English Football - No Leaders!

So England crash out of the World Cup pathetically yet again.

The German team were made to look really good and they fully deserved their success. My feeling is this German team are nowhere near good enough to win the World Cup. The truth is we were second rate and despite my eternal optimism and my rose tinted view of English football I have to seriously ask what is wrong with our beautiful game.

We won the World Cup in 1966 and since then we have not looked remotely good enough to win either the World Cup or the European Championship in the 44 subsequent years.

We have some good players and in Fabio Capello we have one of the best managers in the world.

I have come to the conclusion that leadership is lacking. That is leadership on the field and in the Football Association. There is no vision, no purpose and no strategy.

When we look back at 1966 we had a leader in the late Alf Ramsey a manager who had a vision; we also had an inspirational leader on the field in the immortal form of the late Bobby Moore.

Where are the leaders in 2010?

If we are lucky enough to be awarded the World Cup for 2018 I suggest we develop a vision NOW for that tournament. And to develop that vision we need a leader. I have no idea where that leader is going to come from but if we do not have some leadership we might as well get used to at least another 44 years of winning absolutely nothing.

Tom Mabe

Do you, like me, get fed up with those persistent and annoying tele-sales callers?

Here’s a hilarious way of getting rid of them. I love it ….. I wish I could be so creative.

Enjoy!

Professor George Giarchi - A Special Man

On a trip down to Devon for a few days break, Annie and I met up yesterday with my academic supervisor Professor George Giarchi in Plymouth.

George is 81 years old and working as a lecturer at Plymouth University. He was telling me his is still a mere youngster when we consider the surgeon in the US who apparently still performs cardiac surgery at 94 years of age.

George tells me he thinks he will have to retire in July 2011 when he will be 82. George is not looking forward to it it. ‘What will I do?’ he said.

He went on to explain how he will be speaking in three different Cities in widespread parts of Britain over the next two weeks; as well as fulfilling his teaching commitments; and his research responsibilities; and writing chapters of various books. This is a typical working schedule for the great man.

George is simply inspirational.

There are many people in my life who have inspired me. George has to be close to the top of the list.

God bless you George – you are a very special man

Come on England!!

Cometh the hour Comneth the man!!

Tomorrow is the day we need a real performance from England.

For the last 10 days I’ve felt totally frustrated and yet still optimistic.

It seems to me the England team always puts us fans through hell in every major tournament but up to this point we’ve never gone out of a tournament with a whimper. The English fighting spirit must come through tomorrow when we need it most.

I’m fed up with back biting from the media about all sorts of reasons why England will not progress. As far as I’m concerned we all need to get behind the team tomorrow. If we can get through to the last 16 we have a real chance in the knock out phase of the competition.

We have waited four long years for the World Cup to come around – let’s not waste this opportunity to restore the pride in our national football team.

Don Henley - Never Look Back!

Listening today to my favourite album of the immortal Don Henley, these lyrics from his classic “Boys of Summer” struck me.

“A voice inside my head said don't look back - you can never look back”

It’s been so true in my career and indeed my life.

Good memories are priceless and wonderful - we must cherish them … BUT sometimes I think looking back can be a negative thing because we may be hankering for something good that will not happen again – it’s gone - finished – history.

We have to learn from our experiences and then look at today and the future as far as I’m concerned.

I’d always rather be saying ‘what might be’ than ‘what might have been’

“Never look back” – co-incidentally Don Henley’s words are also appropriate today for Fabio Capello.

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Keep the Faith

So England drew 1-1 with the US. No problem – I say keep the faith. England manager Fabio Capello is the right man for the job. My prediction is England will reach the semi final …. At least.

Nicky Gumbel on Kindness

Some profound words of wisdom below from Nicky Gumbel (pictured) on kindness – I find the words very powerful. Somehow or other words like ‘kindness’ seem a bit taboo in the hard, rational and (still sadly) 'macho' world of management.

My own feeling has always been that if we focused a bit more on words like kindness and a bit less on words like profit then there are win-win-win situations to be had. But then I’ve always been considered a ‘soft’ manager – a title I like because actually – soft is hard.

Anyway, here are Nicky’s words – please enjoy:

For over ten years now, Californian Radio DJ Brent Farris has been sending his listeners in Santa Rosa out to do ‘random acts of kindness’. They include tipping the person at the McDonald’s drive-through window with a hundred-dollar bill and paying for parking tickets for strangers. These random acts of kindness are selfless acts performed by people wishing to assist or cheer one another up. As people tap into their own generous human spirit and share kindness with one another, they discover for themselves the power of kindness to effect positive change both in their lives and in the lives of people around them. When kindness is expressed, healthy relationships are created, community connections are nourished, and people are inspired to pass kindness on.

Steve Sjogren wrote a book called "Conspiracy of Kindness." He started a church in Cincinnati, Ohio, that has grown rapidly to an average attendance of 7,500 in just fifteen years. Their motto is ‘Small things done with great love are changing the world.’ They have discovered the power and impact of ‘showing God’s love in practical ways.’

Leadership is simple

Random Saturday evening thought....

Why do some people want to try and turn leadership into some objective, academic, rational science that can be taught in the classroom of a business school by people who have never been leaders?

Leadership is simple - do people want to follow you or not? Nothing more nothing less

Please discuss...... feel free to disagree ..