Turn Off The Hairdryer

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Jan 032012
 

In his latest blog post, the BBC’s Robert Peston talks about interviewing the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, for a programme on football and business. ‘Arry, as he is affectionately known, is well known for his ability to motivate players and commented to Peston, “You know I think players will respond more by you telling them how good they are, rather than telling them what they can’t do. I find it’s no good shouting and screaming at players and telling them ‘you’re rubbish and you can’t do this’, because that doesn’t help anybody.” Although Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson is famed for his ‘hairdryer’ treatment of his players, it is exceedingly unlikely he could have become so successful unless he balanced it with a great deal of positive comment and encouragement.

Sadly it is something that many of us learn late on in life (and some never do). In sport, business or life in general, apart from the super confident (deluded?) most of us are all too aware of our shortcomings and need to be reminded of our strengths and abilities.

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Just Get On With It!

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Dec 062011
 

“No, just get on with it. I’ve sat through too many. Boring as hell.” So said TV football pundit Mark Lawrenson when asked if he was looking forward to the so-called cultural activities that preceded the draw for the 2012 European championships. I feel the same at the start of Strictly Come Dancing when Bruce Forsyth bumbles on for an eternity. Just get on with it!

I can think of examples of businesses not getting on with it. Sales brochures. Full of flowery prose. Just get on with it. All I want is facts. Facts that will help me decide whether the product will do what I want. Sales presentations. Forget the background details of your company. Just give me the facts about your products or services. If I want to know more I’ll ask. I could go on but I think you’ve got the message. Just get on with it.

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How To Become Famous

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Jun 192011
 

Last weekend was the Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans, or if you prefer it with sub-titles, the Le Mans 24 Hour race. It is the most famous sports car race of them all. More fans travel from Britain for the Le Mans weekend than go to the FA Cup Final. And yet most folks will not of heard of it, let alone known that it was held last weekend. Media coverage was virtually non-existent unless you had access to Eurosport.

This week it is Cardiff Singer Of The World, the most important contest in the world for rising opera singers. Very good coverage on BBC4 … if you happen to know about it. But I’m willing to bet that 95% plus of the population has never even heard of it (the competition that is, not BBC 4!). [Update: Last night's final was shown on BBC 2 and was won by the rather gorgeous Valentina Nafornita.]

Despite this lack of general coverage, both of these events are hugely successful because, to use an expression that is a favourite of mine, they are well known to the informed. Isn’t that all that any organisation wants, to be well known to people who are likely to be their customers? So why do so many people want hundreds, even thousands of Twitter followers, Facebook friends or LinkedIn connections? Surely the question is not how to become famous but how to be well known to the informed, the people who may become our customers?

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In The Arena

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May 102011
 

It is easy to say, “I was there.” You can stand on the sideline and say it. It may have been a great experience, one that you’ll never forget. But it can never equal actually taking part. And sometimes, being successful is just a case of turning up.

Many years ago we were on holiday at Aberdovey in Wales. It was the annual Dovey Yacht Club regatta. I had taken my home built Mirror dinghy on holiday, so one afternoon I entered a race with my young son as crew. I was delighted and more than a little surprised to win a cup for third place. Actually, there were only four starters for that particular race. And one dropped out part way through.

US President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech in 1910 in which he said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena …”

Your sporting ambitions or your business ideas may not work out, but you’ll never know unless you are in the arena. Give it a go.

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Overnight Success

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May 072011
 

I was struck by the comments of Liverpool’s 22-year-old midfielder, Jay Spearing, on being given a new contract: “I owe a lot to the boss (Kenny Dalglish) and hopefully I am repaying him with the games I am playing. He put me into the derby (against Everton in January) straight away and that gave me a lot of confidence. Any player who has the belief of the manager always wants to go on and show what he can do.”

Anyone who follows football will be aware of the transformation that has taken place since Dalglish was appointed manager. His man-management style has given belief to a group of players who could  hardly have been described as a team in the first half of the season. Of course, business is no different. If you encourage your team to believe in themselves they might just surprise you with what they can do. Maybe, like Spearing, they could become an overnight success. Even if like him, ‘overnight’ has taken 15 years of hard work to achieve. You may not recruit seven-year-olds but it is never too late to encourage people to believe in themselves.

“I’ve been here for a long time and playing for Liverpool is all I have ever wanted to do.”  In this age where loyalty doesn’t seem to count for much, would anyone begrudge Jay Spearing his success?

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