When Claudio Ranieri became Leicester City Manager in the summer of 2015, most so-called experts, as well as fans, expressed their amazement. Many pundits said it was a crazy appointment and that the Leicester city team were now favourites for relegation from the Premiership before a ball had even been kicked!
At present Leicester City are:
- Top of the Premiership
- Have been defeated fewer times than any other side in the Premiership
- Second only to Manchester City in goals scored
- Have a record-breaking striker in Jamie Vardy
- Have not had a player sent off this season.
So forget about just reading about theories on Leadership. It’s time to start applying the Ranieri dynamic leadership effect!
Leaders demand performance but expect mistakes
When Riyad Mahrez recently missed a penalty that could have secured a win for the team, Claudio didn’t make a bid deal of it in an after-match interview, but instead inspired his player to learn from the experience and improve.
Here at The Results Centre, inspiring and empowering individuals to be the best that they can possibly be is at the heart of our bespoke people development programmes. Taking risks and making mistakes will always be part of personal and professional growth but the incredible results that can be achieved are always worth a few bumps in the road. To find out more about our people-focussed approach, you can contact us on info@theresultscentre.com.
Leaders consider the past and present to shape the future
When Ranieri took over in the summer, Leicester had just survived in the Premiership by having one of the most amazing winning runs. As the incoming boss, Ranieri didn’t change the status quo of the team by bringing in new personnel – the back room staff remained the same. Nor did he go out and bring in big name stars – he looked to the pool of talent he already had, some of which was as yet untapped.
He simply kept the past underlying philosophy and built on the previous achievements with his own future strategy.
Leaders are great listeners
Great leaders listen to everyone who can affect the success of their teams and ultimately themselves! Asked at a recent press conference what his aim was for the rest of the season, since the first one set had already been achieved, he replied; “I will ask my team. They will decide what they can achieve and I will listen to what they tell me.”
Whilst I’m sure he has the final say, crucially Ranieri ensures that the team’s input is considered. This means the team stand behind the final decision as they know their input was wholeheartedly considered and has been integrated into the strategy.
Leaders are great motivators
Ranieri promised to take the team out for a pizza when they reached their first goal. On achieving their objective not only did he take them for the promised pizza but he also seized the opportunity to use it as a great teambuilding event by creating a competitive flavour to the day. The event consisted of not just eating, but also a pizza-making session, with prizes for the best looking, best tasting, etc.
Personal development is constant
True leaders never give up on learning. They become experts in their own field but are also masters in knowing their own strengths and weaknesses.
Ranieri is loved by the press because of his quirky replies and stories. But this hasn’t always been the case. He has worked on his own “leadership brand” in terms of what he wants to stand for and what his leadership legacy will be. The key to his success is that he has managed some of the highest-profile teams in Europe over the years but still insists that he is learning daily.
Leaders create a team ethos
Even if the players are the most talented in the game as individuals, they rely on their teammates to put that skill into practice. Opportunities have been created for them to grow, learn and improve by allowing them to thrive in the team. No individual is more important than the team and it has been the team ethos that Ranieri has created that has put Leicester at the top. The spirit of togetherness with everyone working for and with each other is cited by him at every press conference.
Whether Leicester City remains in the top four or win the Premiership this year, the Ranieri leadership lessons are there as a shining example for us all to see and learn from.
Be an inspirational leader
Email us at info@resultscentre.com to set up an introductory chat about leadership development programmes and workshops to take your team to the top of the league.