So Martin Jol is sacked. By text? By emergency meeting? Via the fans? No one is quite sure. Suffice to say the manner of his departure is totally unsatisfactory. Dismissing a man who, throughout his tenure, behaved with dignity. This the man who refused to blame the officials after Pedro Mendez long range strike was scooped out of his own net by Man. United’s Roy Carroll.
Successful organisations strive to create clear, agreed-to values than run throughout the organisation. Values that are not just fine words on a piece of paper. Values that can be measured. That are measured. Measured by meetings that ask, ‘How are we delivering on our core values?’ ‘Give us examples’. ‘Tell us stories about those who are delivering on the core values’. ‘Where are we under-performing on our values?’
Straight forward questions asked openly every week. Why? Because of the core value of caring. Caring for the people you serve. The people who pay your wages.
Clearly these were not questions that were asked too often at White Hart Lane. If they were, then you could be sure that Seville would not be seeking to charge Tottenham Hotspur with an illegal approach to Juande Ramos. And Martin Jol would learn of his sacking in a manner commensurate with the behaviour of a top football club. A club that cared about how it behaved. And how it was seen to behave. That recognised that values are a living embodiment of the things you believe in. Stand for. Hold dear.
Juande Ramos is said to be a man who educates his teams in strong values. Let us see if his influence can extend beyond his players.