The Leadership Coach's Blog
This leadership coach's blog comes as new Preston North End manager Graham Westley, faces challenges in getting his new squad to take on board his management philosophy.
Football Leadership : Graham Westley - Al Qaida!
There have been a number of leaks to the press recently, from within the ranks at Preston North End. Firstly we learn of players being unhappy with Westley's afternoon training sessions. It means they have been late collecting their children from school.
Then we find out, that, unconventionally, the new manager has been texting players his team-selection after midnight on the day of a game. And finally before the recent game at Yeovil, we learn that Westley sent this text message to players:
“In view of the must win game tomorrow beware of the low flying aircrafts as we are in a very high hotel which will be a target for al quaeda leaders ”. “If we come under attack we must stick together and keep evolving as a team and bring pain on them. Make sure u have right footwear on incase of such events,” he said.
We only learn of it, because someone from within the squad feels that we should know of it. And the mole wants us to know, via implication, that players think the manager is 'strange'.
Well the message is certainly strange. You might even think it has been made up, such is the bizarre content. But if it has indeed come from Graham Westley, what is his thinking behind such a 'motivational text'?
Westley made his name at Stevenage, where he moulded together a very tight group, who had a strong spirit of togetherness and unity. Togetherness is clearly a core value of this leader. And his message comes with that intent.
Unfortunately, the strange content allows his players a get-out. They can dismiss him, and quickly develop a feeling of dis-respect, because they can't take what he is saying seriously. Which undermines his intention.
When a leader walks into a new job, they immediately want to make a stong impression. Sometimes that leader can just try too hard. Effective methods at Stevenage may not work at Preston North End. At least not immediately.
Sometimes it's better to tweak things a little, as you get to understand the individuals and their core needs and motivations. Not all players are motivated the same way.
Perhaps in the lower leagues, a one size fits all motivational style works. But, the higher up in the game you go, that simply won't work.
Paul Sturridge was very successful in the lower leagues with Plymouth Argyle. He was thus recruited by Southampton. Sturridge tried to do the things that worked so well in Devon. For example, taking players down mines to see how the 'other-half' lives.
Southampton's Premier League players weren't impressed. They needed ideas that would further their football education, and make them better players. Going down mines didn't work for them.
A better place to start for Westley, would be to develop strategies that motivated individual players. It's an approach that will take time, but will ensure that he has players on-board.
Right now, Westley will have a battle to get all his squad to align with his thinking. These leaks tell us that. So, he will bring more appropriate players in, and ship out the dissenters.
But without understanding unique individual psychologies, and finding ways to trigger the best out of his individuals, Westley's 'all-in-it-together lets fight alqaida' approach may fall short.
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