Leadership is defined as “the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals.” (Robbins, Judge, 2015) Strong leaders are often admired for their personal qualities and characteristics. Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of the Manchester United football team in the UK from 1986-2013, is considered by many as “one of the greatest and most successful football managers of all time”. He proved that he was able to lead teams to great results, regardless of the team’s ranking. What made him such a successful leader?
1. Self-confidence
Leaders who are confident get the support of their team members because they exude a positive attitude. Sir Alex Ferguson was self-confident, and had the right knowledge and skills to run Manchester United. His past football and managerial experiences allowed him to lead the club, and he knew he was capable of doing so. Even though the club was doing badly and supporters were demanding his dismissal, “Ferguson had the support of United directors, and paid back their trust by leading United to an English FA Cup victory and European Cup Winners.” Because of his self-confidence and drive, people followed and trusted him.
2. Great communication skills
The ability to convey a message, inspire and influence people’s attitudes and actions is crucial in attaining objectives. Leaders must be able to make use of verbal both and non-verbal communication, paying attention to such things as body language, to ensure the right message gets across efficiently. Sir Alex Ferguson is a great communicator. Individuals can get distracted easily, but he was always able to make sure that everyone stayed focused on the objectives. One example is how he used the 15-minute break between games to reconnect with the players and motivate them. “When that cup is going to be presented, just remember that you can’t even touch it if you are the losers. You’ll be walking past it with your loser’s medals, knowing someone walking behind you is going to lift the cup.” These words motivated Manchester United players in 1999 during their match against Bayern Munich, and allowed them to grab the victory after half-time.
3. Team development and high standards
In order to succeed, businesses need to create and develop a strong foundation. The more employees know, the better they can affect a company. In the case of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson always showed the drive to succeed by encouraging his team members mentally and physically. “By prioritising youth player development, rebuilding the team, emphasizing attacking football, and bringing the best out of his players,” he led Manchester United’s come back to the top of the first division.
Just as Sir Alex did, even in the non-football professional world, providing employees with “on-the-job” training has shown to increase job satisfaction and employee morale. Employees are often more motivated, since they appreciate the fact that the company invests in their professional development.
In addition, in Sir Alex’s case, everyone understood what was expected from them, and were held accountable for their actions. As Andy Cole said, “If you lose and Sir Alex believes you gave your best, it is not a problem… but if you lose in a limp way…then mind your ears!” Ferguson set high standards and used his creativity to tell inspirational stories to keep his troops motivated.
4. Honesty and integrity
Being honest and having integrity in the workplace and in our working relationships is very important. Ferguson had these traits, which earned him respect and admiration from everyone around him. He was honest, and encouraged open communication with his players, where people felt valued. As a result, people considered him trustworthy and reliable.
5. Emotional intelligence
Leaders with high emotional intelligence find it easier to influence people (Robbins, Judge, 2015). Leaders who demonstrate empathy, compassion and humility obtain greater commitment and a higher performance level from their employees. (Labier, 2015) Empathetic leaders can sense other people’s needs, listen to what followers say, and read the reactions of others. Ferguson has been credited with spending time and being dedicated to his team members. When players needed to talk to him, the first thing he would do is turn his chair around. Ferguson communicated with all of his players privately, and took pride in the fact that he would sit with players and explaining privately the reasons behind his decisions. As he stated, “I have been dropped from a Cup final in Scotland as a player at ten past two, so I know what it feels like.” By doing this, Ferguson showed concern for people around him, and his team members knew that he had their backs. When people feel valued and cared for, they push themselves to hit targets.
Whether a business is in a bad situation or it is rapidly expanding, no business can survive without the collective efforts of its people. Yet many in the business world forget the value of a company’s “human resources”. However, the qualities and attributes that inspire people to commit to goals and objectives, as demonstrated by Ferguson, are the difference between someone who is responsible for a team and a true “leader”. And real leadership can mean the difference between a company’s failure and success.
Photo by Austin Osuide - Cropped and lightened version of the file uploaded to Flickr, AIG, CC BY 2.0
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ferguson
Organizational Behavior, Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge, 16th Edition, 2015, Pearson, ISBN13: 9780133507645
Why Humble, Empathic Business Leaders Are More Successful, Douglas Labier, Huffington Post, 24/10/2014
Sir Alex Ferguson: Managing Manchester United, Anita Elberse and Thomas Dye, Harvard Business Review Case study
I loved this article, it really benefitted my degree. I achieved a 1st in my assignment, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!