Leadership Training for Fabio Capello? - Part 3

Reason for complaint - or just passing the blame?

(Originally posted summer 2010)

Principle 2: People will follow a leader when they believe in their approach or plan. 

To create motivation in their team and be credible in their role, leaders need to have a believable winning plan. Only then do people follow willingly.

With England, it looks like players (or at least John Terry) have lost faith in Capello’s methods and, according to some sources, are on the brink of revolt.

Reported issues include:

• Resting vs total boredom, 
• uncertainty vs the certainty of selection, 
• unapproachable vs approachable (having a say or a voice)

...all seem to be contributing factors.

In business, the parallels are similar:

• Team members want to feel that what they do matters. Rather than a task being trivial or meaningless, they want to know that it has value and  contributes to the survival of the company.

• They want to know that they matter and that their job is safe, or as safe as anyone else’s. To be constantly under review can make anyone under-perform.

• Team members want to know that their views and contributions are taken seriously. If a team member can see a flaw in a plan, or an opportunity to make things better, they’ll have greater confidence in the leadership team if their ideas are taken on board.

If these key principles are ignored… leaders may have an silent or open revolt on their hands.

Maybe what Capello and England needs is more leadership and management training - and less time on the pitch!