We have just read an interesting article by Michael Jackson, who is chairman of venture capital firm Elderstreet Investments, drawing parallels between football management and business management, and we thought we’d pass it on.
We have just read an interesting article by Michael Jackson, who is chairman of venture capital firm Elderstreet Investments, drawing parallels between football management and business management, and we thought we’d pass it on.
The core of Mr Jackson’s argument is what he calls ‘The Roberto Martinez Syndrome’. He asserts that it was the Wigan FC manager’s insistence on sticking to his strategy, even as the club was languishing at the bottom of the Premier League with very few matches left to escape, that was the key to the club’s eventual survival.
“Sometimes you just have to stick to your guns because if you are on the
right lines the results will come. Then comes self-confidence and you
are away. So just staying in the game and not panicking too early can be
a vital part of a successful business manager’s armoury.”
Whether you agree with his theory or not, the article is another example of the crossover between Business Management and Sports Team Management, with both sides learning from each other, particularly in the fields of motivation and team building.
Later in the article Mr Jackson draws on another football story, featuring Jackie Charlton in a 1970s Leeds vs Chelsea match, to illustrate another lesson for business – but it wasn’t about the usefulness of physical intimidation in the workplace. Strange that…