Learning for business through drama

This was me as Sam Pickles pleading with my 'daughter'
Rosie to visit her estranged mother, Dolly.

Annie, as a drunken Dolly, tells her daughter Rosie
that she shouldn't hate her.

Annie and I got back from our week on a residential summer drama school and I didn't really give much feedback on my Blog. We were 2 of a group 24 completely unconnected people thrown together with two directors and two assistant directors. The task was, starting from scratch, to rehearse and perform in a public setting - within a week - the Australian play (set in the 1940's) called ‘Cloudstreet’ by Tim Winton

An amazing week for many reasons. I've been thinking about what I learned in that week from a business/organisation perspective;

1 – Getting out of the comfort zone …. A long way out!! ... is good!

2 – Seeing two talented directors illustrate real leadership

3 – The joy of being part of a team committed to delivering a product in a very tight schedule

4 – Realising how much we rely on others when the chips are down and when we feel vulnerable and out of our depth

5 – Seeing how much business can learn from the arts

6 – Keeping going when half way through the week our heads were telling us ‘we’ve made a big mistake coming here’

7 - Feeling the exhilaration of a successfully completed ‘project’ that customers enjoyed

8 - Realising life needs to be as much about doing different stuff as that stuff we are used to doing every day

More pictures can be seen here on Annie’s Blog

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For love or money?

A wonderful example of the entirely different priorities and cultures of two teams in football on Wednesday as Manchester United won the European Champions League.

The organisers decreed that a non player representing each club should lead the team up the steps to receive their winners and losers medals.

The losers, Chelsea decided that their club ‘icon’ was Peter Kenyon the Chief Executive – a pen pusher – the man who controls all the business interests at Chelsea on behalf of the billionaire owner of Chelsea football club.

The winners, Manchester United decided to give the honour of leading then team up the steps to Sir Bobby Charlton – one of United’s all time great players.

Summary:

The Chelsea view of the world of football is all about business, money and profit and they choose a pen pusher as the most appropriate person to represent them to the watching audience of millions of football fans worldwide on TV.

Manchester United believe that a front liner – one of the greatest ever players to wear the red shirt - is the best possible role model to represent the club. Of course United have pen pushers too but they are in the background - where they should be - doing vital work.

SAYS IT ALL DON’T YOU THINK?

The Best Team in Europe - Again!

YES YES YES!!

MANCHESTER UNITED

ARE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!!

Cometh the Hour Cometh the Man

Someone will be a hero or a villian in a few hours time!

My beloved Manchester United play Chelsea in Moscow in the Final of the European Champions League later today - Wednesday.

I've been a passionate fan of Manchester United since 1963 when I was 11 and this is without a doubt the biggest match for United since I began supporting them. This match also makes history as the first all English European Champions League Final.

I am nervous but I have faith in my team and in our unique and immortal manager - Sir Alex Ferguson - a living legend.

Manchester United and Sir Alex - CHAMPIONS!

I am on cloud nine on this glorious Sunday

Manchester United won the Premiership Title this afternoon for the 10th time in the 16 seasons of the existence of the Premiership. An unparalleled record in English football. The Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is 66 years young and still has the enthusiasm and passion of a teenager! I would say if you really want to study leadership – look no further than Sir Alex. Click here for the BBC Report of this afternoon's wonderful historic events.

Achieving SUSTAINED Excellence - learn from these guys!

I think the ‘traditional’ world of management can learn a tremendous amount by looking outside its own ‘backyard’ and look at, for instance, sport and entertainment.

This last weekend has seen Manchester United forge ahead again by five clear points at the top of the English Premier League.

Also this weekend I was fortunate enough to see The Eagles play another fantastic concert to 20,000 fans at the O2 Arena in London.

One common factor about the phenomenal success of both Manchester United and The Eagles is how they have sustained excellence at the very top level for such a long time. It is not overnight success that blows out after a couple of years. We are talking high performance over a very long period.

Tom Peters famous best seller and the book that popularised management in the early 1980’s was called ‘In Search of Excellence.’

Even allowing for my obvious and self-confessed bias I suggest that Manchester United and The Eagles have achieved excellence and more importantly sustained it.

So …. Three questions to consider:

1 Just what are the ingredients that enable not only the achievement of excellence but sustained excellence for both The Eagles and Manchester United?

2 Can we apply those ingredients in the more traditional world of management in business?

3 If not, why not?

I will be fascinated to receive your comments on this.

Ronaldo just keeps getting better!

Cristiano Ronaldo is proving week after week that he must be regarded as the best footballer in the world. Tonight he scored two more goals to send my team Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League.

Jamie Redknapp the ex Liverpool and England player called Ronaldo’s second goal the best ever free kick in the history of the Premiership and that is some compliment.

The ‘Guvnor’ Sir Alex Ferguson has built a squad of young players at Manchester United that are the most exciting I can remember since the great days of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law in the late 1960’s.

Come on the Reds!!

Ronaldo - best player in the world?

Forgive me - but I haven't mentioned Manchester United for a while! We heard today that Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United has been shortlisted with two other players for the award of best player in the world 2007. I am very biased of course but I think he is easily the best of the three. The award will be made on December 17th. My fingers will be crossed!!

Best and Ronaldo

I am biased but I believe Cristiano Ronaldo is now the best footballer in the world. My all-time football hero is the late immortal George Best and I always said that no player will ever be as good as 'Bestie.' I now believe Cristiano Ronaldo can become as great as George. Cristiano is only 22 and yet to reach his peak.

Sir Alex - The Guvnor!

Today Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates 21 years as Manager of Manchester United.

There is an article today in The Independent - click here to read it.

I am very biased – I think Sir Alex is the best manager in the history of British football - just count his trophies. The Independent article however gives a more balanced and impartial view than mine of the record of Sir Alex.

I love these extracts;

‘How it is that he acquires years but not age? Why is it that his partiality still burns like some tinder-box canyon in southern California? Can it be true that he still takes offence quicker than a hell-fire preacher in a bawdy house?

Will he ever mellow? Will he ever take off the clothes of a curmudgeon when things do not go quite as well as he likes? No, he will not ….

Ferguson will be 66 on the last day of December. Time to act like a guy who owns a bus pass? Not with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo and the likely lad from Brazil, Anderson, still in the foothills of their careers.

He ignites the game to which he has devoted his life and because he cares so much, and whatever we think of his style, so do we. It means that today the toast is not so much to a unique football manager as the sheer force of life.’

Not so good!

Oh well ....

England lost in the World Cup final after a valiant effort and Lewis Hamilton blew his chance of winning the world F1 title in the first few laps.

Such is life - not a brilliant weekend for England sad to say.

At least Manchester United won 4-1 so there were many smiles anyway in my house!

England Expects ......

Most of the English nation will be behind our boys tomorrow in World Cup Rugby Final against South Africa.

We have got to the final against all the odds and the predictions of all the media 'experts' but we are there. It has been a triumph for dogged determination rather than flowing attractive rugby and no one can take away the fact that England are in the Final.

No country has ever won two successive World Cup Finals and after our win in 2003 we stand on the edge of history tomorrow.

We could also see Lewis Hamilton become World Champion Formula One driver on Sunday in his first season.

What a marvellous weekend that would be for ENGLAND.

On the other hand ….. No … As an avowed optimist I refuse to think of any other scenario!!

So … Come on England! And Come on Lewis! – You can do it - We are right there with you!!

England into the final AGAIN!!

The brilliant England rugby team beat France 14-9 in the semi-final tonight to reach the World Cup final as we did the last time in 2003 when of course we won the World Cup in Australia. Jonny Wilkinson was once again the star – what a great player!

Click here to see more pictures and BBC report

Sven - Success or Failure?

My friend Dmitry from Moscow asked me recently on this Blog what I thought of Sven Goran Erickson as a manager and leader.

Sven has made a terrific start as the new manager of Manchester City winning three successive games and his team has yet to concede a goal. They even beat my beloved Manchester United last Saturday and that was hard to swallow.

So it seems Sven has become a hero again in England after being the villain for many English football fans after his perceived failure as manager of our England national team.

I say ‘perceived failure’ because I can't quite make up my mind about whether Sven was a failure or not.

England did very well to qualify for the World Cup and European Championships under Sven's leadership and many people argue that with a little more luck we could have won the Euro Championship and maybe got to the semi final or final of the World Cup.

Too often Sven’s 'off the field' activities dragged him down through tabloid newspaper stories and many fans say that is his own fault.

I would be fascinated to hear comments about whether you think Sven is a good leader/manager.

I think on balance I am prepared to give him the benefit of doubt in my mind and say I think he is a better manager and leader than many English football fans like to give him credit for. If you look at results and nothing else he is a success.

Sven is a fascinating man – thanks for raising this Dmitry

Welcome Back Football

Well it certainly doesn’t seem very long ago I was celebrating Manchester United winning the Premier League Championship title in May.

And here we are already two games into the new season.

So far Manchester United have drawn both their opening games which means some teams are already four points ahead of us.

My logical explanation is …..

Sir Alex Ferguson the United boss has decided to give the other 19 teams a start this season just to make it interesting …

Now that is what I call blind faith.

It is always brilliant to welcome the start of a new season and I’m sure – as always - there will be twists and turns and highs and lows on the emotional roller coaster that is simply the most fantastic sport in the world …. Football … or soccer if you are in the States.

Come on you Reds!!!

What makes a great leader?

Sir Alex - A fabulous leader

Owen Hargreaves joining Manchester United next week

Anderson (left) and Nani two youngsters on their way to Old Trafford

I remember clearly May 1999 when Manchester United became the first English team to win the treble of English Premiership, FA Cup and European Champions League.

This feat had never been done before and never since. It probably never will be done again.

Needless to say there was great elation around Manchester United.

At the first national press conference after winning the treble, the United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson was asked what he thought of his wonderful unique treble winning team. His reply interested me:

“This team needs to improve” said Sir Alex calmly.

This told me that leadership is about not allowing complacency to creep in – or as someone put it – don’t believe your press cuttings. It told me you must keep the team on its toes and ALWAYS aim for improvement – however good you are.

In business we can, of course, accept what we have and not strive to improve – that is simply a decision we make.

GREAT LEADERSHIP to me is about never being satisfied that you have reached the pinnacle. If you have reached the top then aim for improvement on that.

So here we are in 2007 and it feels to me a bit like deja vu.

Manchester United have just won the Premiership title and already Sir Alex has added 2 new young players at a combined cost of £30 million and it is expected that Owen Hargreaves will join Manchester United next week at a cost of £17 million. There is talk of at least one more major signing. That means approaching £50 million expenditure already on a team that has just proved itself the best team in England. That tells me a lot about Sir Alex and leadership.

In addition the Youth team at Manchester United have just completed a highly successful season losing narrowly in the FA Youth Cup final. So the future looks bright too with home grown players.

All this tells me Sir Alex at 65 years of age is as passionate as ever about building the Manchester United dynasty through investing in young players thus ensuring that his passion will carry on long after the big man finally retires.

What a leader!!

We lost but I'm a United fan for Life!

Well done lads!! - United players looking gutted after losing 1-0

The new Wembley - today was the first matach at the magnificent new stadium

My team Manchester United lost in the first FA Cup Final at the new Wembley today ..... But hey ..... Come on United ... True United fans will never lose the faith.

Chelsea won the match 1-0 and sadly it was probably one of the worst finals ever as a spectacle considering these were the top two teams in the English Premiership this season.

United just didn’t get into top gear although I think they always looked the more attacking team.

It has nevertheless been a fabulous and memorable season for Sir Alex Ferguson’s young team winning the Premiership which has proved they are the best English team over 38 games.

The one match that now remains this season is the European Champions League final in Athens this coming Wednesday when Liverpool will be carrying the English flag against AC Milan from Italy.

I will be cheering for Liverpool despite the great and often bitter rivalry between my team Manchester United and Liverpool.

On such occasions however we English football fans must stick together in Europe!!

Champions!

Manchester United were presented with the Premiership Trophy on Sunday. A wonderful achievement!!

CHAMPIONS

HOW GREAT TO TYPE THE WORDS

MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE CHAMPIONS

Disappointing United crash out.

Wayne Rooney shows his disappointment as Man Utd lose and miss out on playing Liverpool in the final

Well that’s it for another year in Europe.

Manchester United crashed out of the European Champions league tournament in the semi final against AC Milan. United were well land truly stuffed 3-0 by a better team on the night. The aggregate score over the two legs was 5-3. We will now have to concentrate on wining the English premiership and the FA Cup which would still be a brilliant season. Once more … so close yet so far away …. Well done boys and better luck next year.