Independent broker blog: Team talk

As an avid football fan, like many others I’ve been glued to the recent World Cup coverage on TV, and while comparisons between the world of sport and business are not a new innovation, I thought I’d give you my very best ‘armchair’ opinions.

First of all, let us consider the managers involved and how they would fare in the business world. Do you consider yourself and your approach to be one of a strict disciplinarian, Capello-like, or perhaps a more flamboyant character like Maradona? Joachim Löw at the helm of Germany seems to be quietly efficient and Carlos Dunga seems to have married the flair of the Brazilians with a steely determination more akin to the European nations.

Clearly, staff need to be managed and an example set for them to follow. But I’m not convinced that you would get the best out of your people if, like Capello, you foster a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude. That said, while the team spirit at Argentina seems to be sky high, with Maradona appearing more like one of the team than a manager, you just know they are one bad decision away from self-destruction.

One style of management I admire greatly is that of someone not currently plying his trade among the great and the good at the World Cup, Jose Mourinho. While Jose is a little too self-indulgent at times, he does command absolute loyalty from those he manages, and his record of success is second to none. The public facade must be there to protect his team from any criticism.

Next is one of team selection. For me, the single most important part of my job is managing our people and doing it well can produce the best results.

Do we know and understand what each individual in our team is capable of? Are we providing the right guidance and resources so that they can excel? Are they highly motivated?

We’ve seen from Capello’s ridged approach that your team needs to be flexible in order to adapt. It’s no good taking someone with high performance and asking them to do a role alien to their strengths; this would seem to be both bad for morale and a waste of a valuable asset.

A winning formation

Tactics play a part: do you devise and install a proven system and expect your staff to adapt accordingly, or do you build a system around those key performers and skills that you have at your disposal?

Likewise, set yourself reasonable goals and measure performance. I’m not about to go toe-to-toe with the aggregators or direct writers; put pure and simple, they have deeper pockets than I do. However, we can excel in our area of expertise and offer a viable alternate in the personal service that they cannot replicate.

Commitment and contribution are other key factors. Your team will have to deal with sickness and holidays, just as a football team has to deal with injuries. You need to make sure you have adequate cover and not take risks with those that could let other members of the team down.

Finally, technology: ignore it at your peril! The business world is fast moving, and if you don’t embrace new technology you will pay the price. Even in the traditional ‘high street' touch-and-feel world in which Ashbourne operates, we are continually reviewing systems and procedures. The slicker the process to quote, deliver and purchase, the more time we can spend building relationships with our customers.

FIFA would do well to adopt a similar approach, given the embarrassment that some recent high-profile goal-line and off-side decisions have caused. Football, like business, must be capable of using technology to enhance the experience of the end user without over-reliance on it.

In summary, I think that a mixture of all the above is the recipe for success. There is a time when a big stick can be as effective as a dangled carrot – it’s knowing which one to apply and when that matters!

Finally, in the interests of full disclosure, my only experience of football management was at the end of my playing career with my local village reserve side. In just one season, I managed to get them relegated!

Peter Smits is managing director of The Ashbourne Insurance Group.