I have found over the past couple of years that the top coaches and managers of young men are not only able to prepare them to play in a match that week, but to also have the foresight to be able to prepare them for their future beyond soccer.
Being able to relate the lessons learned in training or in games to a bigger picture is essential for a coach to be successful, because the reality is that where they may be a soccer player for 90 minutes, they are a young man, student-athlete, and aspiring husband or father for the other 22 1/2 hours of the day.
Amanda Dennis, who works in the hotel industry, wrote a great article about relating the ideas and concepts of building a team in her industry with building a team in soccer.
A couple of weeks ago, after a particularly competitive game, it occurred to me that soccer has a whole lot in common with business. So I interviewed Spencer Ward, coach of the Colorado Real U16 girl's Athletico team, to get his take. A native of the UK, Spencer started playing soccer there when he was 6, progressed to Academy Level soccer (we know it as semi-pro) and then to coaching both boy and girls teams while pursuing a successful commercial real estate career. And to my surprise, Spencer shared with me that he consciously developed his coaching style to reflect business strategies that he has learned and integrated over the years. "Most of the kids I coach will not make it to pro ranks as the competitive expectations are extremely high," he said. "It's important to me to teach concepts that they can use as they grow and mature, not only on the soccer field, but more importantly, in real life."
The United States Youth Soccer Association celebrated its 37th Anniversary this year. According to its website, youth soccer grew from 100,000 players in 1974 to 1-million players in the early 90's. Today, US Youth Soccer registers over 3.2-million players annually, ranging from ages 5-19. No doubt, many members of today's hotel sales teams played soccer when they were younger. And if they had a coach like Spencer Ward, then they have been subliminally exposed to basic business principles as early as kindergarten. How can we leverage those early coaching strategies to our benefit when assembling an invincible hotel sales team? I asked Spencer to collaborate on a list that will help give you a competitive advantage.
1. Building a team. Spencer and I spent much more time discussing the importance of building a good team than we did discussing winning and losing. A team may be a group, but a group is not necessarily a team. According to Barbee Davis, "Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize his/her strengths and minimize his/her weaknesses. Team members need to learn how to help one another, help other team members realize their true potential, and create an environment that allows everyone to go beyond their limitations." Spencer emphasized the fact each team member brings a different dynamic to the group. "It's the coach's responsibility to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual, both physically and mentally, and then to place them in the right positions to succeed." According to the position played, some players get the ball less often than others, yet each team member is vitally important to the execution of the play. A well-rounded team has bench strength acquired through targeted development of alternate players with an objective of seamless substitution.
2. Practice. Vince Lombardi, the revered Green Bay Packer coach, believed that "Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect." Spencer agrees. He says that "practice, along with training and fitness" are vital components in determining whether a team can compete at its highest level. And part of that responsibility lies with the team player himself. Spencer wants players that are "full time, full on, learning all the time." Scheduled practices are just one element of preparation. The players themselves must also commit to maintain their fitness level, to take advantage of additional training opportunities and to devote time to practice outside the regular schedule. Planned practices enable a team to work on drills as well as mental and physical conditioning. Individual practices allow a player to focus more on improving his own individual performance, thereby becoming a more valuable asset to the team. How does this work with a hotel sales team? Provide practice and training sessions for them by incorporating continuing education and role-playing as part of your weekly sales meetings. And encourage them to pursue independent study through webinars and other online educational venues.
3. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. A healthy dose of respect is essential. Spencer discussed how having respect for each other as well as for the competition, officials, coaches and parents creates a well-rounded, mentally strong player. "You don't have to like someone you work with or for, but you have to respect them," Spencer said with emphasis, noting that "professional etiquette" is high on his list of must-haves. And for Spencer, if the respect isn't there, "then you need to move on." Respecting others often leads to enhanced self-esteem, as the player learns how to be confident, worthy, successful, and admirable…without excessive arrogance.
4. Communication. In soccer, Spencer wants his players to concentrate on building mental muscle as well as physical prowess. Soccer is more about finesse than power and communication among the players is essential for the perfect execution of a play. Hustling, energetic play is very important on both offense and defense. Each player has a role: the defenders, the mids, and the strikers. Talking is easy; communication requires a higher skill level. Why? It includes listening. And most people are just better talkers than listeners (especially 16-year-old girls and salespeople). Remembering to communicate in the heat of battle can be darn near impossible. If the team understands that active listening is a vital part of communication, then you're well on your way to success.
5. Measurement. Some things stand out in a person's mind and Paul Sistare's focus on measurement is one of those for me. Paul's message as president of the management company he led (and my former boss) was consistent, "If it can be measured, it can be achieved." Not everyone is comfortable with this type of scrutiny. Why measure? Numbers help us move from subjective analysis to objective analysis, defining performance and making reality more visible. It's up to the coach to collect and interpret both team and individual stats relevant to the team's performance. With proper communication and mutual feedback, this knowledge helps individuals, teams, and the entire organization grow in the right direction. Additionally, it allows the coach to avert crisis management through the deployment of proactive instead of reactive strategies.
6. Strategy. The formula for success includes both long-term and short-term strategies. All too frequently, however, short-term tactics hip-check long term strategies, resulting in…you guessed it…a perpetual state of crisis management (see #5). The objective of short-term strategies and tactics should always be compatible with the long-term vision. Listen to the coach, "In soccer, the kick on goal for a score is just the culmination of a play that started with the first move on the ball. It's all about the development of the play." A sound strategic foundation, and a commitment to it, is essential to meeting your objectives and achieving success. Making it up as you go along just won't cut it in today's competitive market.
7. Risk-Taking. If you don't take risks, then prepare to be average. And that's okay for some people. Just not for members of an invincible team. In soccer, many of the most aggressive, risk-taking players frequently get yellow-carded. Some coaches actually incorporate it into their game plan. My niece, Amanda Dawson, is one of those players. I asked her how she felt about taking a risk. "I play at an equal or greater level of aggression than my opponent. And if that results in getting a yellow card, so be it. I'm willing to take that risk to get ahead in the game." I couldn't have said it better myself. The key here is in managing the risk in order to reduce the fear. People are innately either risk tolerant or risk-averse, but we face risk in some form or another every single day. Billy Shankly, the legendary Liverpool FC manager said, "If a player isn't interfering with play or seeking to gain an advantage, then he should be!" Taking a risk requires mental toughness. A risk-taker must be able to shrug off mistakes, bad breaks, taunts and lousy calls during the course of a game. Dwelling on them is a mental faux pas. Teach your players how to be brave, tough and aggressive and prepare yourself for the end result. If you're not allowed to fail, then how do you know when you're succeeding?
8. Return on Investment. In competitive soccer, parents make a substantial financial investment and Spencer feels compelled to ensure that they are receiving a return. ROI is the extent to which the benefits exceed the costs and some elements of measurement are subjective. I went to the experts (team parents) for clarification. "First and foremost, I want to know that Amanda is having fun while playing and that her passion for the game is fueled by her experiences on the field, " says Mary Dawson. "Next, I measure how effectively she applies what she has learned from competing at this level to her everyday experiences. Ultimately, how she deals with inconsistent referee calls, team dynamics and the inevitable politics of the managing club reflects how Amanda will handle her school work, her personal life and, eventually, her professional life." In Mary's opinion, it's paying off. Sue Plummer commented on the risk vs. return as it relates to injury. "Though some parents whose kids are playing at the highest competitive level may see the investment going toward a potential college scholarship, they have to face the fact of injury and possibly the end of their child's playing career." Personally, Sue was most focused on the investment return directly impacting her daughter, Jenny. "Soccer keeps her fitter and she has developed a ferocious work ethic and discipline, mainly due to understanding that the most rewarding things are those that are the most challenging." Sue affirms the "life lessons" ROI, adding that Jenny has learned that "life is not always fair and I can only control what I do, not what others do." Companies make financial investments in employees from the day they start the search to fill a position. Recruitment costs, base salary, taxes and benefits, office space and equipment, orientation and training all add up to significant dollars. If turnover is high, these dollars go right into the "red" column. Choosing the right person for the job has real fiscal implications. We measure the financial investment in our sales team in concrete ways like room night production and revenue growth. Still, the intangibles must be considered: Are they having fun? Is the team in demand (market value)? Are both personal and team objectives being achieved? Do they have the opportunity for professional and personal growth?
9. Coaching. Each player is different and coaching styles must vary. There is no better tool for improving performance than understanding and ministering to an individual player's needs. What makes a good coach? First and foremost, knowledge of the game, from basic skills to more advanced theory, plus the ability to clearly and effectively communicate that knowledge to the players. Next, staying up-to-date on the latest innovations. A great coach listens with an open mind to new ideas from peers to players and he motivates behind a positive attitude and enthusiasm for the game. The best coaches focus on performance goals, not outcome goals. According to Spencer, most coaching manifestos don't even mention winning. And win or lose, a great coach acknowledges the successes as well as the failures. As a leader, a coach must be prepared to be a disciplinarian, setting up rules and taking action when the rules are compromised. Above all, the coach must set a good example. Inevitably, the players mirror the coach.
10. Game Plan. Coaches start each season with a playbook, much like a hotel's business plan. A playbook contains scripted plays designed by the coaches to maximize their team's competitive advantage. The hotel's playbook is its business plan which also includes the budget, marketing plan staffing guidelines and capital expenditure plan. Once the playbook is complete, a game plan is developed for each week's opponent. Coaches reach into the playbook to extract the plays (strategies) that give them the best chance to win the game. In a hotel, segment strategies are like game plans. Each should have a clear message, measurable objectives, a focused plan of attack and realistic, achievable expectations tied to the hotel's budget.
Is your sales team invincible? In today's leaner workforce, we are all expected to do more with less…a time when "invincibles" really shine and their impact is felt company-wide. Don't expect them to just show up on your doorstep, however. They are in high demand and must be pursued; once hired, nurtured. "Invincibles" are strong, positive, vocal…visionaries who can see the big picture and motivate others. They are our future leaders. So to end, I turn once again to Billy Shankly, "I want to build a team that's invincible, so that they have to send a team from bloody Mars to beat us!" Amen, Billy.
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