The 21st. Century Football Club
Here is a template that I believe contains the key ingredients necessary to create the circumstances, which underpin 21st century sporting success.
Overview
What makes a great football club? Clearly, success will be judged on results, but a football club is far more than the sum of its cups. Outstanding clubs (e.g. Barcelona, AC Milan, Bayern Munich) create a virtuous triangle between themselves, the city and the fans. If that umbilical connection is sufficiently durable, the performance of the whole greatly exceeds the contributions of its parts.
Football clubs must be driven by an intrinsic set of values. These values provide the foundation for everything that happens, generating clarity of purpose and a sense of community. Without them, failure is the certain outcome.
Values may be the DNA of success but other, life enhancing, components must be added. To put Blackburn Rovers back into the spotlight, I believe some of the following ingredients are needed:
1) Manager as Visionary
Visionaries shape their chosen field. They see a new and better future. They are bold and daring and have no fear of failure. In their presence, the future comes alive!
21st century football demands that the Manager and the Blackburn Rovers Board create and embody a clear vision. They lead the way for others willingly to follow. That vision needs to grab at the heartstrings of the football club, providing a clear and inspiring path.
Is there a clear, united vision for Blackburn Rovers?
2) Creating The Cause
If the vision inspires direction, a cause provides meaning. A well articulated cause adds significance to people's work. However, the cause must be greater than the ambition of any individual. Everything must be subsumed within the cause.
A cause gives the fans reason to support. Players are inspired by knowing that they are making a contribution to something that everyone can believe in.
What is the Blackburn Rovers cause?
3) The Cultural Leaders
Leaders embody the vision and the cause. In their presence others find direction. Leaders can be found both on and off the pitch. Leaders stand for what is right. They are the ones who will always go furthest in pursuit of the cause.
Leaders are prepared to do what others don't, because they know, instinctively or intellectually, that it is right. They do not wait to be told. Leaders liberate the talent in others. They exude confidence and certainty.
Who are the Blackburn Rovers cultural leaders?
4) The Rules Of Success
What are the rules that will facilitate the growth of a success culture? What boundaries need to be in place to create immunity from negativity? What are the positive behaviours that support the cause?
How is success celebrated? Is each individual made aware of the part they play in every success? How is talent developed? Are new ideas encouraged and nurtured or smothered and dismissed?
Is there a success culture or a blame culture?
5) The Confidence Cycle
An affirmative, virtuous cycle of confidence is essential for sustained success. Thus, the Board's confidence impacts on the Management, whose confidence impacts upon the players, whose confidence impacts on the fans, whose confidence impacts on the team.
Confidence begets confidence. Confidence is the oil that lubricates the wheels of the success machine.
Is confidence coursing through the arteries of the football club?
6) The Culture
Cultivating and spreading an attitude of success may mean revisiting many facets of the Blackburn Rovers culture. Such characteristics will, for too long, have been taken for granted. Thus, are the Blackburn Rovers logos, PR, sponsorship, community activity etc aligned with the new, positive values?
Do all the support systems serve to support the one cause?
7) Motivating The Motivator
Maintaining the levels of motivation necessary to lead a Premiership football club requires deep reservoirs of energy. The daily demands can lead to a dilution of the core vision and a dispersion of focus.
Having an external influence to provide a listening ear, maintain the focus and offer tools for fresh inspiration will ensure the motivator stays on top of his game.
Who motivates the motivator?
Conclusion
This template is best delivered through all concerned with the project, from board level, via players, families, management, support services, supporters, sponsors, local communities and the press.
I hope these thoughts have struck a chord. If you feel that they might chime with your own ideas for the future development of Blackburn Rovers, I can be contacted at the address or phone numbers below.
Regards
Martin Perry
Important Note: All my client relationships are conducted in an atmosphere of strict confidentiality. I do not, under any circumstances, reveal the details of my client relationships to third parties.
