Commercial leaders — like football coaches — must be brilliant strategists and people managers

What does it mean to be an effective commercial leader and how important is the role for a company? There are lessons in the sport that has come to be known as the beautiful game.

I have been an avid fan of football for many years — the beautiful game that is loved across the world and has started to grow in popularity in the Philippines over the last decade or so. It is a game of skill and tactics played by two teams, each with 11 talented individuals and organized by a manager, the head coach, into a cohesive well-organized squad. 

As I watch how top performing football clubs achieve consistent success throughout the years, I see that it has generally been due to the influence of a top manager leading the club. It is that leader who mainly spells the difference between success and failure. Even the most talented football clubs failed to achieve success because their managers were unable to make the most of the collective talent. Football is a sport where the outcome is often dictated by the weakest link in the team, unlike other sports where success is driven by stars and top-performers. Top managers raise the collective floor of their teams by making sure the weakest links are rarely exposed.

And much like in football, strong commercial leaders are the key to delivering consistent high performance in a company.

Top leaders, whether in football or business, are able to set clear and appropriate strategies that can maximize their team’s performance, ensure that the right players are placed in the right roles to execute their game plan, and develop the organization to ensure they have enough talent from among the youth group to the experienced stars.

STRATEGY AND PLANNING

Good managers often have a general approach to the way they believe football should be played — and oftentimes use these tried and tested footballing ideas to guide the way they prepare their teams for the next game.

In a perfect world, these strategies will work well often. But what sets a top manager from the other good ones is their ability to also take into account the players at their disposal in the face of the tactics and players of their opposition. Assessing the state of both teams prior to their game and building a strategy to match that takes a lot of time, effort and understanding of the game.

In business, this is also very true. Strong commercial leaders are able to assess the landscape both inside and outside their organization and provide a clear direction for them on how to move forward. In an ever-changing business landscape, it is important for leaders to be able to show flexibility in their strategic planning and adapt to where the market forces are taking their respective industries.

RIGHT PEOPLE, RIGHT ROLES

While most football teams have over 20 players available for selection on a given playing day, it often falls on the manager to pick his 11 players who will be the starting lineup. They are the 11 players who will have to execute the game plan they have been practicing for days. Managers assess who has the right skill set, temperament and form to be at their best come the big game. Picking the wrong players often leads to poor execution in the field — and that spells doom for the team. They know their players’ strengths and weakness and are able to maximize the team by placing them where they will excel.

Strong commercial leaders have a similar challenge in their organizations. It is their job to make sure their team members are in the right position to execute well. Putting an employee in the wrong task or role often leads to poor execution and poor performance. No employee is the same, and neither are the tasks in an organization. You have to put your team members in a position to succeed so they can make your entire organization shine. And the top leaders are able to push and execute their strategies by finding the right people to take the company forward.

TRAINING

More than being good strategists and people-managers, the best managers in football are also the ones who are able to teach and develop players. While some clubs are able to buy ready-made superstars left and right, the majority of teams have limited resources — and therefore the only way to raise the ceiling of their team is to develop and train their current players. 

Some of the best managers in sport are able to teach not just the skills and tactics a player needs, but also the approach and way of thinking to excel in the way their team likes to play.

In high performing companies, top leaders are also good mentors and coaches to their people. They are able to take the diamonds in the rough and make them shine by providing critical feedback and opportunities to hone their skills throughout their career. Most companies do not have unlimited resources — and therefore it is important to raise the floor of their organization when they can and with the manpower they have.

Whether it be in football or in business, it’s clear that what sets strong, successful organizations apart from the rest is their ability to have extremely strong top tacticians — the coach/manager or commercial leader — who can drive an organization to the next level. They provide a platform for success by ensuring that they have the right people across the organization executing the right plan.