Member Article

Football focus: What business can learn about performance analysis

For businesses who want to see their results heading towards the top of the table and execs focused on getting ahead in their field, performance analysis is a key lesson that can be learnt from the football pitch.

Anyone who watches or reads about football will know that statistics have become a vital part of the game. After the final whistle is blown there will be a thorough analyse of the performance, both of the team and the individual players. From distance run to tackles made, passes forward, passes backward, % of time in each third of the pitch, pass completion rate, assists, shots… the list goes on.

This performance data enables the players and their coaches to assess every aspect of their game - where they did well and where they didn’t. It enables them to benchmark themselves against others and most importantly it enables them to focus their learning and development. So after each game, they review their performance as individuals and as a team, they plot, they plan, they train and they improve.

Think of Jack Wilshere, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo….indeed any world-class performer in any field. They wouldn’t be where they are today without incredibly thorough assessment and an obsessive focus on development. And by thinking about becoming world-class, an executive can start to take their own game to another level.

Performance analysis and development have become a critical part of success in modern football. Yet in business, executives are often too busy playing the game to prioritise their self-development. They often put it aside as a ‘nice-to-have’, even though at some point it’s highly likely to hold back their career.

Organisations can only grow at the speed that their leaders do, so priority needs to be given to their development. However, they can often be too busy getting the job done to allow enough time to regularly review, appraise and develop as leaders. They may attend the occasional course or have a coach, but even then they often fail to put into practice what they learn and the insights they gain. The same weaknesses can end up holding them back year after year and they stay blind to the very real impact their leadership has on the performance of their organisation. Can you imagine if Lionel Messi thought that way? Or Christiano Ronaldo, even though he’s won the Ballon D’Or? It just wouldn’t happen.

Executive assessment and development is often a forgotten area but is one that is crucial for improving business results and staying ahead of the competition for the long-term. And even in organisations that do it, they often tick a box but don’t actually develop the next generation of talent - the Walcotts, Rooneys, and Ramseys in their field.

So what can organisations do to help their teams to achieve their own potential and maximise business success?

1. Collect data Use a simple leadership behaviour 360° tool that gets to the core. For most people there are 2-3 core behaviours where they really need to focus their development. Make sure that any tool used has some form of measurement, so behaviours can be quantifiably assessed.

2. Dig deep Encourage your surveyed leaders to more deeply understand the perspectives of others in the organisation. Make it part of the 360° process to fully explore the feedback with the people that have contributed. Do this with an open mind. Feedback whether good or bad is ‘food’ to nourish a career, so treat it that way. Ditch the defensiveness and listen.

3. Assess against the role Gain feedback against the job description also. After recruitment, the job description usually gets put in a drawer and forgotten, but executives need to constantly evaluate themselves against the specific aspects of their role.

4. Develop the right mindset Mindset is everything. Make sure that a ‘development and learning’ mindset is embedded within the leaders and the organisation. Development needs to be seen as a fundamental for individual success and to the organisation’s success.

5. Create accountability Progress is no longer ‘a nice-to-have’, especially in today’s competitive world. It’s critical to the long-term success of any organisation. So holding executives to account on their progression is key. We propose the following:

Three months after any 360° feedback, run a mini-survey to check on developmental progress made. Rerun the same 360° at the same time every year to benchmark progress Make improvement one of the Executive’s KPIs – even consider linking it to their remuneration.

6. Avoid early promotion Make sure that an executive is never promoted if they have important developmental gaps for the level that they’re at. An early promotion sends entirely the wrong message to others in the organisation; it also causes leadership and organisational issues at a later stage.

7. Development plans with teeth The executives need to translate the insights gained into a development plan that is specific, practical and relevant. List the skills and behaviours that are to be developed, score the skills, and define specific time-bound actions & development. Then plot it on a timeline as with any other important project. Review and update the plan quarterly. Do this religiously.

8. Buddy up Encourage leaders to develop internal partnerships to support their development. These partnerships may be with the boss, co-workers and with direct reports. Developmental partnering provides practical insights based on in-the-moment observation; it develops and deepens relationships; and it keeps development at the forefront.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Palethorpe .