High Performing Teams
Matthew Robinson
Change Delivery Leader | Process Improvement Practitioner | Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
In my blog post yesterday, I banged on about Arsenal losing all hope in the title race, City going on to dominate and the influence of unlimited wealth on the game, etc. Maybe you read it.
What I didn't mention, is how impressive Brighton were - which was the real story of the day. Since relegation to League One in 2006, they have slowly and steadily risen back up through the divisions, getting promoted to the Championship in 2011, then the Premier League in 2017, flirting with playoffs and relegation in all three leagues along the way.
Now they are on the brink of a top 6 finish and European football next year. But how have they done it? It's clear from watching them that they embody all the necessary qualities that high performing teams should - sadly missing from so many of the companies I've worked for (ahh, this is a work post, not a footy one!)
Firstly, they have a plan. In a game between two passing teams, no-one wants to chase the ball, and the first goal is critical. So they apply great energy to winning the ball back high up the pitch, cutting off Arsenal's supply lines and creating opportunities for themselves (OK, it is a footy one as well). But regardless of what the plan is, the key here is that it is clearly defined, and well-drilled into every player on the pitch. When player A runs to close down an Arsenal defender, it's useless unless player B also covers the square pass - you get the picture.
In addition to having a clear plan that everyone understands, you need to have the quality and capability within the team to execute it. I don't think I've seen a better passing display all season. They were slicing balls through our midfield like knives through butter, weaving intricate passing moves beyond the toes of our flailing defenders. It was actually painful to watch, but impossible not be impressed at the same time.
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Finally, you have to have a certain camaraderie within the team to see it through. Even a well-executed plan will come under pressure at this level, and those are the moments where the players are on their own. They have to dig deep for each other, accepting shared responsibility for any mistakes and group accountability for the end result. I believe that the first two elements can create the third: a high-calibre team with a well-defined plan will move mountains for you.
It's also clear that Brighton's management team have a long-term plan and vision for the club. For example, they know that their best players are likely to be tempted away by the top teams; so they act quickly and in advance to find replacements. James Milner joining from Liverpool will plug the gap created by the inevitable departure of Moses Caicedo - a prodigious talent. Another example is the opportunistic poaching of the excellent Roberto De Zerbi from Shakhtar Donetsk to replace Graham Potter as manager. The personnel may change, but the values are the same - and the system carries on.
It's rather devastating how little these concepts seem to be embraced by the corporate world, in my experience anyway. I've just read that Vodafone are laying off 11,000 jobs due to poor results: maybe they should watch more footy.