What does successful leadership look like?

May the 4th 2024 was an emotional day for me, why? I have been an Ipswich Town FC Town supporter for over 35 years, during these years I have experienced some highs but there have been many lows. After 22 years we secured promotion to the Premier League, the greatest and biggest league in the world. How we got here is a truly amazing story.?

It was from back to back promotions in succession from League One. It’s with a leader who’s only been at the club for 2 years. A leader who has practically worked with what he knew he had from the start.

So why am I sharing this? Well as I embark on a new leadership role I have drawn great inspiration from what Kieran McKenna has achieved at Ipswich Town and see great parallels (listed below) on how this can inspire my role at Interact.

Kieran joined Ipswich on December 20th 2021 from Manchester United he was Ole Gunnar Solskj?r right hand man. This would be his first managerial role. A few definitely questioned that. He was very clear on the club's history, the presence the club had in the community and what he had to work with.

1. Know what you're walking into. Ask questions, discuss the vision for the agency and what success looks like.?

After his arrival he embraced the leadership around him, the club, the supporters, the community and the youth. He set up a clear narrative from the start. He embraced the vision and stressed it's not going to happen overnight, but we have a plan.

2. Trust and respect must be earned from your team. Listen, share and inspire. Leadership is not an individual, it’s a team. It’s how you work with other leaders to set a vision and steer that through your team.

Kieran got to work on the team. He took time to assess the players, the coaching staff, and the sports therapists, physios and performance analysts to name a few.

3. Understand your team. Their strengths, their weaknesses how they can learn from each other and inspire each other, identify the leaders and build additional skills where needed

Kieran has a style of attacking football that he believes in. He knew that there would be some doubters and honestly sometimes there were a few teething issues. But he didn't ever change that. One of the best goals of the season (and awarded Championship goal of the season) involved every member of the team, from the goalkeeper to the striker and scored by a winger (Wes Burns V Coventry). Now labeled ‘Mckenna Ball’.

4. Start from the back. It’s a full team effort. Everyone needs to play their part and feel instrumental in doing so.

Community forward. Understand your community. Engage with every part that the club touches. Kieran has encouraged the team with other leaders to get out in the community. Inspire the new generation of Ipswich Town supporters and Players. Kids are wearing Ipswich shirts again, not Arsenal, Manchester United or Liverpool.

5. Embrace the industry. Mix with other creatives, industry leaders, and the media. Mentor the new generation and employ from the bottom. Share your vision with others. Inspire others?

’McKenna time’. This is always around the 60minute mark. Ipswich had the most goals scored by Substitutes in all of the leagues in England (21 in total). It was always part of the plan.?

6. Stick to your approach. Stay true to what you believe, even when there might be doubters, keep to your vision. Sometimes you need to pivot but that’s part of adapting to solve a problem. Keep everyone informed of why the decisions were made. Take one game (brief) at a time.

Kieran is known for using all the latest training technology and using data to strengthen his team's performance. He requested a multi-million dollar pitch to make sure we had the right surface to play our game on.

7. Embrace new technology-? use as a tool not the solution?

Kieran knew the club didn't have millions of dollars to buy the world's top players. We knew we were competing with Premier League squads with individual players worth more than our whole squad (Leeds being one). Out of three of those relegated Premier League teams only one has been promoted back to the Premiership with Ipswich (Leicester City).

8. It’s not about the money. It’s about the culture and creating an environment to thrive.

The club has always had an amazing youth academy, we've produced some of the world's best players. Kieran embraced this, knew its where he could lean in on to bolster the squad. Pushed for further investment here.

9. Invest in the youth, promote within and create an environment for growth.

For the past two years Kieran has always talked about the achievements as a unity. It's always been about the team, the club and the support from the fans - we all play our part.

10. Be gracious. It’s about what we’ve accomplished, not an individual.

What does this mean for the future? Will he now go and buy some of the international superstars for $100millons? No. Will he change his style of football? Will he stay true to what he believes in, Yes. His plan, Ipswich Town’s plan. Will there be growth? Of course but all in line with the larger vision of what he wants to achieve alongside the ambitions of the club.

Thank you Kieran McKenna, as an Ipswich supporter and a growing leader.

‘Our goal was to just to set out as best we could possibly be’?

Kieran McKenna May 7th 2024