED BY

Bryan Robson reaches his peak LMA member Bryan Robson conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in October, raising over £103,000 for the Manchester United Foundation in the process. ‘Captain Marvel’ led the 26-strong team, including ex-Manchester United teammate Kevin Moran, during the 10-day expedition. In order to reach the 5,895m peak the group battled altitude sickness and temperatures as low as -22˚C. The ex-England and Manchester United captain said, “I can’t tell you how hard it was; it was absolute agony at certain stages.

It’s fantastic to see the scenery when you reach the top; it’s just incredible, but the final day was the hardest 24 hours of my life.”

The money raised by the trekkers will go towards the Manchester United Foundation’s work with young people across Greater Manchester.

Robson concluded, “Trips such as these are no good unless we get support from the fans, and the total raised shows how they got behind us. I’d like to thank everybody for their support.”

Anglian leadership conference In collaboration with LMA Commercial Partner Anglian, the LMA facilitated a two-day leadership conference in October. Over the course of the conference, Anglian delivered key messages to its regional sales manager team and developed teamwork and leadership skills with outdoor activities.

The highlight of the conference was a private dinner with two LMA ambassadors, Peter Reid and Gary McAllister. The two shared anecdotes and lessons from their

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experience as players and managers and gave invaluable and unique insight into the techniques they have used and had used on them throughout their careers.

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said, “The LMA is delighted to continue to support Anglian in accessing football to support its staff improvement programmes. We aim to ensure we deliver on our commercial partners’ business objectives using our collective, unique and compelling membership.”

FITNESS = PERFORMANCE = RESULTS.

SO HOW FIT ARE YOUR FINANCES? You know that to get the best results from your players, they need to be at the peak of their fitness. Well the same thing applies to your finances, which is why you should be asking the question - just how fit are they?

■ Are you making use of tax efficient investments?

Make sure you’re getting the best performance by trying our financial health check:

■ Do you have adequate private healthcare or a

■ Have you made a Will or protected your family’s

financial security in the event of your own death including covering your loans?

■ Have you recently reviewed your pensions to make

sure they are on target for your retirement goals?

What about reducing your inheritance tax liability?

■ If you or a spouse/partner suffer a long-term

illness or disability, is your income, mortgage or business protected? cash fund available for emergencies and periods of ill health? Is your family protected?

■ Have you recently reviewed your existing mortgage

and insurances to make sure they are adequate for your current situation and you are getting the best deal?

■ Will you be able to afford school/college fees?

Just call Kingsland on 01743 231 954 and we’ll make sure you’re match fit all year round!

Levels and bases of, and relief from, taxation are subject to change and their value depends on the individual circumstances of the investor. Not all areas of tax or estate planning are regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. The value of your investment and any income from it may go down as well as up. You may not get back the original amount you invested.

Kingsland Wealth Management Ltd is an appointed representative of pi financial ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England & Wales. Registered office address as opposite.

Registered number 4414865.

kingsland-ifa.co.uk Kingsland Wealth Management Ltd 1 Brassey Road, Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury SY3 7FA Telephone 01743 231954 Fax 01743 235794

just a moment

JUST A MOMENT In front of feverish support from the Polish fans and despite a fierce battle, England emerged victorious, securing their spot at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

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just a moment